COMMENTARY BY STROTHER BURRELL

Update, 5.13.10

2010-05-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Update. Personal circumstance preclude commentary for the time being.

Apologies.

Health News, in Today's News 04.05.10

2010-04-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Health News. It didn't take long for the cryptocracy to find a new health concern to scare the American public, after the cryptocracy's swine-flu fiasco. Today's Wall Street Journal has a page A3 major spread titled, "Risk of New Virus Probed".

The first paragraph: "An infectious virus linked to two diseases is drawing the attention of public-health officials, who are investigating the potential threat to the nation's blood supply."

And so here we go. There is no evidence that there is any danger. But the 'public-health officials' are sounding the alarm anyway.

It seems to be part of the cryptocracy's on-going efforts to intimidate the public to always have something to cause people to be fearful. When there is a health danger, the public has no ready means to combat it. Of necessity the public has to look to government agencies. And thus, the fear mechanism is a very handy little device to keep the public under control.

Some day the public will begin to see through such methods. But, until then we are at the mercy of the power-hungry.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 04.05.10

2010-04-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan. Today's Wall Street Journal headline (pg A14): "Karzai Slams the West Again".

The Journal writes that Karzai "accus[ed] the U.S. of interfering in Afghan affairs and saying the Taliban insurgency would become a legitimate resistance movement if the meddling doesn't stop."

The immediate background is Karzai's attempt to take over the Electoral Complaints Commission before the September parliamentary elections. The US resists this move. Karzai is fighting for his political life by trying to ensure the US doesn't affect the elections.

The US has been trying to get rid of Karzai for some time. They tried to oust him in the Presidential elections last year, but failed when the US designee decided not to pursue a run-off election. The US then let Karzai have the presidency, but has put unremitting pressure on him to become what the US wants or to get out of the way.

Karzai is becoming more and more militant as he realizes the extent to which the US is willing to go to remove him. He has even suggested that he would support the Taliban as a legitimate opposition. He is being courageous, but he faces a powerful opponent.

As for Obama: it is not a good sign for one's war policy when the ruler of the country your are supposedly helping attacks you. Obama's only real alternative is to step up efforts to remove Karzai. But such a step would have significant negative consequences among the Afghans.

Bishop Williamson

2010-04-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Bishop Williamson. Michael Hoffman has another must-read. He writes of the Society of Saint Pius X's refusal to offer prayers on behalf of its own Bishop Williamson. Hoffman's article may be read here.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 62, in Today's News 04.02.10

2010-04-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. Reports surfaced this week that a little more than half of the swine flu vaccines have been used. The remainder will soon expire and must be destroyed.

Thus ends the cryptocracy's major effort to stampede the American people into a semi-mandatory vaccination program. It's failure can be attributed to the common sense of the public. They saw very early that the whole enterprise was a fraud constructed around a minor heath threat.

The vaccine supply cost $1.6 billion, a terrific wind-fall for drug companies. But now a significant proportion of the cost will be for nothing, never used and finally destroyed.

If an employee of a normal corporation made an error of this magnitude, he or she would be shown the door. Not so, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, which were the principle planners and initiators of the swine-flu-fear campaign. They won't be fired. Instead, excuses will be made, the tax payer will swallow the loss, and the CDC will be enjoined to try again.

And so the final lesson is: be prepared for the next cryptocracy health machination.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 04.02.10

2010-04-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan. One week after a visit by President Obama and about a month after the initiation by the United States of their much-heralded military offensive against the Taliban, Afghan President Karzai has shown his support by blasting the US, its allies and the United Nations.

Today's Wall Street Journal, Karzai "...charged Western officials and embassies with fraud in last summer's presidential elections..." Karzai accused the US of bribery and death threats. He said the US efforts also included offers of cash and armored vehicles.

What prompted this outburst?

The United States has been trying to oust Karzai for some time. The US did just what Karzai alleges in an effort to remove his government, perhaps overthrow it, but at least force him into a coalition government in the last elections. The whole effort failed only because the US-sponsored candidate got cold feet and declined to participate in the run-off election.

WSJ: "Associates of Mr. Karzai say he was deeply wounded by what he considered Western treachery against him." The WSJ journal does not mention it, but it should be remarked that Senator Kerry played a key role in the treachery, when he flew to Afghanistan to pressure Karzai into accepting a run-off election.

Karzai took his time after the election, but when he felt he could, he issued a decree taking control of the Independent Election Commission, which had played the central role in trying to influence the election against Karzai.

Today's outburst occurred because parliamentary elections are scheduled for September and already Karzai has detected the manipulations of the US. In short, Karzai is fighting for his life. It doesn't worry him that his remarks might cause the US to undermine him. The US already is, and has been for some time.

One final note: Obama might be asked how his offensive is going? The Afghan government is providing very little support. Karzai, after much prodding of his staff, had to be awakened from a mid-day nap to hear of the plans for the offensive. It took a major effort to force Karzai to go to the initial military target, Marjah, to listen to the residents there. He also showed his support by appointing a thug to preside over the newly 'liberated' area. Karzai has also repeatedly accused the US of needless killing of civilians.

The media will never mention it, but Obama's efforts in Afghanistan are a little short of disastrous.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 04.02.10

2010-04-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Catholic Church. In a jaw-dropping homily near the end of Holy Week which is the remembrance of the persecution of the Son of God and His resurrection, the preacher to the Pope, Father Cantalamessa, declared that the recent attack on the Pope in the molestation scandal was similar to the persecution of...the Jews. (!!!!)

If ever there was a sign of what is on the minds of at least some of the leaders of the Vatican, this is it. At Easter time, their only point of reference it would seem is the Jews. How far the Church leaders have traveled from authentic Catholicism.

Michael Hoffman has a must-read commentary on Cantalamessa's message. It may be read here.

It probably doesn't occur to Cantalamessa that Judaics around the world are chuckling over his foolishness. The New York Times article on his homily questioned a Rabbi: "Rabbi Riccardo di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, who hosted Benedict at the Rome synagogue in January on a visit that helped calm waters after a year of tensions, laughed in seeming disbelief when asked about Father Cantalamessa’s remarks."

And one might well ask, where are all the Judaic friends that the Pope has developed now that the Pope is under attack? So far, there has not been a peep out of them. Cantalamessa mentions receiving a letter from a Jewish friend. But, the letter is nothing more than remarking that the writer is reminded of attacks on Jews. As such the letter provides cover for the lack of response by Judaic leaders. And the theme of the letter is then picked up by Cantalamessa for this homily.

One other point. It shouldn't matter, but one cannot help noticing that Cantalamessa's robe is always extremely well-tailored and that his beard and hair are always immaculately coiffured. Not quite the example one would expect from a leading Vatican figure in regard to humility and lack of pride.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 03.25.10

2010-03-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Catholic Church. It doesn't take much skill in observation to realize that a decision has been made at the very highest levels of the Cryptocracy to get the Pope. The sudden development of a sexual abuse scandal in Germany is designed for one purpose, and one purpose only, to develop a path of accusation against the Pope. The goal is to drive him from the Papacy.

Even though Benedict is one of the most pro-Judaic Popes in the history of the Church, his orientation evidently wasn't good enough to please the individuals who constantly strive to control human events in order to establish a world Talmudic dictatorship. These individuals know full-well that it is the Church and what it stands for that stand in the way. Sooner or later they had to attempt to remove the Church as an obstacle. It looks like they have decided that now is the time.

And so the Church faces a great challenge. Can the Vatican and the Church leaders recognize the danger? Can they take adequate action to turn back this attack?

Time will tell. Some of the Church statements have indicated a glimmering of understanding. But, for the most part, the Church statements have been framed in defensiveness. That stance will never succeed. Those going after the Pope will tear defensive statements apart and use the statements against the Church, as they already are doing.

The only way forward is for the Church leaders to go on the offensive. The Church is the most compassionate entity in the history of the world. It is utterly ridiculous for the Church to be painted as an organization of abuse and cover-up. The leaders need to get some gumption, quit worrying about the media's attitude toward them and start explaining what the attack on the Pope means for the development of world history.

The Church had no trouble going on the offensive in response to Luther's challenge. The danger to the Church in the present circumstances is far greater.

Health Care, in Today's News 03.25.10

2010-03-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Health Care. The Church leaders got exactly the change they had been crying about in the Obama-care legislation. They therefore look pretty silly now complaining that the legislation is flawed.

The Church leaders, for months, have given the impression that the legislation would be okay if funding for abortion was omitted. The Cryptocracy, not being stupid, realized they could use the Church's stance to get the legislation passed. All that was need was some parliamentary maneuver to give the impression of no funding for abortion. And thus the impression would be given that the Church would think the legislation is okay. And thus they utilized Michigan's Stupak to pull it off with an executive order banning funding (which can easily be reversed or even ignored).

The Church leaders were maneuvered right out of their pants. They were left with not much to say except to whine that the legislation was flawed. That complaint was probably worth a few laughs in the inner sanctums of health-care planners.

All this could have been avoided if the Church leaders had not overlooked a few key points. Ignored was the overall issue of the legislation establishing a nationalized, bureaucratic, cost-cutting, profile driven method of health care. Ignored was the fact that the Church's creation - compassionate health care - was being submerged in a de-humanized system. Ignored was the overwhelming opinion of the American public that this legislation stinks.

And so, the Church leaders set themselves up for the Stupak-type maneuver.

This story is a disgrace. Not only did the Church leaders fail to defend one of the great legacies of the Church, through their inept attempt to influence the legislation they also ended up bearing the central responsibility for the adoption of this law that will adversely affect the faithful and all Americans.

There are something like 65 million Catholics in the United States, all of whom would follow the lead of the leaders of the Church and Catholic organizations. Properly educated and organized, the Catholic faithful could (and should) have stopped the health-care attack.

The Church leaders' lack of back-bone and their failure to even understand what was at stake spells big trouble for the Church in coming times. Prayers are needed.

Iran, in Today's News 03.18.10

2010-03-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Iran. Michael Hoffman has an absolute must-read on false-flag operations against Iran. He comments on an article by Paul Craig Roberts which Hoffman reprints.

Roberts refers to an article, "The Rogue Nation" by Phillip Giraldi, in his commentary. Rogue Nation is also a must-read and may be viewed here.

Israel, in Today's News 03.14.10

2010-03-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Israel. The media can't get over the Israeli "insulting behavior" toward United States Vice President Biden during his recent visit. Hillary* even got in on the act, making a phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

What the media misses is the cleverness of the Israeli actions. Biden went to Israel to discuss the Obama agenda of pretending to be sympathetic to the Arab world. The Israelis, of course, wanted nothing to do with that discussion. So, to avoid the discussion, the Israelis simply announced as Biden was landing that they were putting up more housing in the Palestinian sector. Immediately the agenda was totally changed. Instead of the Obama agenda, the topic of concern was the Israeli actions. Everyone forgot about the Obama agenda.

The price the Israelis paid was a small one. They made Biden look like a fool, but that doesn't really matter to the Israelis. Soon the world will not pay much attention to the new housing. And so, things will be right back where they were before Biden's visit.

IOW, the Israelis completely out-maneuvered Obama. In fact, they made Obama look a little silly. But, the media has no intention to accurately report what happened. Their job is to enhance the image of Obama. So, they complain about the Israeli bad manners.

Much is being made also of the differences between Israel and the United States. Basically the differences are tactical. Both countries share the same objective to make Israel the premier country in the middle-east, and to do this by force when the time comes.

The media is making a big noise about the 'differences'. After all it sells. But, the differences don't amount to much. With one caveat: the hysterical Israelis can get very worked up over tactical matters, and they are capable of most anything. The recent actions of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee to pressure Obama are an example.

* - Hillary is still trying to get even with the Israelis for the way they treated her after she appeared on the same platform with Mrs. Arafat.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 03.10.10

2010-03-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

Catholic Church. The current phase of the sexual abuse charges against the Church is developing very rapidly and, for the Church, in an alarming direction. Precious little time remains for the Church leaders to formulate a response that will prevent extensive damage to the authority of the Church.

The current situation began when charges of sexual abuse were made in Germany, in particular in a choir which the Pope's brother lead. The brother responded by saying that it all occurred before he got there and that he would be willing to testify. Then a day later, he admitted that he had slapped (repeatedly) children in the choir as a punishment.

The Church and Christ-haters who are organizing the international campaign of sexual abuse against the Church could not be happier. And they have jumped on their new opportunity with a zeal.

The forces behind the attack now have the Papacy squarely in their crosshairs. Plus, they have the opening to escalate the sexual assault charges to physical abuse charges. Thus a whole new round of charges, legal suits, and settlements looms in country after country on the physical abuse allegations.

Many forces are being brought into the attack. The Times-on-Line article yesterday referred to the "pervasive culture of violence at Roman Catholic institutions." The article continued by quoting the brother as saying he knew of "a reign of terror" by the headmaster of the choir's school from 1953 to 1992. The brother admitted he had done nothing about it.

The German government has gone so far as to accuse the Vatican of suppressing the truth about the abuse. The Times-on-Line article claims that liberal German Catholics "have questioned how much the Pope knew of sexual abuse in his country's Church when he was professor of theology in Germany in the 1960s -- including a stint in Regensburg -- and Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1971 to 1982."

More accusations are sure to fly in the next period of time. One can be certain that it is well known now that anyone who can come forward with a credible charge has a large pot of money awaiting him.

The Church leaders have followed a policy of appeasement as the sexual abuse allegations have appeared in country after country. But those who are directing the campaign against the Church are un-appease-able. They take appeasement to be a sign of weakness, a sign that they should escalate their efforts. And now they have the golden opportunity to start their campaign all over again in country after country on the physical abuse charge. Plus they now believe they have a good chance of pinning something on Pope, whether true or not.

The Church leaders had better think and act quickly, because this tsunami is growing and fast-approaching the Vatican. Appeasement hasn't worked and certainly won't work here. Pray that the Church leaders realize the situation they are in and take the appropriate measures to defend the Church.

*********

BTW, the Pope's brother is quoted "I myself handed out slaps repeatedly, although I always had a bad conscience about it." It is absolutely astounding that a leader of the Church would admit to defying his conscience. It's one thing for a member of the faithful to have a tough time following one's conscience, but a leader of the Church is another matter. Then, to admit it. Oh, my goodness. Pray for the Pope's brother.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 03.10.10

2010-03-10T14:02:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The great military campaign in Afghanistan continues to roll along. This time, the Wall Street Journal reports today, the 'allies' captured another deserted and undefended ghost town, Now Zad, a neighbor of Marjah.

