Just two days ago, the US announced that it "ha[d] broken up a major terrorist plot in which agents linked to Iran sought to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US and bomb the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington." Now the Americans are arguing for Iran to be punished. However, the entire Iran plot, when one looks into it, doesn't seem realistic in the least.
One of the first major problems with the terror plot is the plan was "to pay a member of the Zetas cartel $1.5 million to carry out the attack, and two advance payments of nearly $50,000 each were wired to an FBI-controlled bank account in August." If Iran wanted to do a bomb the Saudi and Israeli embassies, why in the world would they have someone from a Mexican drug cartel do it? They have the Qods force to do that for them. Paying a Mexican drug cartel is just too sloppy.
A second factor is that the man the Iranians supposedly used, Manssor Arbabsiar, had nothing special about him. He was a small business owner who lived outside of Austin. The man had no serious connections to Iran besides the fact that he had dual US-Iranian citizenship. Just like with the drug cartel, why would you enlist some nobody to help you bomb two embassies when you have professionals you can call in?
Finally, the question remains that if the plot had even succeeded, what would Iran have even gained from it? The plot would have been investigated and would have been linked back to Iran, thus they could have had Saudi Arabia and Israel wanting to attack them and everyone knows that if Israel attacks Iran, America is right there with them. Thus you'd have the world's superpower (US), a regional superpower (Israel), and a major regional power (Saudi Arabia) all bombing the crap out of your country. While the Iranian government may act crazy, they aren't stupid.
While the media, the US government, and Israel may try to hype this up, the fact of the matter is that this "terror plot" most likely has very little to do with the Iranian government.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
The American Autumn Is Here
Over the past month, a movement has begun that is having a profound effect on America and the world. In two weeks Occupy Wall Street has had a massive impact in terms of people all over the nation banding together to battle the one percent and shaking up the system. While there are many critics of the OWS movement and worries that the group may be co-opted, one thing is clear: ordinary Americans are finally fighting back.
One main argument that is being heard over and over again is that the protesters are not organized and that there are several different messages being sent out. While this may be true, the fact of the matter is that the movement actually growing more organized and have a calendar of organized events for each day. They even have a newspaper and their own security. As time progresses the movement is becoming more and more organized. In addition to this argument, some claim that the movement has no real demands. This is a completely false accusation as they have listed their grievances as well as a proposed list of demands. Even if they don’t have demands, the message is clear: They are sick of a system which caters to the wealthy and the elite at the expense of everyone else.The OWS movement has spread beyond New York, to places such as Vancouver and inspired new movements like Occupy The Fed.
There is some worries of the movement being co-opted, with certain people arguing that the movement has been co-opted from the start. Yet, while this doesn’t appear to be true, it is definitely scaring the hell out of the elite, with Homeland Security showing up at the protests. This is a great occurrence, as the elites realize that the system is under threat. To this end, the movement must maintain awareness and “must not submit to the 1%, in any capacity.” If the movement stays true and away from the system, then there is no doubt that they will transform America and with it the world.
Back in July, independent writer and researcher Andrew Gavin Marshall, seeing the occurrence of the Arab Spring, asked the question “Are we witnessing the start of a global revolution?” and while the Arab Spring has still not fully concluded, the rise of the people all over the world from the Middle East to Asia to Europe and North America, has led me to say yes. Yes, the world is currently undergoing a global revolution against the power structure that is based on fear, greed, and oppression. While it may have taken a while for the US to catch up, we are now protesting against a system that damns the many while uplifting the few. The American Autumn is here.
One main argument that is being heard over and over again is that the protesters are not organized and that there are several different messages being sent out. While this may be true, the fact of the matter is that the movement actually growing more organized and have a calendar of organized events for each day. They even have a newspaper and their own security. As time progresses the movement is becoming more and more organized. In addition to this argument, some claim that the movement has no real demands. This is a completely false accusation as they have listed their grievances as well as a proposed list of demands. Even if they don’t have demands, the message is clear: They are sick of a system which caters to the wealthy and the elite at the expense of everyone else.The OWS movement has spread beyond New York, to places such as Vancouver and inspired new movements like Occupy The Fed.
There is some worries of the movement being co-opted, with certain people arguing that the movement has been co-opted from the start. Yet, while this doesn’t appear to be true, it is definitely scaring the hell out of the elite, with Homeland Security showing up at the protests. This is a great occurrence, as the elites realize that the system is under threat. To this end, the movement must maintain awareness and “must not submit to the 1%, in any capacity.” If the movement stays true and away from the system, then there is no doubt that they will transform America and with it the world.
