This Week in the World Affairs Brief:
US CAVES TO CHINESE DEMANDS
Despite pretending to have delivered a tough message over China's claim to air sovereignty over the entire East China sea, VP Joe Biden meekly retired from China without ever demanding that China rescind the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over international waters. In fact, he only called for everyone to "trust china" to have "good motives". He knows better of course, but he's following the globalist script that demands deference to this formidable and inevitable enemy of the West. China respects nothing but power and the US seems more interested in placating the Dragon than opposing it. You can request a one-time free sample of the briefs by sending an email to editor@worldaffairsbrief.com.
Also:
- US Permissive to North Korea Too
- Russia's Hold on the Ukraine
- Nelson Mandela was No Hero
Daily News
Sheriff refuses to lower flag for Mandela
posted by askousen - Tuesday, December 10 2013
Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark said he believed the lowering of the flag to half-staff was a tribute that should be reserved for US citizens.
"To show a sign of respect for what Nelson Mandela's done, I have no problem with lowering it in South Africa, in their country," Clark told a local television station. — iOL News
Ukrainian opposition says headquarters in Kiev stormed by authorities
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
Armed masked men stormed the headquarters of a top Ukrainian opposition party in Kiev Monday and stole computer servers, according to eyewitness reports.
A spokeswoman for the party of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko blames police for the raid, but police have denied any involvement, sources told Reuters. — Fox News
Putin dissolves state news agency, tightens grip on media
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
The abolition of RIA Novosti, as well as international radio station Voice of Russia, and establishment of a news agency to be called Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today) is part of efforts to strengthen the president’s authority after protests against him. — EuroNews
Hardball?? How Chris Matthews rolled over for Barack Obama
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
...The only attempt at a journalistic question was when Matthews quoted former White House aide Zeke Emanuel as saying there should have been a CEO type to oversee the ObamaCare program, asking why there wasn't a "strong top-down" system in charge. But Obama delivered his familiar talking points, in a reflective mood that matched the low-key nature of the conversation.
I kept saying to myself, "Chris, jump in there, challenge him!" If you've seen Matthews badger a Republican congressman, you know he's capable of it. But that was not on the agenda. — Fox News
Obama war chiefs widen drone kill box
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
The Pentagon has loosened its guidelines on avoiding civilian casualties during drone strikes, modifying instructions from requiring military personnel to "ensure" civilians are not targeted to encouraging service members to "avoid targeting" civilians.
In addition, instructions now tell commanders that collateral damage "must not be excessive" in relation to mission goals... — Washington Times
How the CIA Bungled the War on Terror
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
...Then the CIA decided that there was no aspect of secret war which couldn't be corporatized. So they set up a unit of private contractors as covert agents, green-lighting them to carry guns and be sent into U.S. war zones at a moment's notice. This elite James Bond-like unit of armed bodyguards and super-fixers was given the anodyne name Global Response Staff (GRS). — Tom Dispatch
Ukraine riot police take up position near Kiev's occupied city hall
posted by askousen - Monday, December 9 2013
Ukrainian riot police on Monday took up position near Kiev's city hall, which is occupied by pro-Europe protesters demonstrating against a government U-turn in trade policy towards Russia, Reuters eyewitnesses said.
About 200 police, wearing black helmets and carrying shields, poured out of three buses at a cross-roads in central Kiev and took up position about 50 meters from the building, but
made no move towards it.
After a court order was issued for the protesters to quit the building, police last week told those inside that they had four days to leave or be ejected. — Reuters
Colo. judge orders Christian baker to bake gay wedding cake. Will he say no?
posted by askousen - Sunday, December 8 2013
A baker in Denver refuses to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Is that within his religious rights, or does it amount to illegal discrimination? Business owners have the right to decide with whom they want to do business, correct? Not in the case of the Denver baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. — CSM
Japan's Government Railroads Controversial Secrets Bill
posted by askousen - Sunday, December 8 2013
[Editor's Note: Other countries are following in the US' footsteps with spying, secret courts and hiding behind state secrets] ...Debate by the committee was cut short by Mr. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition, leaving opposition members crowding around the committee chairman's desk in uproar.