Evidently no Afghan officials were available, so the victory parade consisted of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and a heavily armed escort and sharpshooters on the roofs. Any remaining Afghan inhabitants had been hustled out of the way before Gates made his tour. The removal of the natives was no doubt done to endear the Now Zad inhabitants to the United States.

What have the 'allies' captured? "Now Zad has no electricity, sewage system, or running water, and there are few visible signs of new construction." Plus, few who live or work there.

Such 'victories' are no doubt designed to 'impress' the Taliban, who are probably happy to let the 'allies' do this busy work while the Taliban concentrates its forces elsewhere. Are the 'allies' also trying to impress Obama that they are really doing something?

Hillary Clinton, in Today's News 03.09.10

2010-03-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton. Hey, Hey!!!! She did it again! Twice! In one trip!

As Hillary visits various continents she leaves behind a trail of diplomatic disasters. This time she went to South America.

Her first stop was Chile, immediately after the earthquake. Of course, the last thing a leader of Chile wants to deal with in the wake of the monumental damage is a visiting foreign dignitary. This consideration didn't seem to bother Hillary as she used the quake to promote her own image.

Then it was on to Argentina. There she managed to create a diplomatic blow-up with Britain. Her contribution to the long-standing dispute over the Falkland Islands was to suggest that the issue be referred to the United Nation's decolonization committee!

The British uproar was immediate. The Wall Street Journal (3.9.10) reports, "This has not played well in London, nor among [Falkland] island residents, who have been British subjects since 1833 and have no desire to become Argentines...British officials are angry at what they regard as a cavalier disregard for Britain's interests at a time when Britain is the only major European power committing significant numbers of combat troops to Afghanistan."

And so add another Hillary disaster to the list. The American authorities in Washington, London, and Buenos Aires will now have to work overtime to clean up her mess, as she travels merrily along to her next victims.

Obama has relegated Clinton to secondary issues and kept her away from all the major foreign policy questions, and with good reason. Yet, Hillary has managed to screw up almost every matter she has directed her attention to.

The media, of course, covers up for Clinton as they have been doing for years. But the list of disasters is so long now that she can give up on any further elective office. Her only hope for political advancement is to secure a Supreme Court position. (God Help Us!)

Greece, in Today's News 03.09.10

2010-03-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

Greece. The real reason for precipitating a fiscal crisis in Greece is beginning to emerge. The Rothschilds and their buddies want to set up an International Monetary Fund within the European Union. IOW, they want another entity that can generate interest payments to them.

The ever-active Cryptocracy brought about the Greece default threat with a number of goals in mind:

It provided a means of undermining the Euro and jump-starting a run-up in the dollar. Having made zillions in the Euro's strengthening, it was now time to start a new cycle and make zillions on the dollar.
The crisis was a pretext for rationalizing and centralizing the Greece financial sector, just as the economic crisis had done in the United States.
And finally, the crisis created an atmosphere where a new bailout fund (read 'loan center') could be created.

The European Union leaders have come out in support of the Rothschild's latest money-making scheme. German Chancellor and prime Rothschild spokesperson, "I find the idea good and interesting."

One Poul Rasmussen, a leader of the second-largest group in the European Union, "called for [as reported by the Wall Street Journal today] a trustee fund established by euro-area members that could borrow money on the financial markets. The fund could provide loans to a euro-zone government facing a financial crisis..."

So, the Cryptocracy has the means to create a crisis, and now they would have an additional means of collecting loan payments on the solution to the crisis. In addition, they could lend money to the new fund, in return, of course, for steep interest payments.

Someday, the real story of these machinations will reach public consciousness.

"The Hurt Locker', in Today's News 03.08.10

2010-03-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

The Hurt Locker. Why did a movie no one has seen win an Oscar for the best picture?

Most media sources are waxing poetic about the breakthrough of having a film directed by a woman win the award.

But the real reason is pretty simple: "Hurt" cost $11 million to make, as opposed to the excess of 100 million that the favorite, Avatar, cost.

The message that the moguls of Hollywood wished to put forward was that they don't want to see any more films where they have to shell out millions and millions of dollars in production costs, regardless of the ultimate ticket sales. Their great fear is that if the Avatar trend were to continue, one of the expensive follow-up films might fail. And that would mean some very empty pockets among the Hollywood elite.

And once again, Hollywood decisions have nothing to do with truth or accurately portraying human drama. It's all about the buck.

(Not that Avatar, directed by the Christ-hating James Cameron, had anything to do with truth or human drama.)

Afghanistan, in Today's News 03.06.10

2010-03-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. Another triumph in Marjah!! Today's Wall Street Journal reports that the new Marjah administrator chosen by the Afghan government likely spent four years in a German prison for assault (beating his stepson).

"Behind closed doors, Western officials have been pressing Afghan officials to have [the administrator] removed from his post..."

And so, having conquered a rural, deserted village, the 'allies' can't even get the Afghan government to play along and appoint someone with standing. President Karzai seems to care little about the progress of the Marjah campaign.

Post Script, 03.09.10: The US and the 'allies' have backed off from efforts to have the administrator removed. Evidently, there was no one better to put in the post and President Karzai stuck to his position. And so, yet another embarassment for the 'allies', as their much ballyhooed Marjah campaign ends up putting a thug in power.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 03.04-07.10

2010-03-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. On to Kandahar!!! The United States and its 'allies' having conquered a rural and mostly deserted, undefended Marjah, is now ready to push on to Kandahar.

Kandahar is a city of some 700,000 that is supposedly a center of the Taliban. The US strategy is to form a security zone around the city, to cut off inflow and outflow of the Taliban.

This action may have been a good idea in the middle ages when a castle or walled city was put under siege. But in the context of the modern world and the current type of warfare, the security zone is doomed to futility. First, in the terrain of Afghanistan, the 'allies' cannot hope to seal off the city.

Second, all 700,000 inhabitants can't be Taliban. Thus, it is inevitable that lots and lots of innocent people are going to be antagonized by the inconvenience of check points, and especially check points by foreigners.

Third, the surrounding tactic has been tried many times since World War II, all without success. The first attempt was in Algeria, where the French tried fruitlessly to isolate the Casbah. It didn't work and the French soon went home.

But, this is the type of strategy that the Israelis advocate and carry out against the Palestinians. And therefore, given the present mind-frame in Washington, the American war-planners think the strategy has to be a good one.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 03.05.10

2010-03-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

Catholic Church. Someone at the Vatican had better wake up, fast!!

Many news agencies are reporting an alleged sexual abuse case in the boys' choir of Regensburg, where the Pope's brother was choir director.

IOW, those who have prompted the sexual abuse campaigns against the Church in the United States, Ireland, and now Germany, are feeling so good about their successes (and the ridiculous Church response) that they are now taking aim at the Pope. And what better way to get at the Pope than to involve the Pope's brother in a scandal!!

The Vatican's initial response to the charges is dumb. The Vatican says that the Pope's brother led the choir after the alleged abuses occurred. This is not wise because those behind the charge always think two or three moves ahead. They could easily have another case in reserve from the years when the Pope's brother was in charge. All they could be waiting for is a statement like the Vatican's response to launch the next case. And then what is the Vatican going to say?

The Church leaders seem to have a complete inability to recognize an attack on the Church when it occurs. They are even less likely to explain what the attack is, who is behind it, and what the enemies of the Church want to accomplish.

The failure of the Church leaders to handle the sexual abuse charges correctly in country after country has paved the way for an attack on the Papacy. If the past inadequate response to the charges is not corrected, an extremely damaging assault on the Church's authority is about to begin.

The message to the Vatican is "WAKE UP!"

General Motors, in Today's News 03.03.10

2010-03-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

General Motors. The Obama-ites have the notion that GM's lack of sales and profits results from the buddy-system of management at the old GM. The Obama-ites think that all the problems can be solved with a new management and a 'you're accountable' management system.

And so, the administration through its friends, brought GM into bankruptcy, reorganized the whole thing under total government control, and brought in a new board of directors and chief executive officer. The Obama-ites just knew that these changes would soon bring profits as the new management system took effect.

The Obama-ites, however, overlooked one small factor: the GM vehicles, for the most part, stink; and the public has so little confidence in them that they are unwilling to shell out five-figures to own one.

And so, we get to witness the continuing corporate comedy at GM. Every time something doesn't go quite right, the new GM managers blame the old management system, and then make all kinds of changes in the corporate ranks.

The latest episode has GM announcing today an overhaul of its top managers because Ford outsold GM for the first time in decades. (This is the second executive shuffle in three months.) [!!!]

So it goes. Expect another executive shuffle when the next bad news occurs as the Obama-ites pursue the folly of their management solution.

GM will only revive when it is recognized that very few in the public want the GM products. This was the problem of the old GM and of the new GM. If GM wants to succeed they will need to design and produce a vehicle that inspires the public, regardless of management machinations.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 03.03.10

2010-03-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. Today's Wall Street Journal has a headline (page C16) that perfectly expresses the current frustration of the Cryptocracy: "Congress Is Wasting a Good Crisis." [!!]

The Cryptocracy had precipitated the economic crisis in the hopes of creating an atmosphere where several changes to American public life could be stampeded through Congress to the great benefit of the owners of the country's wealth.

They had a big 'to-do' list and some things were accomplished: the election of Obama, the government take-over of General Motors, a rationalization and consolidation of the banking industry, and a disciplining of the insurance industry. But a couple of big items are stuck in Congress: health care and a reorganization of financial regulation.

The Cryptocracy and their agents are now making a last-ditch effort to ensure that Congress passes legislation to enable a government take-over of health care and to enable an empowerment of the Federal Reserve as the chief enforcement agency. Time will tell if they are successful, but they rarely give in.

The WSJ headline, consciously or not, summarizes the situation as seen from Cryptocracy headquarters. Here the Cryptocracy had made a perfectly good crisis to change things around, and now these self-inflated goof-offs in Congress are mucking the whole thing up by their constant dickering over details.

The Cryptocracy intends to get its way. And they will eventually, until and unless a conscious opposition arises to their manipulations.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 61, in Today's News 03.03.10

2010-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. These people never give up!!

Today's Wall Street Journal has a major spread on what happened to the swine flu. The headline is "The Flu Season That Fizzled."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working energetically for the cryptocracy, had mapped out an extensive drive to inoculate the American public in a swine flu scare. They had the perfect bug. Swine flu differed hardly at all from seasonal flu. The CDC therefore could use the usual annual seasonal flu outbreak to underline their scare tactics.

But the big didn't cooperate. And then the CDC completely bungled the great plan through bad planning and over-the-top public statements.

So now, the CDC and its allies are trying to cover their tracks. It wasn't their fault that the scare campaign went nowhere. It's all because of an anomalous flu season.

And moreover, the swine flu bug could strike at any time, they say. The CDC messed up the scare campaign, and now they are attempting a comeback.

Moreover, the swine flu might still morph into some more dangerous bug, repeating one of their favorite scare tactics.

The cryptocracy really wanted an inoculation experience for the public. And so the CDC and others just have to keep trying to get the public scared to please their employers.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 03.02.10

2010-03-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. Congress is moving toward adopting legislation that will significantly increase the power of the Cryptocracy, and yet there is little-to-no outcry.

Today's Wall Street Journal page one: "The two senators (Dodd and Corker) have also reached a deal that would let the federal government break up large, failing financial companies."

Further, "Regulators would have the option to force any financial company into an FDIC[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]-controlled dissolution if they believed market chaos required such an extreme step. Under the proposal, this step could take place only after the agreement of the Fed's board, a council of regulators, and the Treasury secretary, in consultation with the president."

And, "The new deal would wipe out shareholders [!] and give the FDIC the power to remove management. Creditors would be guaranteed only the liquidation value of their claims in bankruptcy..."

There a number of players here, but the one who has the power is the Fed, which after all controls the nation's money supply. The Fed will play the key role in defining which corporation is in trouble and needs to be reorganized. It just so happens that the Fed is also the entity that can cause a particular corporation to get in trouble. And, it just so happens that the Fed is owned by the central banks, which in turn are owned by the Rothschilds and others.

If this legislation is adopted it will thus constitute a decisive step toward a planned economy controlled by the Rothschilds. The Fed and others will plan the economy. If a financial corporation doesn't act according to the plan, the Fed will step in, get rid of the stockholders and reorganize the company complete with a new management.

The model for this arrangement is the Soviet Union and its planned economy. The central planners there, just as in the US now, had the power to direct and to break up any company or management.

This legislation, therefore, is a significant power-grab by the Rothschilds. The economic crisis was engineered to a great extent to create this new arrangement. It will bring the Rothschilds one big step closer to total control of the US economy.

One would, therefore, expect a huge outcry against the proposed legislation. But, one listens in vain. All the voices who were very vocal in criticizing the Fed and calling for an audit of the Fed, seem to have developed a case of laryngitis about this reform.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 02.26.10

2010-02-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. Today's Wall Street Journal page A2: "The Federal Reserve is gaining support in the Senate and could emerge from the overhaul of financial-market rules as the primary regulator of the country's largest financial firms, according to people involved in the negotiations."

This possibility is a switch. Until very recently this particular reform has been stuck in Congressional mud with little hope of passage. But, the Cryptocracy desire to put the Fed (which they own) in charge of regulating large banks and others is very high on their priority list. A case can even be made that the Cryptocracy brought on the economic crisis just to accomplish this reform.

And so, in the last few weeks pressure (in all its manifestations) has been brought

to bear on Christopher Dodd, chairman of Senate Banking Committee, and on all his fellow committee cronies.

When the Cryptocracy really wants something, they will pull all the strings to achieve it. And so they have.

How craven these Senate toadies can become was illustrated in the WSJ by a participant in the negotiations, "All eight of us said it is unthinkable [!] to have the central bank of the United States not have supervisory authority over the financial industry..."

The most surprising aspect of this development is the silence of the critics. Those voices who have been criticizing the Fed and calling for an audit, have been completely silent on this regulatory change. And yet this change has a significance that is almost beyond measure for the economy and the American public.