Back in July, independent writer and researcher Andrew Gavin Marshall, seeing the occurrence of the Arab Spring, asked the question “Are we witnessing the start of a global revolution?” and while the Arab Spring has still not fully concluded, the rise of the people all over the world from the Middle East to Asia to Europe and North America, has led me to say yes. Yes, the world is currently undergoing a global revolution against the power structure that is based on fear, greed, and oppression. While it may have taken a while for the US to catch up, we are now protesting against a system that damns the many while uplifting the few. The American Autumn is here.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Time To Leave Afghanistan
Today marks the 10th anniversary that the United States and its NATO allies have been involved in military operations in Afghanistan. The entire war has been a complete failure. America has lost. Its time to back up our bags and leave.
After the tragic events of 9/11, the Bush Administration argued that the Taliban and Al Qaeda were perpetrators, yet they had already been planning to invade Afghanistan prior to 9/11. All the attacks did was give them a legitimate excuse to a war-mongering administration. The Americans went in and supported the Northern Alliance, who, while anti-Taliban, were just as bad as them, thus a "government" (and I use that term lightly) of anti-American murderous thugs was overthrown and replaced with pro-US murderous thugs.
After the Taliban had been overthrown, many in the US government thought that we would easily establish a democratic government, without realizing how difficult it would be. Hamid Karzai, a member of the Northern Alliance, was installed as president of Afghanistan and through election rigging he has stayed in power. He continues to have Western backing even though his regime is extremely corrupt as he is nothing but a puppet.
The West has seriously attempted to create an Afghan National Army, however. there are still many problems such as drug abuse and poor discipline, in addition to illiteracy. There were so many problems that the US and its allies had to fight the war essentially alone. However, in recent times, the West have come up with a plan for the "Afghanization" of the war, as to be able to pull out NATO troops. In addition to this, the US government had lost its gung-ho spirit and began negotiating with the Taliban on forming a deal in which the US could somehow salvage a "victory."
Some thought that with the killing of Osama bin Laden, the US would leave Afghanistan since the original goal of US involvement in Afghanistan was to destroy Al Qaeda. Yet that has not changed, even though there are only about 50 or less Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The fact of the matter is that US troops could be in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
The war has taken its toll in more ways than one. The life of Afghans, overall, has not changed since the Taliban left and they continue to suffer. This is true as well for Americans. The US is now in crushing debt due to its wars abroad and now massive austerity measures are being implemented to pay off the debt. The war has also caused hundreds of suicides and divorces, not to mention wounded soldiers. The war has left shattered families, hearts, and minds on all sides.
The war in Afghanistan must end. We should not do it solely because we are losing, rather it should be done to mend the hearts and minds of our servicemen and women, as well as their families, and to focus inward and invest money to rebuild our own country, rather than to spend money and destroy other nations. It is time that we leave Afghanistan.
After the tragic events of 9/11, the Bush Administration argued that the Taliban and Al Qaeda were perpetrators, yet they had already been planning to invade Afghanistan prior to 9/11. All the attacks did was give them a legitimate excuse to a war-mongering administration. The Americans went in and supported the Northern Alliance, who, while anti-Taliban, were just as bad as them, thus a "government" (and I use that term lightly) of anti-American murderous thugs was overthrown and replaced with pro-US murderous thugs.
After the Taliban had been overthrown, many in the US government thought that we would easily establish a democratic government, without realizing how difficult it would be. Hamid Karzai, a member of the Northern Alliance, was installed as president of Afghanistan and through election rigging he has stayed in power. He continues to have Western backing even though his regime is extremely corrupt as he is nothing but a puppet.
The West has seriously attempted to create an Afghan National Army, however. there are still many problems such as drug abuse and poor discipline, in addition to illiteracy. There were so many problems that the US and its allies had to fight the war essentially alone. However, in recent times, the West have come up with a plan for the "Afghanization" of the war, as to be able to pull out NATO troops. In addition to this, the US government had lost its gung-ho spirit and began negotiating with the Taliban on forming a deal in which the US could somehow salvage a "victory."
Some thought that with the killing of Osama bin Laden, the US would leave Afghanistan since the original goal of US involvement in Afghanistan was to destroy Al Qaeda. Yet that has not changed, even though there are only about 50 or less Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The fact of the matter is that US troops could be in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
The war has taken its toll in more ways than one. The life of Afghans, overall, has not changed since the Taliban left and they continue to suffer. This is true as well for Americans. The US is now in crushing debt due to its wars abroad and now massive austerity measures are being implemented to pay off the debt. The war has also caused hundreds of suicides and divorces, not to mention wounded soldiers. The war has left shattered families, hearts, and minds on all sides.