But having secured a comfortable majority in both parliamentary chambers in national elections over the last year, Mr. Abe has a free hand to pass virtually any bill in parliament. Still, governing parties in Japan are usually careful to work with the opposition to build a consensus to avoid giving the impression of a kind of tyranny of majority rule. — WSJ
Japan whistleblowers face crackdown under proposed state secrets law
posted by askousen - Sunday, December 8 2013
...Under a special state secrets bill expected to pass on Friday, public officials and private citizens who leak "special state secrets" face prison terms of up to 10 years, while journalists who seek to obtain the classified information could get up to five years. — Guardian
Japan enacts state secrets law late Friday night amid revolt — "It criminalizes investigative journa
posted by askousen - Sunday, December 8 2013
Following political turmoil that rocked the Diet over the past week, ruling block Upper House members finally enacted the contentious state secrets bill late Friday night. Earlier in the day, opposition parties intensified their protests in vain over a law that's being criticizing for not creating an independent oversight body capable of preventing the government from hiding inconvenient information at its discretion. — ENE News
Sweden 'spied on Russian leaders for US'
posted by askousen - Sunday, December 8 2013
The SVT report didn't name any particular individuals and organizations in Russia, which were the subjects of FRA interest. It did not detail the exact methods, which the intelligence agency used to collect information, although the mentioning of cable may refer to internet traffic.
In 2011, the WikiLeaks website revealed US diplomatic cables, which said that FRA was able to monitor some 80 percent of Russia's internet traffic, which passed through Sweden, and that the country had adopted a new wiretapping law to allow such actions due to Washington pressure. — RT
Pew's promotion of water fluoridation undermines science and the democratic process
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
Current science indicates that water fluoridation is not only ineffective at reducing tooth decay, but is also harmful to health. Despite this knowledge, The Pew Charitable Trusts continues to promote fluoridation by using inaccurate information, and by lobbying legislators to conceal vital information on fluoride's adverse effects, reports The Fluoride Action Network (FAN). — Fluoride Alert
Judge Declares Detroit Bankrupt; Gives OK to Cut Pensions, Burn Creditors
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
...Translation: Guarantees in the Michigan state constitution that such benefits are sacrosanct just evaporated. That means that some 23,000 retirees and another 9,000 current city employees are going to have to tighten their belts, along with banks, bond investors, and other institutions who bought up Detroit's bonds over the years.
How much of a cut? When Kevyn Orr, the financial manager appointed to oversee Detroit's difficulties by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, offered creditors the opportunity to swap $11 billion of their debt for a $2 billion "note" - a haircut of 82 percent - they walked away from it, setting in motion the bankruptcy filing in July and the ruling earlier this week. Now it appears they’ll be lucky to get 10 cents on the dollar. — The New American
Hezbollah Commander Assassinated in Lebanon
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
...Lebanon's Daily Star cited an unnamed high-ranking security official who told the paper that "at least one unidentified gunman, using a 9-mm silenced gun, shot and wounded Lakkis in the head and the neck five times outside his home in Hadath."
The Lebanese daily also quoted a statement from Hezbollah: "The Israeli enemy tried to kill Lakkis many times ... but its attempts failed until this foul assassination overnight." — The New American
Fast and Furious Whistleblower Destroys "Botched Investigation" Lie
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
Despite the Obama administration's fiendish efforts to censor the truth, Special Agent John Dodson, one of the key ATF whistleblowers who exposed the "Fast and Furious" plot to arm Mexican drug cartels, recently offered more explosive insight into the deadly scheme. In addition to further demolishing the bogus "botched-investigation" narrative peddled by the embattled administration and its allies in the establishment press, Dodson also shed light on various elements of the gun-running operation that disgraced Attorney General Eric Holder and the president have been conspiring to keep secret. — The New American
Hola: Boehner prepares to push amnesty bill through House
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
House Speaker John A. Boehner announced Tuesday that he has hired a longtime advocate of legalizing illegal immigrants to be an adviser, signaling that the Republican is still intent on trying to pass an immigration bill during this congressional session.
Immigrant rights advocates cheered the move as a sign of Mr. Boehner's dedication to action. Those who want a crackdown on illegal immigration said the top Republican in the House has moved closer to embracing amnesty by hiring Rebecca Tallent, a former staffer for Sen. John McCain and fellow Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe. — Washington Times
Pensions Aren't Sacred and Art Isn't Priceless: What the Detroit Bankruptcy Ruling Means
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
...By the time the soft-spoken federal judge had finished, it was clear that from worker pensions to the city's art treasures, nothing in Detroit is completely safe in Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
The effect of his ruling is likely to touch all corners of the city and could serve as a legal precedent for other municipalities reckoning with unsustainable debt. Here are three of the most important takeaways:
Pensions Aren't Sacred. — Time
A little girl, mistletoe, and destroying capitalism
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
The objective? Increase the power of government and its allied corporations to control the means of production and the distribution of goods and services.