The Fed in charge of regulating the financial industry means that the private owners of the banks that own the Fed will be in control of the nation's economy. The Cryptocracy already mostly directs and manipulates the economy thru the Fed and other devices, but this change would institutionalize private control and supervision. It means handing over the economy to these ghouls who will plunder anything and everything to grab the nation's wealth.

If history is any indication, when the Cryptocracy has exclusive control of something, bad things happen.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.22-27.10

2010-02-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The media's pravda-like coverage of the US offensive in Marjah, Afghanistan continues. One would think that the US is completing a magnificent strategic and tactical victory. The reality is quite a bit different.

The latest achievement is the arrival in Marjah of the Afghan-appointed new administrator of the area. The media describes this event as a turning point, as a key event in eventual success. Take a look at the reality:

There is no government building in Marjah. Lack of security is such a problem that this new official spent his first night in a simple tent in the middle of a heavily armed security zone. His tent had a red rug with floral designs and a cot. He received military meals. Hail the conquering hero! [Sarcasm]

The rest of the bureaucracy (health, schools, utilities) that will be imposed on Marjah has yet to make it there. One can easily understand their fear.

The Wall Street Journal (February 24) described the situation with the Afghan police: "The biggest challenge for the government, Afghan officials acknowledge, will be to reverse the damage done by the national police who served in the town before the Taliban takeover. Locals uniformly [!] complain the police were brutal and corrupt." [!]

Another big victory was recored. Three (yes, three, count them) elders played up to the US forces, telling a tale of how they rebuffed the Taliban. Such confessions are suspect, of course, when there is a power around that has millions of dollars to distribute.

To win support, the US forces distributed food. "After the food distribution some 20 [yes, 20, again count them] men signed up with the Marines for $5-a-day jobs cleaning roads and irrigation canals." [Sarcasm added.]

The final stupendous [sarcasm] achievement has been the hoisting of the Afghan flag in Marjah. This was supposed to signify something, but who knows what. It occurred surrounded by a heavy 'allies' military presence at a empty building that is now called the government offices.

And so, the 'allies' great military action continues its merry way. In the meantime the Taliban struck again in the capital, Kabul, with a three-hour battle that was heard throughout the city. In the aftermath, a key hotel and two guesthouses were found to be severely damaged.

So, while the allies continue their make-believe in Marjah, the Taliban is massing its forces in Kabul, preparatory to driving the Karzai and his government out of power.

Is there anyone who does strategic thinking for the 'allies?'

Greece, in Today's News 02.25.10

2010-02-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

Greece. The Rothschilds and their underlings, such as George Soros, have made a fortune many times over in the run-up of the Euro. Now that they have exhausted all possibilities of more profit-making on this project, they are now ready to reverse the cycle and make more fortunes on a run-up of the dollar.

How do they go about such an ambitious reversal? As always, the Cryptocracy's mode of operation is to create a crisis and then attempt to stampede everyone into supporting what they want. They can't reveal their real aims because the public would rebel, so they have to use secrecy, misdirection, and manipulation to achieve their goals.

The Cryptocracy followed true to form in the latest case. They picked a weak link in the world economy, Greece. Then they tightened credit enough to put Greece in a precarious situation. (This is a simple matter of refusing to grant any further loans to the country.) Then they instructed the media to begin a hysteria campaign about how the world economy is in danger because of a possible Greek default. When the world media and markets were convinced that a genuine crisis existed, the Cryptocracy through their various agents in banks, stock brokers, and investment trusts made a few key trades. This action was enough to convince the rest of the 'investment community' that a run on the Euro was about to begin. And viola', the dollar starts to rise.

Of course, if one knows all this is about to occur, one can make zillions. And so they are.

The Cryptocracy is able to get away with manipulations such as this because a false consciousness exists about how the world economy and politics works. This false consciousness will break at some point because it is so out of touch with the actual reality. Then life will become very interesting. Until then, the Cryptocracy is step by step accumulating the world's wealth and political power in their exclusive hands.

Health Care, in Today's News 02.25.10

2010-02-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

Health Care. President Obama at his carefully contrived health care summit is quoted, "We cannot have another yearlong debate over this..."

Obama's remark well expresses his frustration with two dilemmas. First, he and his mentors realize that the longer it takes to complete health reform legislation, the poorer will be the result.

The Cryptocracy who promoted Obama and created an economic crisis to ensure the passage of several of their big projects, has a high priority on health care reform, which is another way of saying governmental take-over of 1/6 of the American economy. This is such a big theft and will result in such a qualitative leap in Cryptocracy fortunes, that the Cryptocracy is in no mood to accept anything less.

The Cryptocracy craves this 'reform' so much that they are willing to sacrifice their latest man in the White House, Obama, and the Democratic control of Congress. They are not at all pleased with the plodding pace of Obama's attempt to pass the appropriate legislation which in the end may be defeated.

Thus Obama's quote on not taking another year. He meant every word of the quote because he knows that health care failure also means Obama failure in the eyes of the Cryptocracy.

Second, the Obama team is perfectly aware that to the extent that Obama's identification with health care continues over time, to the same extent his standing with the American public will plummet. Obama knows he must get this legislation moving or he can forget about a second term, and he can kiss the Democratic majority in Congress good-bye.

If it were up to him, he would probably put off health care reform to another day in order to save his career. But the Cryptocracy is insistent. He must achieve this take-over.

And so Obama set up his health care summit. The whole show had no purpose at all except to try to demonstrate to the public that Republican opposition will force him to proceed on his own without bi-partisan support.

Obama is scheduled to make an announcement next week where he will say that he must go ahead and that he needs the support of the public. It is dubious that the public will take the bait.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 02.24.10

2010-02-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. Today's Wall Street Journal (page A4) headline: "Attempt to Curb Risky Trading Hits Senate Wall."

Yet another setback for President Obama. This one concerns the "Volcker rule" which would prevent banks from making risky bets with its own capital. Former Fed Chairman Volcker is a prime spokesmen for the Rothschilds and other owners of the world's wealth. The reform he advocated is a Cryptocracy priority to try to stop ambitious novices from playing with the Cryptocracy's money.

The inability of Obama to achieve this reform is less than pleasing to the Cryptocracy. Obama is racking up a series of losses on projects that the Cryptocracy elected him to do. The reform of financial regulations to give the Fed more power has stalled almost completely. His setback on health care is a setback to major plan to bring 1/6 of the economy under government (read Cryptocracy) control.

Obama is trying to salvage his health care reform. Success is dubious.

The Israelis seem disappointed in Obama and, for the moment, are patiently waiting for him to come around to militarily attacking Iran. At some moment they will give up on Obama, and force a confrontation that the US will have to become involved in.

When the 2008 election began, it seemed that Obama would not be the choice of the Cryptocracy because his standing and experience were insufficient to rally the American people around key objectives such as attacking Iran. But, the Cryptocracy chose him, probably thinking that Obama's messiah-like image would carry the day especially in the context of their planned economic crisis. They were correct up to a point. But Obama's image tarnished rapidly and his hold on public opinion is declining, as is his ability to achieve the Cryptocracy goals.

There seems to be little the Cryptocracy can do to bring Obama back to his former authority. Once it is gone, it is very difficult to restore. Obama is trying valiently to press ahead, but the futility is right there for all to see.

What will the Cryptocracy do? We'll have to wait to see. But the changes they wanted to come out of the economic crisis are still very much must-do goals. They will not give up easily on achieving them.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 02.23.10

2010-02-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

Catholic Church. Zenit press service reports today that sexual abuse charges are now being made in Germany. "Around 100 former students [in certain Jesuit schools] have come forward in recent days reporting they were abused; most were students at one school."

The German Catholic episcopal conference has responded in perfectly predictable fashion. Archbishop Zollitsch, "I apologize in the name of the Catholic Church in Germany to all those who are victims of that crime." The next steps will undoubtedly be to admit guilt and to offer sizable cash settlements.

This approach is the 'American model' of how to handle sexual abuse charges. The Irish church leaders have recently charted the same course.

Is there anyone in a position of responsibility in world Catholicism that notices a pattern? Is it possible that perhaps these charges against the Church are being planned and orchestrated on a country by country basis with one aim in mind: to destroy the authority of the Church? Is there anyone who realizes that to try to appease these forces only emboldens these enemies of the Church?

Does it occur to anyone in the Church leadership that 100 people just don't come together spontaneously? Do they have any suspicion that someone(s) is working hard to organize the charges, someone who doesn't have the best interests of the Church in mind? Do they think that maybe, just maybe the German situation is occurring because this style of attack has been so 'successful' in the United States?

The response to the charges that will save the Church is to tell the truth about what these charges represent and who is behind these charges that occur in country after country. Tell the truth that a conscious attack is being made on the Church. Tell the truth about how only the Church is being charged but not other public institutions that have far worse abuse situations. Then in this context determine guilt through Church investigation without governmental interference. Set a standard of guilty conduct, do not accept without question the trumped-up charges being made. Make clear this investigation is Church business and that the Church will handle it. Where apologies are required, they should be made after a clear determination of guilt.

There seems to be little hope that German church leaders (like the American and Irish, and their mentors in the Vatican) will ever recognize an attack on them when it occurs. As a result the Church becomes weaker and weaker, and its authority plummets.

What is needed is a Joan-of-Arc-type figure. Someone who is unafraid to tell the truth and to take decisive, militant action to defend the Church and its best interests.

Health Care, in Today's News 02.23.10

2010-02-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Health Care. The main headline in today's Wall Street Journal reads: "Obama Renews Health Push."

It is easy to conclude that Obama and the Democrats are tone-deaf when they press ahead with their health care legislation against the overwhelming opposition of the American people.

But they are not tone-deaf. They are astute politicians that can read the tea-leaves as well as anyone. Their push on health care simply reflects the extremely high priority the Cryptocracy has put on health care reform.

The Cryptocracy has a plan for a government take-over of 1/6 of the American economy (the health care system), moving the profit-making out of private hands into their conglomerates. In the process the traditional compassionate health care now existing will be replaced by bureaucratic control, cost reduction, protocols, and death panels.

The Cryptocracy really, really wants this change. They want it so bad they are willing to sacrifice the second term of Obama and a loss of Democratic control of Congress.

And so, Obama presses ahead against all odds in an effort that is guaranteed to further destroy his reputation and authority.

Three things to watch out for:

1. Treachery. Obama will make any kind of deal to win over some votes for his legislation. Will anyone take the bait? We'll see.

2. Second Chance for the Leaders of Catholicism. They flunked miserably the first test on health care reform by not opposing the whole rotten mess. Now the American public has made its opposition clear. Will this mean anything to the Catholic leaders? We'll see.

3. Contrived Event. If the Cryptocracy runs true to form, they will produce an event, crisis or scandal to try to stampede support for the legislation. This is their tried and true method of operation. For example, most recently they managed to get someone to fly with an explosive in his underwear, creating a crisis that could conveniently be solved with full-body scans of all travelers at airports.

The Cryptocracy means business. They intend to push until they get their way. In some ways the situation is analogous to pre-World War II. Then the American public was overwhelmingly opposed to the US entering the war. But the Cryptocracy pressed ahead in the face of opposition, created a crisis (Pearl Harbor), and finally got their way.

There is a big test coming up. Will there be anyone in public life who will step forward, tell the truth, and rally the public to stop this take-over that will drastically affect the lives of every American?

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.17-21.10

2010-02-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. It is difficult to figure out whom the US government is trying to fool with their offensive in Afghanistan. Is it themselves, the military, the Taliban, the Afghan government, the American public? Who?

The question has to be asked because the media coverage is so different from the reality. The media seem to think the offensive in Marjah is one of the greatest battles in American military history. But is it really? What is this Marjah place anyway? Just what are the 'allies' conquering?

Marjah is an agricultural center of some 75,000 people spread over a wide area. The central buildings (the government office, schools) are mere shells and have not functioned for years. The irrigation canals have fallen into disuse with garbage and refuse filling them up. Most people have left the area to avoid the 'allies.'

The 'allies' have met only token resistance to their full-scale invasion of some 15,000 troops. (Does it really take a fully-armed force such as this plus helicopters to capture what is almost a ghost town?)

The Afghan government is even more of a joke. The Wall Street Journal revealed that President Karzai had to be awakened from a mid-day 'nap' to be briefed on the offensive on the eve of the invasion. Evidently the briefing was his first acquaintance with the action, which had been reported for weeks in the American press.

Known as the 'President of Kabul', Karzai gave his assent to the offensive, but covered his butt by saying there should be no civilian casualties. He then appointed someone to be the administer for the new Marjah. The only problem is the 'allies' know nothing of this figure, who has failed to appear in Marjah, despite the 'victory' there.

The US has no confidence in Karzai, having tried to oust him before and during the presidential elections in Afghanistan last year. The WSJ reported (2.19.10), "US officials have concluded that despite Mr. Karzai's failings as a leader, they have to find a way to make him lead if they [the 'allies'] are to succeed."

How about the Afghan army and police? WSJ (2.19.10): "The Afghan army and police are still works in progress, beset by desertions, and their members frequently picked off by the Taliban. The police are despised by many Afghans, who view them as corrupt and predatory." [!!!!!]

Meanwhile the 'allies' are announcing the capture or killing of a number of Taliban leaders, mostly in Pakistan. Whether these leaders are actually leaders is unknown. The Pakistanian forces could easily pick up anyone and claim he is a Taliban leader.

The US State Department sent an official to Marjah to see if the area was ready to be transformed by American plans and money. His conclusion: "I don't think we are there yet." (WSJ 2.20.10) Why did he conclude this? WSJ: the official found "the town so devastated by years of war and neglect that it was hard to imagine scores of civilians setting up shop there very soon."

The official is quoted upon seeing the ruins of the government center, "Is there a good part of town?" Further, "Where are the Afghans?"

To sum up: the US is conducting a major offensive to capture an area in ruins which even the Afghans have abandoned. The Afghan president appears to hardly care about the military action.

The question is, just what do the allies think they are capturing? They are seizing an area that the Taliban is perfectly willing to let them have. The Taliban only needs to do a few small-scale counterattacks to keep the 'allies' pinned down. Meanwhile the Taliban can concentrate its forces somewhere else, where the 'allies' are not.