The war in Afghanistan must end. We should not do it solely because we are losing, rather it should be done to mend the hearts and minds of our servicemen and women, as well as their families, and to focus inward and invest money to rebuild our own country, rather than to spend money and destroy other nations. It is time that we leave Afghanistan.
Monday, October 3, 2011
The American People Are Damned
For decades, the US government has been selling out its citizens in pursuit of money and power. Due to their actions at home and abroad, they have made the world a more dangerous place for Americans and betrayed the values America was founded on by allowing the rise of a police state. They have launched endless war in the name of “security,” yet this has racked up a huge price tag in blood and treasure. Their solution to the problem: massive austerity cuts. In doing these things, the government has condemned Americans a hellish nightmare of destitution and impoverishment.
The US government has been infected since the 1960s by the corporate elite. By aiding in the funding of campaigns, Congressional representatives were forced to kneel before corporate power and obey their wishes. However, there was somewhat of a balance due to the fact that politicians also had to partially depend on the public for funding and there were rules that guided how much a corporation could contribute. Yet, with the Citizens United ruling, corporations can now contribute as much as they want in the form of political action committees and then disappear. While politicians have been under the tutelage of corporations for decades, this signals a complete and total destruction of the illusion that the public has even the slightest bit of control over the government. The American people have been damned to have a government that obeys only its corporate overlords, rather than the people which they swore to serve.
After 9/11, in an effort to “protect” the country, a War on Terror was launched and two major wars are taking place which have US taxpayers over $1 trillion. These wars have not made Americans any safer and the threat of terrorism is so slight that the government has to create terrorist plots to justify its assault on our civil liberties. However, this War on Terror has only created a world where Americans are less safe and given rise to a “democratic police state” which has destroyed the freedoms of Americans. These freedoms have been trampled even further with the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, as now the President can now kill American citizens. We have been damned to live in a world which is less safe and live in a police state which masquerades as a democracy.
To pay for these wars of aggression abroad, US lawmakers now state that we must “enter an age of austerity” and that there must be “shared sacrifice.” However, how much “shared sacrifice” is there when the deficit reduction plan ultimately was made up of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts? How much “shared sacrifice” is multi-million and -billion corporations don’t pay a cent in taxes? Why are austerity measures taking place when one can easily tax several of the 400 people who own half the nation’s wealth? These people are looked to as “job creators,” yet all they do is outsource jobs to get higher profits. There has been no reinvestment in America and this has damned Americans, both present and future, to a life of pain and suffering.
The American people and their system of government have been corrupted by elites who want to use US military and economic might to further their own selfish goals, rather than to aid in the enrichment of the nation as a whole. The American people have been damned to a hell that is only beginning to show itself.
The US government has been infected since the 1960s by the corporate elite. By aiding in the funding of campaigns, Congressional representatives were forced to kneel before corporate power and obey their wishes. However, there was somewhat of a balance due to the fact that politicians also had to partially depend on the public for funding and there were rules that guided how much a corporation could contribute. Yet, with the Citizens United ruling, corporations can now contribute as much as they want in the form of political action committees and then disappear. While politicians have been under the tutelage of corporations for decades, this signals a complete and total destruction of the illusion that the public has even the slightest bit of control over the government. The American people have been damned to have a government that obeys only its corporate overlords, rather than the people which they swore to serve.
After 9/11, in an effort to “protect” the country, a War on Terror was launched and two major wars are taking place which have US taxpayers over $1 trillion. These wars have not made Americans any safer and the threat of terrorism is so slight that the government has to create terrorist plots to justify its assault on our civil liberties. However, this War on Terror has only created a world where Americans are less safe and given rise to a “democratic police state” which has destroyed the freedoms of Americans. These freedoms have been trampled even further with the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, as now the President can now kill American citizens. We have been damned to live in a world which is less safe and live in a police state which masquerades as a democracy.
To pay for these wars of aggression abroad, US lawmakers now state that we must “enter an age of austerity” and that there must be “shared sacrifice.” However, how much “shared sacrifice” is there when the deficit reduction plan ultimately was made up of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts? How much “shared sacrifice” is multi-million and -billion corporations don’t pay a cent in taxes? Why are austerity measures taking place when one can easily tax several of the 400 people who own half the nation’s wealth? These people are looked to as “job creators,” yet all they do is outsource jobs to get higher profits. There has been no reinvestment in America and this has damned Americans, both present and future, to a life of pain and suffering.
The American people and their system of government have been corrupted by elites who want to use US military and economic might to further their own selfish goals, rather than to aid in the enrichment of the nation as a whole. The American people have been damned to a hell that is only beginning to show itself.