"Well, freedom and the free market didn't work. It was always corrupt to the core. So let's kill capitalism and install a fair and equitable and humane system…"
Yes, and let's have a rainbow every day, with fairies and elves dancing in the sky and parachuting food and money down to the masses. — Jon Rappaport Blog
UK police threaten Guardian editor with terrorism charges over Snowden leaks
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
British police have launched an investigation into whether the Guardian committed "potential" terrorism offenses by publishing the incriminating NSA and GCHQ documents leaked earlier this year by Edward Snowden. — RT
Zuckerberg: US government 'blew it' on NSA surveillance
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, struck back on Wednesday at critics who have charged tech companies with doing too little to fight off NSA surveillance. Mayer said executives faced jail if they revealed government secrets.
Yahoo and Facebook, along with other tech firms, are pushing for the right to be allowed to publish the number of requests they receive from the spy agency. Companies are forbidden by law to disclose how much data they provide. — The Guardian
U.S. calls on North Korea to release 2 Americans being detained
posted by askousen - Friday, December 6 2013
The White House encourages North Korea to release Merrill Newman, a military veteran of the Korean War, because of his age and health, a spokesman said Monday. — UPI
"Balanced Media" Coverage of Katie Couric's Show highlighting dangers of HPV Vaccine
posted by askousen - Thursday, December 5 2013
[Editor's note: These are headlines from all the big news stations] "Four Ways Katie Couric Stacked The Deck Against Gardasil" - Forbes;
"Katie Couric gets called out for promoting bogus science" - Salon.com;
"Katie Couric and the HPV vaccine: The "journalist" throws in with the anti-vaccine crowd" - Slate.com;
"Is Katie Couric The Next Jenny McCarthy?" - TIME.com — Varied - Salon Story cited
China Bans Banks From Using Bitcoin
posted by askousen - Thursday, December 5 2013
China has banned its banks from using bitcoins as currency in an effort to prevent money laundering and maintain financial stability. — PC Magazine
U.S. spy agency gathers data on cellphone locations globally: report
posted by askousen - Thursday, December 5 2013
The National Security Agency gathers nearly 5 billion records a day on the location of mobile telephones worldwide, including those of some Americans, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing sources including documents obtained by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. — Reuters
Orrin Hatch Pushes for Passage of Trans-Pacific Partnership
posted by askousen - Wednesday, December 4 2013
In a recent op-ed published in the Salt Lake City (Utah) Tribune, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) calls for approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and for "breaking down trade barriers."
Hatch, a consistent supporter of all things globalist, argues that when one is presented with the "facts" about the TPP, that person would join in him in pushing for the agreement's passage. — The New American
Maritime "black hole": Russia launches new "stealth" submarine
posted by askousen - Wednesday, December 4 2013
Russia has launched its new state-of-the-art Novorossiysk submarine, which set sail from a St Petersburg shipyard to become the first of six diesel-electric stealth subs delivered to the Russian Black Sea fleet in the next two years.
The Novorossiysk belongs to the Varshavyanka-class (Project 636), which is characterized by advanced stealth technology, making it virtually undetectable when submerged. — RT
New Russian Submarines Are So Silent That The U.S. Navy Calls Them "Black Holes"
posted by askousen - Wednesday, December 4 2013
...And as I mentioned above, these submarines have the ability to approach the coastlines of the United States without the U.S. military ever even knowing that they were there.
In addition, Russia has been working feverishly to upgrade other elements of their strategic arsenal as well. For example, it was recently announced that Russia will soon begin work on a new strategic bomber… — The Truth Wins
Newly captured photo shows Russia's new shark stealth fighter
posted by askousen - Wednesday, December 4 2013
...The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype of the PAK FA, the fifth generation fighter that will replace the MiG-29 and Su-27.
The dark shape actually looks like the concept by Aleksander Dultsev. Recent reports indicate that the T-50 could match and outperform both the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. — Gizmodo
America's best-and worst-run states
posted by askousen - Wednesday, December 4 2013
...Many of the best-run states in the nation benefit from an abundance of natural resources, while the housing crisis continues to weigh on a number of the worst-run states. While these can be considered extenuating circumstances, the fact is that each state must deal with the cards it is dealt. Governments must plan for worst-case scenarios, including the collapse of an industry. Several resource-rich states have squandered their advantages and rank poorly on our list. Good governance involves raising and spending enough to provide for the well-being of the population without risking the state's long-term stability.
...For the third year in a row, California is the worst-run state in America — MSN Money