One is almost forced to conclude that this offensive is just busy work to allow Obama time to try to get the Saudis to convince the Taliban to reach a settlement. There is no other road out for Obama. He cannot win militarily. The longer the conflict goes on, the more he will face opposition from the American public and from his own party. And the costs of the action continue to sky-rocket at a time when the public wants government costs and taxes reduced.

Health Care, in Today's News 02.14.10

2010-02-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

Health Care. Paul Craig Roberts has written a column on the health care crisis that must be read.

The column is titled "How Private Medicine in America Was Destroyed."

If only his awareness was broadly held in the population, a lot of the current problems would be solved.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.13.10

2010-02-13T12:46:00.001-08:00

Afghanistan. The much publicized US and allies' offensive in Marjah, Afghanistan, has begun. The media is treating this action as if it had the importance of say, the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, has a page one lead that jumps to an entire page devoted to the offensive.

But, it is all absurd. The US is in reality invading a town of some 75,000 people that threatens no one. Here's how the WSJ describes the town: "Marjah...[is] spread out over a vaguely rectangular area some 12 miles north to south, and about six miles wide at points. Much of the town is farmland, with clusters of houses and shops. It is crisscrossed with canals and irrigation ditches built with US foreign aid in the 1950." And: "Marjah...is spread over an area with no paved roads and few modern conveniences, not even regular electricity."

And so it takes a fully armed assault of 7,500 troops backed up with helicopters to capture this hapless farm area that is barely a village. The WSJ reports, "The immediate resistance to the landings [of troops] was very light..." [!!!!!]

Wow, can you imagine that. No resistance. And the media is terming this a major battle and potential victory.

In reality the 'allies' are stepping in with overwhelming military force to turn the lives of the villagers upside down. As Lt. Col. Calvin Worth, commander of the main assault force, said, "The people of Marjah will wake up to a new Afghan government tomorrow."

Lt. Col. Worth ought to be ashamed of himself. Compare his words with that of any of the founding fathers of the US regarding creating a new government. Worth's approach betrays the great ideals of the founding documents of the US, which emphasized getting rid of the foreign oppressors so that the people themselves could organize their own government.

Instead the US is bringing in what they call a "government-in-a-box," a ready-made administration that is intended to allow the Afghan government to quickly reassert its authority.

"Coalition commanders hoped the presence of so many troops in Marjah would convince tribal elders to side with the government..." (WSJ) They won't convince anyone. They might intimidate people into tolerating the authority of the corrupt Kabul regime, but they won't convince a soul.

This orientation is not how a Christian nation ought to act. Where is the compassion and the desire to help people with their lives as they actually exist? The orientation is instead an imitation of how the Israelis do business. Brute force to take over an area. And so we have further evidence of the de-Christian-izing of America.

It will be interesting to follow this offensive. It won't be long until the rationalizations begin to explain the lack of accomplishment.

One final note: How are the allies going to determine who is a Taliban fighter and who is a villager? The Afghan government has an answer. "Afghan soldiers know how to 'tell the difference between the terrorists and the farmers,' said Mohammad Zahir Azini, a spokesman for the Afghan military." (WSJ)

Yeah, right. How many times were similar words heard in Vietnam where whole villages were destroyed to 'save' them? Any Afghan males in Marjah over about 12-years-old would be well advised to run for their lives if they don't want to be shot or end up in some stockade.

Greece, in Today's News 02.12.10

2010-02-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Greece. Where there is an economic crisis, one can be sure that the Cryptocracy is up to something. Such is the case in the current credit crisis in Greece.

Today's Wall Street Journal's feature page-one article is on the pledge of European nations to prevent a Grecian default. The WSJ terms it a watershed moment. "It was a watershed acknowledgement that the fiscal problems of one euro-zone country have now become the problems of all. That's a historic step for Europe in its 11-year-old experiment with a common currency. Until now, member countries had fiercely defended their sovereignty over taxes and spending..."

Now it just so happens that causing the Europeans to assert such authority is a long-standing goal of the Rothschilds and their ilk. This 11-year "experiment" has been a determined drive to create a European government that has sovereignty over national governments. Such an European entity is a decisive step towards the Rothschilds' hallowed goal of a world government.

And so, they did it. "Thursday's public show of support amounted to a tacit admission the currency bloc needs to address what critics [read Rothschilds] have long seen as its essential weakness: the absence of coordinated fiscal policies. Under the current system, the European Central Bank [controlled by the Rothschilds] has the power to set monetary policy for the entire 16-nation euro zone. But it has little influence over individual members fiscal policies." Now they do have that influence.

The process followed a familiar pattern. A crisis was created. In this case credit suddenly became hard to get for Greece. Greece was forced to concede that it might have to default. The various stock markets were then manipulated to act as if a momentous crisis was about to occur that would threaten the world economy. The media jumped in to build the hysteria over the-end-being-near. When the crisis was acknowledged as a genuine crisis, then the power players for the Cryptocracy stepped in with a plan that would save everything. Everyone, the media especially, breathed a sigh of relief.

In the meantime, no one seems to notice that Cryptocracy has accomplished their real aim of taking a step toward world government.

This Cryptocracy mode of operation of misdirection through crises in order to get their way, has been going on for some time. Sooner or later, those who have no inherent interest in the Cryptocracy will catch on. Only such consciousness of being defrauded will stop these Cryptocratic maniacs.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.11.10

2010-02-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The soon-to-occur, much heralded US military offensive in the Marjah district of Afghanistan is receiving lots of media coverage. The Wall Street Journal today has a 27-inch article on page A17.

The gist of the offensive seems to be to establish a US foothold in the area and move the district into the central government's sphere of authority. The problem is that the local population wants nothing to do with it. As the district governor says, "People here are on the side of the insurgency and have no trust in the government. Insurgents are in their villages 24 hours." [Quoted in the WSJ.]

To get a flavor of the atmosphere, read what Lt. Col Reik Anderson, a battalion commander, has to say. "Villagers were just livid with me. Because so much lethality was going on, they said that the kids are crying, the women are scared" whenever helicopters appear. [Quoted in the WSJ.]

The people in these villages have lived a certain way for hundreds of years. To say the least, their ways are settled. Now the US comes along and intends to set up a whole different way of life with western-oriented hospitals and schools, etc. It is natural that the villagers would be distrustful of this change, especially when it is not understood, and especially when it is imposed by military force.

Can the US prevail? Well, the American forces have dubbed Pashmul, a cluster of villages west of Kandahar city as "the heart of darkness." That kind of lack of respect for a culture that has existed longer than the US is easily spotted by the villagers. Their resistance cannot be broken simply because they have no use for a country and culture that lords it over them and insists that the villagers' way of life is no good.

Anyone who has lived through the Vietnam war will recognize the US verbiage and tactics being used here. The Vietnamese didn't appreciate it too much, and neither will the Afghans.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.09.10

2010-02-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. Afghan President Karzai strikes one as the type who will say anything, regardless of the truthfulness, to please those who have authority over him. Everyone probably knows this type from work. He or she is the one, when questioned by their responsibility, who will quickly think up some seemingly rational answer that has no basis in reality, just to get rid of the questioner.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Karzai is now bringing up the idea of a draft in Afghanistan. The WSJ, of course, gives this idea credence. But, come on. This is a country where the central government is isolated and controls only the capital, Kabul, and maybe a few other locations. This is a country that just arrested a colonel for (WSJ) "helping to store, distribute and install explosives around Mahmud-Raqi, the capital of Kapisa province." The WSJ further reports that the colonel was involved in bribery and corruption involving road projects in the province, and that others in the Kapisa government were suspected of the same.

Karzai thinks he can have a draft in such a situation!

But it is all a ruse. Karzai is just trying to say the right things. He said that with a draft within five years the Afghan forces would be sufficient to guarantee that the country's security would "no longer [be] a burden of the shoulders of the international community."

And so, that means the international community can withdraw in five years, right? Wrong. (WSJ) "Still, he said foreign troop would be needed to help battle hard-core militants because the 'war on terrorism...is an issue separate from this security arrangement in Afghanistan.'"

No wonder Karzai is President with such an ability to speak out of both sides of his mouth. On the one hand, he seeks to please the United States by appearing to be doing something (the draft proposal) to secure the country. But, on the other hand, the US and others will have to stay because the issue of the war on terrorism is international. Bottom line: you guys in the US will have to carry the burden of the war.

What a guy!!

************

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top US general in Afghanistan, (WSJ) "told reporters that the success of a coming offensive in the Taliban-infested south hinges on whether troops and civilian aid workers can quickly get schools, hospitals and public services running."

Aside from being a convenient CYA statement, his remarks are a bit peculiar. Does he mean that the existing schools, hospitals and public services will be knocked out in the coming offensive? Local inhabitants are always receptive to having their native institutions shut down. (Sarcasm.)

If McChystal means what he says, the coming offensive will drive the population right into the arms of the Taliban, if they aren't there already.

********

The Wall Street Journal has a 23-inch article with a huge picture today praising the efforts of the US and Afghanistan to enlist veteran officers of the anti-Soviet battles of the 1980's. This is an interesting action because the rest of the officers of the Afghan army are the very ones who fought the anti-Soviet insurgents!

Somehow the US thinks this will work. After all, the US brought them together them together for a "senior Afghan National Army command course," taught by the US and the French. Now surely everyone knows that the wisdom of the Americans and the French can overcome years of these officers trying to kill each other and overcome centuries of tribal conflict between Pastuns and Tajiks. (Sarcasm.)

The US is in a dream world that will never settle or win this war.

Toyota, in Today's News 02.05.10

2010-02-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Toyota. Toyota's recall of 4.5 million vehicles because of sudden acceleration problems is like a dream come true for the leaders of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. They are thinking something like, 'at long last, comes an opportunity to pay Toyota back for taking away the American auto manufacturers' preeminence.'

And so, GM and the others are pulling out all the stops to influence Washington to initiate all manner of investigations against Toyota. As a result, congressional investigators expanded their view of Toyota to include the new Prius hybrid. And lo and behold, Toyota announced a recall of 270,000 of the Prius.

The House Oversight Committee plans a hearing on Toyota's recalls which will focus on whether Toyota failed to properly deal with safety complaints.

Today's Wall Street Journal, page B5, "One Democratic lawmaker who will lead a congressional grilling of Toyota, Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan [read 'of the American auto industry'], predicts the Toyota hearing could surpass the Ford/Firestone uproar of a decade ago -- largely, he said, because Toyota appears to have dodged questions about problems with its accelerators for years." Gee, now where could he have gotten the idea to make the hearing a whiz-bang event?

Yep, there must be high-fives up and down the corridors in GM's and Ford's headquarters. But, it is dubious that all this manufactured concern will convince the American public that GM's vehicles are better quality than Toyota or other foreign brands.

The task before GM, especially, is to put together a vehicle that the American public will want. GM can't solve there declining sales by better promotion or by government-appointed new management or by jumping on Toyota. GM can only increase its sales by putting out a car that speaks for itself about good quality.

Bank of America, in Today's News 02.05.10

2010-02-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

Bank of America. The cryptocracy neither forgives nor forgets. They have been trying to "get" Ken Lewis, the former CEO of BoA, from the beginning of the financial crisis brought about by the cryptocracy. Why they are after him is unknown, but there is something about Lewis that the cryptocracy hates.

Yesterday, Andrew Cuomo, the New York Attorney General, filed a civil complaint against Lewis for duping investors by failing to disclose mounting losses at Merrill Lynch and Co. before BoA tookover Merrill.

This action is the latest of many efforts to go after Lewis, including a congressional hearing. Lewis fought off most of the attacks, but the constant pressure finally forced him to resign.

One would think the cryptocracy would then forget and get on with other business. But, no, as the cryptocracy might say, 'vindictiveness R us.'

Lewis, who is no angel, might now regret having resigned, because as a private citizen he is more vulnerable. He is probably wishing he had the BoA legal department in his corner now.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.05.10

2010-02-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. General Stanley McChrystal, the head of US and allied forces in Afghanistan, is undoubtedly a good man and an honorable soldier. But he gets himself in trouble when he enters into the world of politics, and especially when he tries to make nice to the Obama administration.

In a moment of candor a few months ago McChrystal described the situation in Afghanistan as "serious and deteriorating." This assessment caused Obama no end of dismay and trouble. The Obama team let McChrystal know that he had better change his mind and say so.

Yesterday, McChrystal held a small media conference where, according to the Wall Street Journal, he said "he no longer believes the battlefield situation there [in Afghanistan] is deteriorating." How does he back up this assertion? "I'm not prepared to draw it on a map; I'm not prepared to give you numbers. But I'm prepared to tell you what I see. And what I feel gives me that sense." [!!!!]

This is really pitiable. First note that he only says the battlefield situation is not deteriorating. No mention is made of the Afghan government which is corrupt, completely isolated, and hanging by an American-supported thread. Also note that in a war like Afghanistan there is no such thing as a "battlefield."

Next, McChrystal's statement that things are not deteriorating comes a week or so after the Afghan government postponed elections because they feared what the results might show. Also, the capital, Kabul, was rocked about two weeks ago by an day-long Taliban attack on the center of the city. Other attacks have occurred recently that are notable by the obvious Taliban stratagem of attacking where the US isn't.

And so, McChrystal is correct in one sense. The situation is not deteriorating. It would collapse of its own power were it not for the American military presence.

Also, it is a commentary on the state of the American civilization when a general is pressured to make a statement that is patently untrue just to make sure the President looks good.

The Obama strategy seems to be to squeeze the Taliban so they will agree to negotiate a settlement. Thus Obama is appreciative to McChrystal for saying the US is doing well.

The truth, however, is that the Obama-squeeze-tactic won't work. He has no power to bring pressure on the Taliban, because the Taliban is always a step or two ahead of him. They strike where they know they can win. And they know that time is on their side. As time marches on, the US military spending continues to get out of hand, the left wing of Obama's political party puts increasing pressure on him, and the American public becomes more and more war-weary.

And so, Obama finds himself in an increasingly untenable position. And a fawning statement by McChrystal will not change things.

Stock Market Decline, in Today's News 02.05.10

2010-02-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

Stock Market Decline. Wall Street Journal page C1: "Dow [Industrial Average] Sinks to 3-month Low Near 10000."

It is always a mistake to see the stock market ups and downs as primarily a function of supply and demand, natural causes, etc.