Against the Institution: A Warning for ‘Occupy Wall Street’ by Andrew Gavin Marshall
This article was originally published on andrewgavinmarshall.com on October 3, 2011.
While I fully endorse the efforts and actions of the Occupy Wall Street protests, now emerging internationally, there are concerns which need to be addressed and kept in mind as the movement moves forward.
The process through which a potentially powerful movement may be co-opted and controlled is slight and subtle. If Occupy Wall Street hopes to strive for the 99%, it must not submit to the 1%, in any capacity.
The Occupy movement must prevent what happened to the Tea Party movement to happen to it. Whatever ideological stance you may have, the Tea Party movement started as a grass roots movement, largely a result of anti-Federal Reserve protests. They were quickly co-opted with philanthropic money and political party endorsements.
For the Occupy Movement to build up and become a true force for change, it must avoid and reject the organizational and financial ‘contributions’ of institutions: be they political parties, non-profits, or philanthropic foundations. The efforts are subtle, but effective: they seek to organize, professionalize, and institutionalize a movement, push forward the issues they desire, which render the movement useless for true liberation, as these are among the very institutions the movement should be geared against.
This is not simply about “Wall Street,” this is about POWER. Those who have power, and those who don’t. When those who have power offer a hand in your struggle, their other hand holds a dagger. Remain grassroots, remain decentralized, remain outside and away from party politics, remain away from financial dependence. Freedom is not merely in the aim, it’s in the action.
The true struggle is not left versus right, democrat versus republican, liberal versus conservative, or libertarian versus socialist. The true struggle is that of people against the institution: the State, the banks, the central banking system, the corporation, the international financial institutions, the military, the political parties, the mainstream media, philanthropic foundations, think tanks, university, education, psychiatry, the legal system, the church, et. al.
The transfer of power from one institution to another does not solve the crisis of our ‘institutional society,’ whereby a few have come to dominate so much, to concentrate so much power at the expense of everyone else having so little. True liberation will result only from opposition to ‘the institution’ as an entity. Placating power from one institution to another renders resistance ineffective. The power structures must be discredited, and power must be distributed to the people, through voluntary associations, communal groupings, and people-powered (and people-funded!) initiatives.
In order to survive as a movement, money will become a necessity. Do not turn to the non-profits and philanthropic foundations for support. The philanthropies, which fund and created the non-profits and NGOs, were themselves created to engage in ‘social engineering’: to ‘manufacture consent’ among the governed, and create consensus among the governors. The philanthropies (particularly those of Carnegie, Ford, and Rockefeller) fund social movements and protest organizations so as to steer them into directions which are safe for the elites. The philanthropies are themselves run by the elite, founded by bankers and industrialists striving to preserve their place at the top of the social structure in the midst of potentially revolutionary upheaval. As the president of the Ford Foundation once said, “Everything the foundation does is to make the world safe for capitalism.”
Money from philanthropies will organize the movement into a more professionalized entity, will direct its efforts around the promotion of legalistic reform, making slight changes to the system’s symptoms, promoting particular legislation, rallying around very specific issues removed from their global historical context. The effect is to turn anti-system revolutionaries into legalistic reformers. With such funding, movement organizers are drawn into the world of NGOs, international conferences, international institutions, aid agencies, and mainstream political participation. The leaders of the movement become professionalized and successful, both in prestige and finances. Thus, their own personal position becomes dependent upon promoting reform, not revolution; on maintaining the system (with minor changes to the aesthetic), not moving against it. The movement itself, then, would be institutionalized.
For the finances to grow without the threat of institutional dominance, the money must come from the people. A truly populist cause could be funded by the people. Keep the people in charge.
If we truly want freedom and liberation, we must begin to act free and liberated. If we want the ‘true liberation,’ we must understand the true system of power that confines, oppresses, segregates, exploits, impoverishes, and controls us. It is not a matter of the state or the banks or the corporations. It is a matter of the institution, itself. The structures of power must be struggled against so that we may come to liberate humanity from all that confines it, and experience what our true ‘human nature’ is.
If one studies mice in a maze, no matter for how long or what the maze is built of, looks like, feels like, you cannot deduce the nature of the mouse separate from that of the maze. Break down the maze and you may observe the true nature of the mouse. We have been living, always, within a maze. The walls are constructed as institutions which direct, steer, manipulate, define and segregate us from one another.
First we must tear down the barriers that bind us from ourselves, and then we may truly understand what it is to be human and free.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Killing of Anwar al-Awlaki
In the following video I discuss the recent assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki, its illegality, and how this assassination sets a legal precedent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)