The Rothschilds and others in the cryptocracy don't make their money through speculation in the market. They have always believed in making money through manipulation and usury. To them the stock market is merely a tool to influence the course of human events.

The cryptocracy has manipulated the stock market from the beginning of the stock market age. The media covers it up and the volume of trade on the market would seem to preclude manipulation, but the truth is these families in the cryptocracy are extremely powerful, strong enough to influence the market to do what they want it to do.

So, it pays to look at the present politico-economic situation from the point of view of the cryptocracy.

The current drop in the stock market just happens to coincide with several setbacks for the cryptocracy. First was the dramatic disillusionment in their man in the White House, as shown in the Massachusetts election. Next, was the utter crash and burn of the health reform. This reform was a central goal of the cryptocracy and one of the purposes for precipitating the general economic crisis. And then, there is the cryptocracy's much desired reform of financial regulation putting more power in the Federal Reserve. This reform is stuck in congressional quick-sand, and is going absolutely nowhere. Even worse, their nominee to head the Fed, just barely squeaked through his election in congress.

All this means only one thing to the cryptocracy: it is time to deepen the economic crisis in the hopes of creating an atmosphere where their cherished reforms can be pushed through. This is the cryptocracy's primary mode of operation: create a crisis so that in the resulting emergency, they can obtain what they want from the government.

Will it work? It is dubious that the health care reform can be resurrected in the short term. But their real aim is probably to get the Fed (which they own) empowered to regulate the entire economy. Obama himself is also making a valiant effort to regain his stature. He even went to a prayer-meeting, of all things!

In the meantime, the entire population suffers. Every person now knows of someone or family that is in a crisis because of the economy and the machinations of the cryptocracy.

And not a word from the leaders of Catholicism. It's almost as if they don't live in the real world of today.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.02.10

2010-02-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. Today's Wall Street Journal has a report on the 'allied' plans to secure Kandahar in the spring of this year. The plans come complete with three concentric rings: a ring of stability, a ring of security, and a ring of deep fight. The allied coalition plans to stabilize this spring the stability ring, which includes Kandahar and major satellite towns.

One wonders if they have stopped studying history at the military academies. There is nothing new is these plans. They have all been tried before, many times, as far back as Algeria. These type of plans have failed each time.

Why have they failed? Because it is all paper, dreamed up schemes, that have nothing to do with the real life in the war situation. It is epitomized by a statement by Canadian Brig. General Daniel Menard, the commander of the Task Force Kandahar, "They [the Taliban] will not fight us when and where they want. We will fight them when and where we want, and that is a huge change."

This is just dreaming. Already in the last two weeks the Taliban has struck in their own fashion where they wanted, almost toppling the Kabul regime. In the meantime the 'allies' were concentrating in a whole different area of the country.

In other words, the Taliban is fighting when and where it wants.

All this 'allied' activity comes down to busy work, designed to look like something meaningful is being done. All the while the Taliban is building its real support throughout the country.

Well, at least the next few months should be entertaining.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.30.10

2010-01-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. From today's Wall Street Journal: "Thousands of U.S. forces are massing for a coming offensive in Helmand [Afghanistan], one of the country's most violent regions."

This offensive will go nowhere. Why? Because the Taliban is one or two steps ahead of the Obama war planners.

While the US concentrates forces in one area of Afghanistan, the Taliban is attacking other areas. They are taking Stan Musial's advice: "Hit Em Where They Ain't." A couple of weeks ago, the Taliban rocked Kabul, the capital, in an attack on the center of the city. Yesterday the Taliban attacked Laskar Gah and engaged the Afghan security forces in a day-long battle. Where they will attack next is unknown, but for sure it will not be Helmand.

In the meantime, the US, its allies and the Afghan government continue their efforts to buy off a section of the Taliban. A $500 million corruption fund is being built up for this purpose. But it is a good bet that a healthy portion of the loot will end up in pockets of officials.

The US is somewhat desperate to find a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan. Certainly the Obama war planners understand that this war will go on forever with no US victorious achievements. And in the meantime the American public and the left wing of his own party will grow impatient. Plus, Obama is under pressure to reduce spending while the war drains away money.

And thus the Obama people have sought to make back-door contact with the Taliban to reach a settlement. The US primarily went into Afghanistan to disrupt a training and organizing center for the enemies of Israel and its client state, the USA. The US would be willing to reach an agreement (with Israel's ok) if the Taliban would limit themselves to Afghanistan and cease efforts outside of Afghanistan's borders.

To this end, the United Nations' top representative to Afghanistan met with the Taliban recently to find a diplomatic solution. The results of this contact are unknown to the public right now.

But, it is reasonable to assume that the Taliban is in no mood to negotiate. Why should they? The momentum is on their side. The longer the US is involved, the greater will be the pressure to get out. And time will certainly not strengthen the Afghan government.

There is no easy way out for Obama.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.29.10

2010-01-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The London conference on wishful thinking and excursions into never-never-land concluded yesterday. Afghan President Karzai and representatives of 65 other countries have been meeting to discuss and determine the future of Afghanistan. It is as if these people are living on another planet or are from another dimension.

The conference communique stated that, according to the Wall Street Journal, "the Afghans will take the lead in securing the most volatile parts of the country within three years, with the first provinces potentially passing to Afghan control by the end of this year." Karzai even said in his address to the conference that "Afghan forces will take control of physical security of the whole country within five years."

All this regarding a government that was almost overthrown a couple of weeks ago. All this regarding a government that controls nothing in the country except the capital, Kabul. All this regarding a President the US tried to get rid of just a few months ago. All this regarding a President, some of whose military advisors aided an assassination attempt against him. All this regarding an American strategy for Afghanistan that is designed to simply hold the fort rather than trying to defeat the Taliban.

In other words, the plans of Karzai and the conference have no possibility of success or even minimal achievement.

Further details of a now crowned "Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund" were also revealed. Japan, the United Kingdom and others are planning to raise $500 million to reach out to militants to give them "a way back into mainstream life on the condition they renounce violence."

Karzai also promised to make a "key focus" the fighting of corruption. It is a well-known strategy to combat corruption by having $500 million laying around in a poor country. [Sarcasm.]

Karzai told the meeting he intends to invite the Taliban leaders to a tribal conference. This ought to be good. Not only will the Taliban not attend, but the conference itself will be another of those CIA-type front organizations.

In short, Afghanistan, from the point of view of Obama and friends, is going you-know-where in a hand-basket. And yet Obama and his allies engage in the most delirious of delusions about how the situation is steadily improving.

Just wait for the Taliban's next show of force to see all these grandiose plans go up in smoke.

On a humorous note, Obama let Hillary Clinton feel important by addressing the conference. Most of her remarks were just a tired reiteration of Obama-talk. Then she took it upon herself to tell Afghanistan how it should run itself. "Afghan women must not be viewed [by whom?] simply as victims who need to be sheltered. They must be respected and valued as leaders -- a treasury of untapped talent that Afghan society needs." Other cultures are always receptive to being told they "must" do something. [Sarcasm.]

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.28.10

2010-01-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. American fruitless efforts to snooker all or a part of the Taliban continue.

An international conference of some 60 foreign ministers is meeting now in London to discuss the eventual withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. To reach that time, this conference is usurping the independence of Afghanistan and telling them how to build their security forces, army, etc.

But, the significant revelation at the conference is the existence of a fund whose donors include the US, UK and Japan, the purpose of which is to 'help' former Taliban members to integrate into the Afghan government's version of reality. The fund is Japan-led and will be run by the Afghans. Richard Holbrooke, the US special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, plugged the fund to the conference.

Comments:

1. If the 'allies' really believe that a fund like this is going to have an appreciable effect on the Taliban, they are gravely mistaken. Individual members of the Taliban can see that the Taliban will ultimately win the battle with the Karzai government, probably sooner than later. They have no incentive to accept a bribe from the US, Japan et al. In fact, accepting the money would only stigmatize the recipient.

2. Does anyone think that a fund run by the Afghan government will remain corruption-free? The great likelihood is that the big bucks will find their way into the pockets of any Afghan leader powerful enough to take the money. And there are plenty of those leaders.

3. The conference itself is kind of a joke. The US can only persuade a few countries to participate militarily in the Afghan war. So, to appease American critics and to get some of the financial burden off its shoulders, the US has convened these 60 nations. The conference is supposed to give the impression that Afghan policy is decided by many, many countries. This is a joke. The US will do the deciding. The fact that Hillary Clinton is at the conference gives some indication how little this conference has to do with the war planning in Washington.

World Government, in Today's News 01.27.10

2010-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

World Government. Ensuring that national banks act in a unified international manner on bank reform and thereby move toward world government that would dictate such action, is the order of the day at the Davos, Switzerland conference this week.

The Institute of International Finance, an influential organization that represents the Rothschild interests and speaks for international banks and other financial institutions, made clear on the eve of Davos, according to the Wall Street Journal, that "go-it-alone moves by governments to regulate big banks are in danger of fragmenting the global financial system."

Independent regulatory action by nations is a matter of great concern to the Rothschilds and other owners of the world's wealth because 1) it mucks up the wealth production of these families, and 2) it is a step away from the over-riding aim of developing a world government. The Rothschilds and their cohorts are therefore making a big push at Davos.

William Rhodes of Citigroup and a leading figure in the IIF revealed the frustration with lack of international coordination: "Almost every day now, we are seeing policy decisions and announcements that are not being coordinated and have the potential of doing systemic damage."

The IIF "reiterated past warnings that regulators should be aware of the cumulative costs of all their separate initiatives...which could combine to constrain bank lending" (WSJ) and thereby constrain bank profit-making from bank-lending.

As the discerning can see, world government is a matter of economic necessity for the world bank owners to ensure a ever-growing rate of profit. Moving in the direction of this world body is a matter of some urgency. Rhodes "said it was important to move quickly lest momentum for change was lost..."

In general the world wealth owners are looking to the G-20 organization to be the genesis of their world government. The G-20 is an international coming together of representatives of the 20 largest economies. The Rothschilds and others are working hard to encourage the G-20 leaders to transform themselves into a world governing body for economics. Already some steps have been taken by the G-20.

The IIF is looking to the Davos conference to be a stepping stone to the next G-20 meeting in November. Rhodes stressed that the Davos group needed to implement guidelines by the time of the G-20 conference. Rhodes, "That will be a test of the whole G-20 process."

Various political commentators seldom speak of the possibility of world government. But the process continues. Step by step, the Rothschilds and their friends are moving to establish their world governing body (read dictatorship). Someday we will wake up and there it will be.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.25.10

2010-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. About a week after the Taliban waged a day-long battle in the center of power in Kabul, the Afghan government has announced that the parliamentary elections will be postponed until September. Is there a connection between the two events? You betcha.

The Taliban attack revealed that the Afghan government is completely isolated. An election at this time would only confirm the isolation. And so, Karzai and his American buddies have decided that it is the better part of wisdom for Karzai to simply and dictatorially avoid the elections, in the hope that things will be better eight months from now.

The delay won't work, but that is Obama's problem.

Simultaneously the Obama team has been trying to signal the Taliban that a deal is possible. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was quoted in Pakistan saying, "The Taliban, we recognize, are part of the political fabric of Afghanistan at this point. The question is whether they are prepared to play a legitimate role in the political fabric of Afghanistan going forward -- meaning participating in elections, meaning not assassinating local officials and killing families."

Translated: 'we used to say the Taliban was evil incarnate. Now we are willing to say they are a legitimate political entity and to stop the fighting if they agree to participate in the political process.'

The Taliban, of course, has no reason to make such a deal. They have the Afghan regime isolated and the US scrambling for face-saving. Why should they make a deal in those circumstances? They have victory in sight. Why not go for it?

Pakistan and India, in Today's News 01.24.10

2010-01-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

Pakistan and India. United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been visiting India, then Pakistan. The purpose of the tour seems to be to convince the two countries to end their hostility and instead oppose the enemies of Israel.

Gates has made a big push on how Al Qaeda and others are trying to foment conflict between India and Pakistan. Gates is pleading with them to not fall for this, and realize their joint enemy is Al Qaeda et al.

Gates' point about Al Qaeda trying to cause a regional conflict is questionable. What Al Qaeda would have to gain by such a conflict is a mystery. But, Gates does know that a defense of Israel requires at least neutrality toward Israel by mideast and asian nations.

Israel's illegitimate presence in the mideast will continue to provoke conflict. Moreover, Israel continually makes aggressive moves toward the Palestinians and its neighbors in a misconceived effort to defend itself.

The Israelis target-of-concern nowadays is Iran. Israel has been seeking US support for a military confrontation with Iran for more than a couple of years. The US, for its part, has preferred to try to undermine Iran through CIA sponsored internal conflict. When this US strategy runs its course with no appreciable results, the US will be stuck with the Israeli alternative of direct engagement with Iran.

Enter Gates and his attempt to line-up two asian and mideast powerhouses against Arab militancy. When a confrontation with Iran occurs, it will be a big help to the US and Israel if the major players in the region don't get in the way.

*****

BTW, shouldn't the Secretary of State be involved in these kinds of discussions? Well, no. Obama smartly prefers to keep Hillary Clinton involved only with secondary issues.

Obama, in Today's News 01.23.10

2010-01-24T01:25:00.000-08:00

Obama. The Wall Street Journal termed Obama's Elyria, Ohio speech as a sharpening of "his populist tone." This is a nice way of covering over Obama's extreme rhetoric. Only communists up to now have said things the way Obama did.

Case in point: Obama: "I'm not going to have the insurance companies click their heals and watch their stocks skyrocket, because once again there's no control on what they do." Lenin or Castro could not have said it better.

One of the prime cryptocracy goals to be achieved during the economic crisis precipitated by the cryptocracy was to bring the economy under government control and to begin to institutionalize a planned economy. The idea is that planning and central control will reduce the risk to the cryptocracy's wealth production. Annoying things like competition for the wealth would also be eliminated.

To this end, Obama has sought to establish czars and oversight committees for various industries, the auto industry and General Motors most notably. He has promoted a thorough reorganization of financial regulation giving oversight powers to the Federal Reserve. He has tried to bring the banks and insurance companies under government control. His health care reform is designed to bring this wide-ranging industry under central planners and bureaucrats.

The truth of the matter is that all these efforts are only crawling along. With the exception of the government take-over of GM, all Obama's 'reforms' are foundering, which is none too pleasing to the cryptocracy. And thus is explained Obama's desperate rhetoric which reflects his and the cryptocracy's frustration with the lack of success.

Health care is the most obvious of the failures. His effort to install a new system of financial regulation is going nowhere. The banks have fought back and tried to get the yoke of government control off their necks. His effort to control salaries and bonuses in the financial world has had only meek success.

There is an ominous side to this situation. The cryptocracy made the economic crisis possible in order to create a political atmosphere where quick passage of the cryptocracy's aims through Congress could occur. But few cryptocracy proposals have managed to make it through Congress into law. As Obama was quoted in reference to the health reform, "The longer it takes, the uglier it gets."

This result is a problem for the cryptocracy. Their favored mode of bringing change is to create a crisis and then rush through their 'reforms.' But, it didn't work as well as they wanted this time. So what are they to do? The very worrisome reality is that they are undoubtedly concluding that it will take an even greater crisis to achieve their ends. They are therefore certainly now preparing an even worse crisis.

When the cryptocracy will drop the next crisis on us is unknown, but be prepared.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.22.10

2010-01-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. Boy, this gets better all the time!! The Afghan government is declaring that Monday's insurgent attack on the central government institutions was a 'victory' [!!] for the government.

The Wall Street Journal quotes the Afghan Army Chief of Staff, "What happened was a victory and a show of our strength." [!!!]

If the Afghan leaders really believe this, their delusion is of epic-proportions. The insurgents attacked the presidential palace, several key ministries, and the central area of Kabul, held their positions, and then retreated when the day ended. The attackers were within a hair's breadth of actually seizing the central Afghan government. And this is a victory for the Afghan government???

What probably really happened is this: the attacks caused such a drop in morale in the armed forces, the ministries, and the public that supports President Karzai, that extraordinary measures had to be taken to prop things back up again. And thus, the government beats its chest, makes strong-sounding statements, and issues a few medals to the army.

But, it won't work. The Afghan population knows full well that the Karzai government has no support and is only there because the United States is there. It is only a matter of time before this whole edifice crumbles.

*****

As the situation deteriorates the Obama adminstration is looking desperately for some kind of face-saving deal. Today's WSJ reveals that a significant effort is being made to split one of the influential regional leaders away from the Taliban. The US appears to be holding out all kinds of carrots to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to seperately work out a settlement with the Karzai government.

This gambit, too, won't work. Hekmatyar has nothing to gain by such a settlement. He knows full well what the situation is. It is in his interests to wait for the Karzai regime to fall, and then work out his deal with the other insurgent forces.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 01.22.10

2010-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. The Obama administration proposed new limits yesterday on the size and activities of the nation's largest banks with the aim of reducing high-risk investing, and as a result the stock market crashed and the Wall Street Journal has a four-column page one headline today.

But, there is nothing new here. This type of proposal has been a central cryptocracy goal from the beginning of the economic crisis. Just last week Paul Volcker, who was present when Obama made the proposals, called for breaking up banks that do traditional banking and high-risk investing. Volcker is a prime spokesperson for the Rockefeller and Rothschild interests.

The cryptocracy is risk-adverse. They much prefer to set things up so that their wealth-production goes smoothly. They are willing to manipulate any and all factors to assure their profits are not at risk.

The cryptocracy therefore is not too happy when some of the key institutions that they use to control the nation's economy engage in investing activities that have the possibility of undermining the institution (read bank). They have been working for a couple of years now to find a way to prevent the banks from such high-risk investing.

The banks on their part resist because the high-risk investments can result in high-reward profits, which in turn mean big incomes for the bankers.

The cryptocracy appears to have had enough of this nonsense. They are doing their best to change this situation. They want to reduce the high-risk investing and trim the bonuses and high salaries that create an incentive to do the high-risk activities.

The impression is given that the new proposals are more of Obama's heavy hand. But, he is only doing what he is told. That the cryptocracy is pushing this change so persistently and loutishly gives an indication of how seriously they think the situation is. They are very, very serious about there being no threat to their wealth.

Pope Benedict XVI, in Today's News 01.20.10

2010-01-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI. The Maurice Pinay blog has an excellent commentary on the Pope's recent visit to the synagogue in Rome. His analysis should be read by all. It may be found here.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.20.10

2010-01-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The Obama brain trust is beginning to come to grips with the seriousness of the situation they now face in Afghanistan after the all-day battle in Kabul on Monday.

The US is now involved in more than a war with a Islamist-oriented Taliban. It now has to deal with a war that is led by an established leader of Afghanistan, whose father is a hero for his fight against the Russians a couple of decades ago. Sirajuddin Haqqani has stepped forward to organize the assault on the Karzai regime.

This development means the US now has a generalized war on its hands. The isolation of the Karzai government is near complete and only capable of surviving by virtue of the US military strength. The Obama team now has to think out whether it wants to deepen the war or whether it can construct a means to get out. With the Israelis looking over Obama's shoulder the US administration faces some very difficult decisions.

The Wall Street Journal today says that Haqqani "has become ruthless in his own pursuit of an Afghanistan free from foreign influence." The WSJ quotes Haqqani, "We have managed to besiege the Afghan government."

The WSJ also reveals today that the current 'surge' of American troops "...is based on a strategy of applying sufficient pressure on some Taliban leaders that they will negotiate for terms acceptable to Washington." A careful reading of the news would indicate that Obama had tried unsuccessfully to negotiate before his surge decision. But, today's statement is the first time the Obama team has admitted the attempt at negotiations.

The entrance of Haqqani into the equation changes everything. No longer is the US dealing with some Taliban leaders they thought they could pressure. Now they have to deal with two parties with their own interests, and one of them is proving to be adamant in his determination to rid Afghanistan of US presence.

Moreover, Haqqani's interest is not limited to Afghanistan. His base is in Pakistan and (WSJ) "...has become arguably the most important Islamist militant haven in the region..."

And listen to this, "Mr. Haqqani has emerged as a powerbroker on both sides of the border. He has ties to almost every major faction in the confederation of groups operating under the Taliban umbrella. He has the strongest links to Al Qaeda of any major Taliban faction...While pledging allegiance to [Taliban chief] Mullah Omar, he operates independently, choosing his own targets and only loosely coordinating with the Taliban's supreme leadership." [!!!!] [Bracketed words added.]

The Karzai regime is hanging by a thread:

The Haqqani forces attacked at the center of power: "...Pashtunistan Square, which is ringed by the central bank, the entrance to the presidential palace, as well as several [key] ministries, a shopping center [that was destroyed] and a luxury hotel." [Bracketed comments added.]

Karzai would be well-advised to not turn his back on anyone: "...Mr. Haqqani has cultivated high-level double agents inside the Afghan government--including senior military and police officers, some of whom are suspected of having aided an assassination attempt on President Karzai..."

Karzai has no allies at all: "US officials have long alleged that Pakistan tolerates and even aids [!] Mr. Haqqani, so he can be used to maintain its influence in Afghanistan after an eventual American withdrawal." [Emphasis added.]

Karzai's government seems doomed. The US has few options. In the long run they can either escalate the war or get out. In the short run, Obama is putting pressure on Pakistan to crack down on Haqqani, a gambit that is sure to produce very little.

Stay tuned. Afghanistan moves closer and closer to being the determinant of peace and war in this world.

Massachusetts, in Today's News 01.20.10

2010-01-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

Massachusetts. The Catholic leaders and trade union leaders who could have stopped the atrocious health care legislation chose not to exercise their power and instead played footsie with the Congressional leaders. And so the population at large had no choice but to stop it themselves. And so they did in a massive unprecedented voter rebellion that was a referendum on the pending Obama-care legislation.

The Massachusetts Senate race results show clearly that the American people want nothing to do with the health care legislation. The prevailing sentiment seems to be to dump the entire thing.

Can the Catholic leaders recognize what the public is saying? Can they now get up the gumption to oppose the damn bill? Time will tell. But don't get your hopes up.

The health care legislation is not done yet. The cryptocracy must get through some minimal foot in the door to begin the transformation of health care practice from compassionate to government (read bureaucratic) control. So their employees in Congress will now begin to try to find some compromise between the Democrats and Republicans that has a chance of approval by both houses.

Watch out for the treachery ahead as various politicians and political leaders make deals to ensure some health care legislation passes.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.19.10

2010-01-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. A bit more news appeared today on the Taliban's attack on the points of power in Kabul. It is clear that the all-day battle was considerably more significant than originally reported or that the reporters are willing to admit.

From today's Wall Street Journal: "The Taliban launched a coordinated attack on the Afghan capital Monday, paralyzing the city for most of the day as militants set off explosions, took over buildings and attempted to disrupt the swearing-in of new cabinet members." The WSJ neglects to mention that the buildings attacked were key government ministries as well as a shopping mall, which was burnt down.

"The assault, claimed by the Taliban and believed to be carried out by members of an allied militant network led by Sirajuddin Haqqani was among the most spectacular in Kabul in recent years...aiming to to embarrass President Hamid Karzai's administration and to showcase the insurgency's reach."

Well, yes, they were trying to 'embarrass' Karzai...by challenging his hold on political power in the country!! The fact that the attack included non-Taliban forces indicates that the Karzai regime is isolated.

The next insurgents' attack may take over and hold government buildings, which would obviously be the end of Karzai's government. And it would force the US to make some uncomfortable decisions.

It is also interesting that the Taliban attack points out the weakness of the Obama plan. "President Barack Obama is sending some 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan this year, mostly to Taliban strongholds in the south and east of the country. Few of these troops will be heading to Kabul..."

It's almost as if the Taliban is thinking, 'OK, if you are going to concentrate in the south and east, then we will concentrate in Kabul, which is actually a help because the government can be toppled in Kabul.'

Obama will be facing some big decisions on Afghanistan before long.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 01.18.10

2010-01-18T15:32:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. The media seems to think that there is little to say about Afghanistan since Obama made his troop decision. But, in actuality, significant events are occurring there which indicate Obama is headed for big trouble.

It was minimally reported today that the Taliban fought government forces in the streets of Kabul on Monday. From the AP, "Taliban militants launched a series of attacks Monday in the heart of the Afghan capital, prompting fierce gun-battles with Afghan troops after a suicide bomber blew himself up near the presidential palace.

"It was the latest attack showing the insurgents' ability to penetrate the heavily secured city, even near the presidential palace and government ministries. The attackers also targeted the Defense Ministry, the Justice Ministry and the luxury Serena Hotel, which is frequented by Westerners."

Attacks on the central organs of political power in a capital city usually occur near the end of a civil war. That the Taliban could pull off such an attack and maintain it for a day or so, indicates that the Afghan government's isolation is near complete. No amount of American troops can save the regime in such a situation. For example, several hundred thousand US troops could not prevent the overthrow of the South Vietnamese government.

It will take some time for all this to play out, but the handwriting is clearly on the wall for those who want to look. Certainly the brain-trust of the Obama administration is aware of the deteriorating conditions throughout Afghanistan. Their lack of response would tend to indicate that they have no viable options.

The US does have one option, and it is a scary one. One way to solve Afghanistan is to subsume that war into a larger war. Turning Pakistan and Afghanistan into one big war zone is one possibility. Another is the Israeli proposal to militarily attack Iran, which would precipitate a wider mideast war.

The Obama team is content for now to try to disrupt Iran through CIA intrigues and through supporting opposition elements, in the hope of an Iranian regime change. But, when that particular gambit turns up little, Obama will be faced with the Israeli alternative.

The media may give the impression that the world is basically stable, but the reality is that a big-time war is close at hand.

Pope Benedict XVI, in Today's News 01.18.10

2010-01-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope's latest synagogue extravaganza is in today's news. Michael Hoffman has an excellent commentary. Read it here.

Environmentalism and the Pope, in Today's News 01.16.10

2010-01-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

Environmentalism and the Pope. The respected Catholic News Service columnist, John Thavis, reports that Pope Benedict in his address to the diplomatic corps on January 11, called for an international agreement on climate change.

This position parallels his call for an international financial regulatory body during the height of the economic crisis.

These appeals fail to take into account that the prime over-riding aim of the cryptocracy is to bring into being a world government that has sovereignty over national governments. These world conspirators will support and use any issue to help establish any kind of international body that has jurisdiction over individual nations. Any body like this is a step toward the cryptocracy's overall aim. A world government would give them near-exclusive control over the development of human events.

The Pope's positions in favor of various international bodies plays right into the hands of the cryptocracy. Regardless of what the Pope means or intends, these cynical manipulators will use the Pope's authority and words to help accomplish their purpose.

Massachusetts, in Today's News 01.16.10

2010-01-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

Massachusetts. With one of the more significant voter revolts now occurring in Massachusetts over essentially the health care legislation, one would think that the leaders of Catholicism would get the message that there is something fundamentally wrong with the legislation.

It would seem that the voters of Massachusetts, which includes a high number of Catholics, are saying that it is not a matter of a few things being left out of Obama's health care proposal. They seem to be saying the whole thing ought to be tossed!!!

Is it possible for the Catholic leaders to not get this message? Their emphasis on including no funding for abortion and a few other items as the way to make the legislation acceptable, is way, way off, and has no echo in the population. Most people who think about these things want the entire legislation dropped, cancelled, thrown out.

The voter revolt has just begun. The Catholic leaders ought to get in step with what the faithful and the population are expressing.

Health Care, in Today's News 01.15.10

2010-01-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

Health Care. How's this for unprincipled, selfish and short-sided politics? Union leaders yesterday agreed with Democrat negotiators to a deal where the unions' 'high-end health-insurance plans' would be exempt from taxation until 2018 under the proposed health care legislation. In return the unions agreed to support the bill.

What's wrong with this? For starters it means that non-union and middle class workers will pay now. So much for solidarity.

The deal also means that union members in the future will be hit with the taxation. So much for the younger workers.

Next, the deal forces the legislators to go hunting for the tax-revenue that the deal put off to 2018. The negotiators were (WSJ) "considering increasing the financial hit on drug makers, nursing homes and medical-device makers..." Of course none of these targets will just take the hit; they will pass the expense on to their customers, which just happen to be the public including union members.

This sniveling deal-making is almost a new low for a already deeply compromised union movement. Instead of opposing unconditionally a bill that will adversely affect all union members, these 'leaders' play around, making nice to the legislators so as to appear reasonable. In the meantime, the average American will soon face a government-controlled, bureaucratic, cost-reduction, and protocol-driven system of health care. Gone will be the days where a person could expect to receive the health care he or she wanted, and in a timely fashion.

No wonder this legislation may be adopted when those who have the power to stop it (e.g. Catholic leaders, union leaders), do nothing.

Economic Crisis, in Today's News 01.15.10

2010-01-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

Economic Crisis. Interesting. Paul Volcker, a prime spokesman for the cryptocracy and in particular the Rockefeller interests, was quoted yesterday saying that banks like J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup ought to be dismantled.

From today's Wall Street Journal: Volker said "that banks which blend high-risk trading with traditional consumer lending face 'unmanageable conflicts of interest' and should be broken up." [!!!]

The banks he is talking about are, of course, entities controlled by the cryptocracy and the Rockefellers. That he, on behalf of those interests, would call for the breaking up of their prime vehicles for controlling the economy, is of interest.

Most probably, the cryptocracy doesn't want these banks playing with and risking the riches of the very wealthy. The thought goes, if these banks want to do high risk investing they should do it through a separate corporate structure, which would then give the wealthy the choice to participate.

The Obama administration has made a pass or two at this break-up proposal without much success. Instead the present leaders are pushing for a regulatory way to control the risk-maniacs.

That Volker would make his statement now, indicates that the cryptocracy is less than pleased with the Obama efforts.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 60, in Today's News 01.14.10

2010-01-14T14:04:00.000-08:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. As the swine flu hoax slowly dies its miserable death, it is important to realize the disaster this thing was for the cryptocracy. They had a big campaign all planned out to accustom the population to their inoculation shot, and the result has been just the opposite: a greater public wariness of vaccines.

The Center for Disease Control and other organizers of the swine flu hoax had planned for months to launch the cryptocracy's big effort. The had the perfect bug. It resembled normal flu, so the CDC could count on people actually getting sick from the flu. They lined up leading figures to make appropriate scare statements as part of an ambitious plan to scare the daylights out of the public. They convinced local governments, the medical establishment, and community groups that swine flu was a deadly threat and that they should make appropriate preparations. All this was designed to stampeded the public into lining up without resistance for their shot(s).

And so they launched their ambitious plans. And what happened? To the great credit of the intelligence of the American people, no one bought in. Despite being hit with a barrage of propaganda, the response of the public was basically apathetic. The intensity of the propaganda only increased the receptiveness of the public to the well-founded reports of the dangers of vaccines.

Then the hoax organizers' own incompetence kicked in. First, they did not allow enough time to adequately test the swine flu vaccine. And so they had to rush through some assurances that the vaccine was really okay. The public was skeptical. Second, they failed to plan enough in advance to have adequate supplies of the vaccine available. All the scare tactics came to naught when only a few could actually get the vaccine. Third, the organizers' propaganda was so shrill and over-the-top and not conforming to reality that it became difficult for anyone to believe anything they said.

The organizers had warned that emergency rooms and hospitals would be overwhelmed. It didn't happen. The deaths that were reported from swine flu almost always were a result of complicating factors.

The organizers had businesses draw up special plans to cope with high absentee-ism. This turned out to be a colossal waste of effort.

The organizers at first advocating closing schools at the first sign of flu. Then, when they realized this action would essentially shut down the country, they hurriedly backed off and said schools should make special plans.

The number of swine flu cases was so small that the CDC had to repeatedly change their way of counting to make the 'pandemic' seem real. For example, they began counting normal flu cases as part of the swine flu count.

The final coup-de-grace was the small number of flu illnesses at all this year.

The latest news is that governments are canceling orders for the vaccine. Germany canceled 30%. France wants to cancel 50 million doses out of 90 million. The United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain are seeking to trim orders.

Will the CDC and others admit they were wrong? Don't count on it. They will go on their merry way planning the next hoax.

The cryptocracy must be flabbergasted at the incompetence of the people they put in charge. The whole idea was to take a giant step towards making people more agreeable to accepting without protest their shots. In the long run, the crpytocracy has big plans for inoculating the public for all kinds of things, including to tranquilize large numbers. But the implementation of the plan actually set things back. People are now more critical and less willing to receive their shots.

It is not often that the cryptocracy has a set back. But here is one, and it is worth a celebration.

Gay Marriage, in Today's News 01.13.10

2010-01-14T07:23:00.000-08:00

Gay Marriage. Today's media theme for the gay marriage case in San Francisco federal court is that the judge is "quirky," having an "unconventional approach", and "libertarian leaning."

The obvious goal here is to portray Judge Walker as independent and unbiased. His pro-gay-marriage decision therefore would have all-the-greater authority. Because the cryptocracy wants to use this trial to settle the debate over gay marriage, they are pulling all the stops to make sure the final decision is as authoritative and definitive as possible.

The media is almost conscious of their role in this. Here's a quote from the WSJ on the judge's decision on the evidence to be allowed, "While many of the judge's decisions to include far-reaching evidence in the case may seem odd...they could increase the likelihood that the court's decision stands in the long run." [Emphasis added.]

A bad omen occurred on the first day of the trial when Walker "repeatedly asked the lawyers: Why don't states 'get out of the marriage business? It would solve the problem.'" [Quote is from today's Wall Street Journal.]

Were the 'states to get out of the marriage business' it would mean that anyone and everyone could and would issue marriage licenses or certificates. Churches, community groups, private businesses, professional associations all could get in on the act.

Such a free-for-all would in actuality mean no marriage at all because there would be no standards and no regulation. Marriage could therefore be defined any way anyone wanted.

In other words, Walker's proposal leads to exactly the situation that gay marriage would lead to: marriage meaning nothing at all.

Another bad omen on the first day of the trial: Judge Walker made clear that he doesn't think procreation has anything to do with the legitimacy of marriage. He told of a marriage of a 95-year-old and an 83-year-old, saying "I did not demand that they prove they intended to engage in procreation." In other words Walker is searching for examples and precedents that show that the traditional view of marriage doesn't stand up even today.

Opponents of gay marriage need to be aware of the trap that is being set up in this trial. A way has to be found to explain to the world that the fix is in and that the cryptocracy goal in the trial is to finish-off the issue. The lawyers in the case obviously can't say these things without undermining their standing in the court. But there are plenty of pro-family organizations who could and ought to make the point.

Beware of this trial. Broaden the fight against gay marriage beyond the legal front where the cause can get easily trapped.

Health Care, in Today's News 01.12.10

2010-01-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Heath Care. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement today which contains the following quote:

"Provisions against abortion and in favor of conscience protection, affordability, and immigrants' access to health care must be part of a fair and just health care reform bill, or the final bill must be opposed."

Is the reader therefore to take it that if these subjects are included the final bill it can be supported? That certainly is the implication. And that certainly is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Fully more than half the country is opposed to this awful legislation. Their opposition for the most part is against a costly bill that will institute a bureaucratic, government controlled, cost-control, rationing, protocol-laden method of medical care in place of the existing (although feebly) system of compassionate health care. The health care that Americans are used to and which was originally inspired by the thought of Jesus himself is directly endangered by this legislation.

The new system is designed to carry out the wishes of the cryptocracy to drastically cut the societal costs of health care. That means a whole new world of health care where cost restraint predominates resulting in a rationing of health care.

If passed the average person will be faced with a system where profiles dominate. That is, medical care is dispensed to those who fit the profile for the particular health care method. If one doesn't fit the profile, for age or weight or whatever reason, then he or she will have to pay extra for the care. Similarly, doctors who don't follow the profiles will be punished. The profiles will be dictated by faceless bureaucrats in the medicare establishment or from insurance companies. The decisions will be compassionless and extremely difficult to fight or appeal.

The bishops have been at working on the health care legislation for many months now, and still they can not see the most fundamental problem with the bill, a problem that is abundantly obvious to the average American. They are so anxious to be 'good guys' and 'to play the game' without rocking the boat, that they are on the verge of seeing the destruction of the system of medical care that was originally started by the Church itself, implementing the compassionate thoughts of Jesus.

The headline on an article describing the bishop efforts is "US Bishops Launch Massive Effort To Keep Abortion Out of Health Legislation." And just what is their massive effort? They propose that everyone send a letter to their congressman and senator!!!

One is compelled to wonder if they are kidding. Letter-writing is their last minute effort? These bishops couldn't lead the way down the street if they had to. Perhaps they might consider a national campaign of the rosary and prayer to appeal to God for help in stopping this terrible legislation. There are millions of American Catholics, and perhaps their political weight ought to be brought to bear on the situation. How?Through public manifestations of the faithfuls' heartfelt feelings. Through the direct lobbying efforts of every Catholic.

In short, turn the creative energy of the faithful loose. Make clear to them that this legislation must not pass, and let them develop means to stop it.

Such efforts, of course, appear to be completely beyond the bishops' imaginative powers or their backbone. Whether they will ultimately support a legislation that overturns Catholic-inspired health care remains to be seen. The one good thing going in the situation is that the bishops' desired provisions most certainly will not appear in the legislation. So, in spite of themselves, the bishops may end up opposing the legislation. It would be for the wrong reasons, but at least they might oppose it.

Secularity, in Today's News 01.12.10

2010-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Secularity. Pope Benedict XVI in his address to the ambassadors to the Vatican made the following statement:

"It is clear that if relativism is considered an essential element of democracy, one risks viewing secularity solely in the sense of excluding or, more precisely, denying the social importance of religion." [Emphasis added.]

One would be justified to be astounded by the Pope's assertion. Since when did the Church consider [the Catholic] religion to be acceptable because of its social importance, as opposed to being that which saves mankind?

It is almost as if the Pope is saying that the smooth functioning of society requires religion. Such a thought is pure sociology and has little to do with how the Church has always seen itself as the guidepost leading people to Jesus and salvation, and to the worship of the Father.

On this occasion, as on many others, the Pope seems to be acting as a 'world leader' and not as the Chair of Peter who provides spiritual direction to the faithful. His statement appears to be one of begging the other world leaders to please, oh please, let there be a role for the Church in the new world order.

But one's role is one's own decision. The Church will carve out its place in the world by what it seeks to do. Being pleasing to the powers-that-be leads to one role, and leading the faithful to imitate the way of Christ leads to another role.

******

And what is this about "if relativism is considered an essential element of democracy?" Is Benedict conceding that relativism is accepted? Benedict on numerous previous occasions has spoken against relativism. Here, though, he seems to be not contesting relativism, but only seeking a place for the Church in the relativistic world of today.

And once again these are not the words of some one leading the Church. They are the words of some one striving to be a world leader, or at least to be accepted by other world leaders.

Gay Marriage, in Today's News 01.12.10

2010-01-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

Gay Marriage. The opponents of gay marriage would be well-advised not to put all their eggs in the basket of the US District Court case in San Francisco on California's Proposition 8.

The federal trial is a carefully contrived endeavor to end the controversy over gay marriage once and for all. The idea is to air all the arguments pro and con in a very public manner, and then render a decisive opinion in favor of gay marriage ratified by the US Supreme Court. The aim of the cryptocracy is to end the disputes over gay marriage and get on with the project to destroy western, Christian culture.

The judge in the case appears to understand his role. He went so far as to rule that the trial proceedings were to be broadcast over closed-circuit television to federal courthouses and to be posted on YouTube. The US Supreme Court had to call him to order by ruling that the broadcast could not occur. After all the idea is to promote the settling of the issue, not provoke a nation-wide debate in every major city.

And, by the way, how did the judge know that the other federal courthouses were amenable to the idea? And how did the Supreme Court get so involved so quickly in the issue? Big stakes indeed are involved here.

A good indication that the fix is in is that one of the principle attorneys for gay marriage is Theodore Olson. Olson was the solicitor general for the Bush administration. His wife was killed in 911, but before that she was a regular and consistent conservative voice on the talk show circuit. One would normally expect Olson therefore to be a defender of marriage. But as a loyal servant of the cryptocracy he is lending his authority to the cause of gay marriage. Such a presumed switch in position ought to help make the final pro-gay-marriage decision all the more decisive.

Another indication is location of the trial in San Francisco, the capital of the gay lifestyle.

The battle to turn back gay marriage has to be a broad social struggle. A very public and ambitious drive by the Church for recruits would help tremendously, as would a nation-wide rosary and prayer campaign to ask God for help.

The pro-marriage forces need to be alert to avoiding the trap of letting the San Francisco trial become the event that definitively decides the issue.

Environmentalism and the Pope, in Today's News 01.11.10

2010-01-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

Environmentalism and the Pope. Pope Benedict XVI, in his annual address to the ambassadors to the Vatican, emphasized environmental protection. In so doing, he aligned himself and the Church with one of the central campaigns by the cryptocracy to control world affairs.

The cynical, manipulative, Talmudic beings who control the world banking systems and who conspire daily to influence world affairs to their benefit, have two purposes in mind in sponsoring and monetarily supporting the environmental movement.

1). The cryptocracy sees the environmental movement as a key access road to a world government. Such government will first appear, as it has, in the form of international commissions that have the power to override national governments on particular issues. A conglomeration of these commissions along with the United Nations will eventually coalesce into the desired government that supersedes any other government.

Environmentalism addresses problems that go beyond any national entity. Issues such as the alleged 'global warming,' for instance, require action by many nations acting together. As the environmentalist see it, the saving of the planet means that world-wide coordinated efforts will have to occur.

The cryptocracy, of course, could care less about saving the planet. Their long term plans are to super-exploit the planet and its inhabitants to increase their wealth. But the activity of thousands of "useful idiots" in environmental causes well serves their aims. And through the cryptocracy's power they will transform any environmental commission into a body that they control to push around individual governments.

2). The cryptocracy means to use the environmental movement to increase greatly their control over the world's population and thereby to increase their wealth.

Steve Milloy, in his book Green Hell, has the following quote, "Green ideologues are bursting with an impatient zeal to begin dictating, through force of law, your mobility, diet, home energy usage, the size of your house, how far you can travel, and even--as we shall see--how many children you can have." In all cases this means less of whatever for everyone and more for the cryptocracy.

One of the greens' favorite expressions is to cite the need for 'behavior change' by humans to save the environment. The idea is for everyone to lead a life that suits the environmentalists, who just happen to have goals that coincide with the cryptocracy's.

Environmentalism is a perfect issue for the cryptocracy because it serves their needs yet it is difficult to oppose. Environmentalism is next to motherhood in sacredness at the present time. And there are legitimate environmental concerns in a world dominated by profit-taking.

For Benedict to declare support for environmentalism without explaining how the Christ-hating enemies of the Church plan to use the movement is a great disservice to the Church, the faithful, and the world's population. Benedict's stance allows the cryptocracy to go forward without worrying about what the billions of Catholics might do.

Benedict even goes so far as to parrot a cryptocracy theme by saying, "...the causes of the situation which is now evident to everyone are of the moral order, and the question must be faced within the framework of a great program of education aimed at promoting an effective change of thinking and at creating new lifestyles." [Emphasis added.] At least he didn't call for a world government as he did during the economic crisis! One doesn't know what Benedict has in mind for this new lifestyle, but one can be sure that the cryptocracy will use his declaration to promote their ends.

The Church can be proud of its record on the environmental issue. Just visit any monastery, seminary or convent in the world and you will see the Catholic attitude toward caring for and developing God's creation. Moreover, the Church has always been an advocate of the simple life in accord with God's wishes for His creation. The way of living initiated by Christ's sacrifice is the most pro-environment way in the history of the world. Benedict should not shy away from saying just this.

The real enemy of the environment is the cryptocracy who have fomented a century of war and destruction during their assent to power. Humankind has never known such craven disregard for nature and people as in the twentieth century when innocent millions and millions were sacrificed to the cryptocracy's mad rush for wealth. The countless wars of the last 100 years caused unimaginable environmental damage, not the least of which was the destruction of Europe and the polluting of Russia.

Instead of 'going along' with the current trends and movements, the Church leaders ought to proudly and forthrightly state that the way of Christ is the way of saving the environment.

Gay Marriage, in Today's News 01.09.10

2010-01-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

Gay Marriage. The Wall Street Journal today has a opinion piece titled "Washington, Gay Marriage and the Catholic Church." The point of the article seems to be to convince the Church not to do anything foolish now that the DC City Council has passed legislation legalizing gay marriage.

"By passing gay marriage, the City Council has put...the Archdiocese of Washington, in an awkward position. Either the church will have to recognize gay marriage or it will be forced to abandon a large portion of its charitable programs."

The article has the following advice to the Archdiocese, "...follow in the footsteps of Gerogetown University, the District's largest Catholic organization. There, an employee, whether gay or straight, married or not, receives full benefits for himself plus one legally domiciled member of his or her household. This would allow the archdiocese to save face by pretending it isn't knowingly recognizing gay marriage."

This gambit of placing the Church in this position has occurred in a number of places, most notably the United Kingdom. It seems to be one of the favored tactics to discredit and weaken the Church.

Will the Archdiocese take the WSJ advice and duck the whole issue? Time will tell. The history up to now has not been so great. The Archdiocese only provided "polite" opposition to the proposed legislation. "The archdiocese was not a particularly strong advocate against gay marriage in the District, but it did press for a religious exemption to be added to the same-sex marriage bill." Of course, the request for the exemption lost.

Had the Church leaders provided a principled and very public opposition complete with an educational effort on what gay marriage means to the future of the Church and country, things might be different now. The Church leaders also failed to mobilize the faithful to lobby and to prayer.

In short the Archdiocese leaders response to this deliberate provocation of the Church was pathetic; completely pathetic.

And so, now, the Archdiocese will have to pay the consequences. It is in a lose-lose situation. And it has made itself vulnerable to pressure from the civil authorities to make nice and play along, quietly sweeping the Church's teaching under the rug.

One wonders how many times the Church will be kicked around before the Church hierarchy gets the message that there are very strong forces out there who want to destroy the Church, and that they had better do something a little more decisive to stop the attacks.

Iran, in Today's News 01.09.10

2010-01-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

Iran. In a Wall Street Journal article today titled "U.S. Shifts Iran Focus to Support Opposition" the following sentence occurs:

"In recent weeks, senior [Iranian] Green Movement figures -- who have been speaking at major Washington think tanks....."

And what do you think this means? It does not mean they were 'speaking.' It means these figures have been meeting with the senior cryptocracy brain trust to plan the overthrow of the Iranian regime.

The headline is misleading. The US is not shifting focus. Its focus has always been to create, fund, and build an internal opposition within Iran that seeks to take power. The US call for negotiations with the Iranian regime has simply been cover to give the CIA and others the opportunity to go to work within Iran.

In other words, the US policy has been to foment civil war in Iran. A senior State Department official is quoted in the article, "Do we expect the current government to be overthrown? I wouldn't say that at the current time. But a crack can certainly grow over time."

The media likes to make a big point about the alleged differences between Israel's orientation to Iran and the US's. But there is no difference. Both policies are for the destruction of the Iranian government and its replacement with a regime that Israel can tolerate. The US negotiation gambit and its sponsorship of an internal opposition only lay the basis for the Israeli desire for military action against Iran.

The US and Israel are playing with fire, of course. In the context of several civil wars or pre-civil war situations throughout the mid-east, to try to overthrow the Iranian government can have widespread and unpredictable consequences. Any dramatic occurrence could result in a full mid-east war on multiple fronts. Russia and China could not ignore such a development.

Pray that these mad-men will exercise some restraint.

[By the way, the Iranian movement calling itself "green" is a give-away of American involvement. Giving the movement a color-name is the standard way of providing an intervention with personality and to make it easier to identify with. The parallel is the Soros-CIA intervention in the Ukraine under the Orange revolution.]

Yemen, in Today's News 01.08.10

2010-01-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Yemen. In case no one has noticed, the United States and the world are edging ever closer to an all-out mid-east war. The slope to this disaster is becoming more and more slippery. Only major policy changes by key governments and by the Church will prevent this turning point in human history.

The United States or Israel are at war or engaged in a war-like intervention in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, and now Yemen. In addition, many mid-east governments are not partial to the US and Israel, such as Syria, Algeria, and Lebanon. and to some degree Egypt. The client states of Saudi Arabia and Jordan are quite vulnerable to influence by Arab popular pressure.

This volatile mix is in effect waiting for the fuse to burn down. It would not take much to transform these engagements into a general war. An invasion of Iran could do it, as could any number of unpredictable events.

What unifies the various regimes and combatants is militant opposition to Israel and thereby to the United States for its unqualified support to the Israeli foreign policy. Israel actually is surrounded by the sea on one side and all these battles in a wide semi-circle on the other. A provocation by the US or Israel could easily inflame these struggles into a generalized war.

So far, oil is not directly involved in the various mid-east confrontations. But if it were, as when the Saudis become militarily involved or feel threatened, then a most powerful dimension will be added. China, for one, would become very interested and directly engaged to protect its oil supply. Russia, with its soft underbelly bordering the mideast, is already staking out its position in case of dramatic developments.

In short, the Israelis are steering the world into a cataclysmic war that would forever change the face of the world. World Wars I and II would seem like trifles in comparison to a mid-east war involving all the world's major powers and the billions of Arabs and their governments.

Can anything stop this growing possibility? Were the United States to develop and follow a foreign policy that actually was in the national interests, this war-threat would end immediately. But, such is not going to happen. Decades of work by Zionists have transformed the American government into a colony-like status to Israel. The web of control is so complete that any attempt to break out of it, would be instantly thwarted.

The other possibility is the Church. Shouldn't the leaders of the Church and the various Catholic organizations be sounding the alarm that the Christ-haters of this world are pushing the planet into a conflagration that will set back humanity? Shouldn't these leaders explain to the faithful and the rest of the population that the policies of Israel and the United States will inevitable lead to another world war, this time of far graver consequences. Shouldn't these leaders use their influence to help stay the hands of the mad men who think nothing of starting such a war? Shouldn't these leaders call the faithful to prayer, asking almighty God to help us prevent this disaster?

The Church leaders instead act according to an accommodationist policy. The Vatican seems to be on a permanent effort to make nice to the Israelis and their rabbinic spiritual leaders. Barely a month goes by without the Pope saying something positive about the religion inspired by the Talmud or actually visiting a synagog or some shrine of holocaustianity.

This orientation will spell doom for the human race because it forfeits the Church's power as the prime human instrument to stop diabolic actions designed to destroy God's creation. Prayers that the hierarchy of Catholicism will see the light before it is too late are much needed.

Health Care, in Today's News 12.26.09

2009-12-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

Health Care. The leadership of Catholicism in the United States should be held responsible for the passage of the catastrophic health care legislation. They could have stopped it and they didn't.

The Bishops and the leaders of Catholic organizations did not recognize that the legislation intended to replace compassionate health care, the great Catholic legacy, with a government-controlled, cost-cutting, rationing approach. The Catholic leaders had the power (support of the faithful) to stop the legislation. They failed to do anything to effectively preserve the overall health interests of the faithful and the rest of the population. The passage of the legislation was all the more easily assured with the Catholic voice thus neutralized.

The selling point of the health care legislation is that it expands health coverage. But, this was only a selling point. The reality of the legislation is that it institutes a de-humanized, bureaucratic method of providing health care.

The leaders of Catholicism primarily took the stance of insisting that the legislation not provide funding for abortion. This was noble and correct, but the problem is they gave the impression, intended or not, that if the abortion provisions were acceptable, then the legislation as a whole would be okay. But the legislation as a whole is retrograde and an assault on the basic health rights achieved by centuries of struggle, led primarily by the Catholic Church.

There are many, many things wrong with the legislation. Here are a few:

The Senate bill establishes an Independent Medicare Advisory Board, composed of permanent, unelected and, therefore, unaccountable members. This body is explicitly empowered (sections 3403 and 2021) to deny medical treatment based on cost considerations. This Board will greatly expand the rationing practices that already have been introduced into medical treatment.

Section 6301 of the Senate bill creates new comparative effectiveness research programs. Such programs have been used in other countries (United Kingdom) as rationing commissions. Medicare's ability to refuse medical claims will be strongly enhanced by this provision.

In short, the legislation sets up a system where the government will be a permanent participant in doctor-patient relations. And as the participant with the money, it will have the decisive voice and vote. It's vote will be directed by cost-cutting above all else.

The legislation lays the basis for developing profiles for every medical treatment method or procedure. Such profiles will introduce a whole new world of health care. For example, if one does not meet the profile (because of age, weight, or another factor) the treatment can be denied. If the person still wants the treatment, he or she will have to pay for it. Similarly, if a doctor provides or recommends a treatment outside the profile, he or she will be subject to penalties, including reduced medicare payments.

This legislation is truly diabolic. The legislation represents the cryptocracy's dream to drastically cut societal medical costs by minimally providing medical treatment and to provide treatment in a completely mechanical (and therefore cost-predictive) manner. The great achievement of the Church in beginning and developing compassionate health care for all will finally be displaced, to the great joy of the Christ-hating cryptocracy.

Many, many statements by Church leaders on the health care legislation passed over this desk in the past few months. Not one of them addressed the fundamental issue of compassionate versus cost-control approaches to health care. The Church leaders appear to have been totally and naively taken in by the hype that the legislation would expand coverage. They then limited their intervention to the abortion issue (and a few others, such as conscience provisions).

The Church leaders failure to recognize what was occurring will have lasting and permanent negative effects on the faithful.

The great crime is that the Church leaders have the power to stop the legislation if they would only use it. There are 67 million Catholics in the United States. This is an organized grouping that is larger than any other in the country. Moreover, the great majority of Catholics would follow their leaders in action if asked to do it.

The Church leaders should have simply said "NO!" to the legislation. They then should have backed up their resolution by mobilizing the faithful in campaigns of lobbying, prayer, and even direct action. Especially prayer to God for help in stopping something that must be an abomination to our compassionate God, would have been effective. Sixty-seven million people could stop anything if they are properly educated and led. Yet this great force for the betterment of humanity was left dormant by the Catholic leaders.

There have been many dark days in the Catholic Church in the last few decades. Time and experience will show that the failure of the Church leaders to defend a great legacy of Catholicism, compassionate health care, will be among the very darkest days.

Blog Update, 12.24.09

2009-12-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

Blog Update. Strother Burrell's elbow is still broken. More frequent blog publication should resume in a couple of weeks, or early January. Thank you for your patience.

Bank of America, in Today's News 12.03.09

2009-12-04T02:29:00.000-08:00

Bank of America. The Bank of America was one of the central targets of the cryptocracy when they precipitated the economic crisis. From the beginning, enormous pressure was put on the BoA to change their ways and, in particular, to get rid of Kenneth Lewis, the chief executive officer.

One can only speculate on why the BoA was put in this position. It may have something to do with the fact that the BoA, a central and mammoth financial entity, is not one of the big stock-holders in the privately-owned Federal Reserve. And thus, the Rothschilds had a somewhat reduced ability to control the BoA through their machinations in the Federal Reserve.

Whatever the motivation, the cryptocracy succeeded in forcing Lewis to resign.

The task then became to find a CEO to run the BoA, who would be an exclusive Rothschild man. And here the cryptocracy was hoisted on its own petard. They had gone to great lengths to limit and reduce the salaries of some financial companies, particularly BoA, in an effort to pressure the companies to better toe the line. But now, the salary-limitation rules got in the way of hiring the new BoA CEO. There simply was not enough money to attract the candidates they wanted.

What to do, what to do? Again, it was simple for cryptocracy. Just change the rules. Today, it was announced that the BoA was the first financial institution to reach agreement with the government to repay the bailout money and escape the pay restrictions imposed by the government.

Amazing, isn't it? The cynicism of these people defies definition.

General Motors, in Today's News 12.02.09

2009-12-04T02:04:00.000-08:00

General Motors. When the central planners decided to take over General Motors, Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, a veteran GM executive, played a key role. He turned on his boss, Chief Executive Officer Rich Wagoner, a man who had been central to Henderson's advancement in GM, and joined the cryptocracy attack brigade.

Henderson stepped forward and took the job of CEO, repudiating Wagoner, the GM policies of past times, and, in effect, his own history. He worked hard to play the game and do what his masters wanted, all with a smirk on his face.

And so, what was his reward for such craven loyalty to the cryptocracy? Yesterday, the government-appointed GM Board of Directors forced Henderson to resign!

Moral of the story: If you are going to play along with the cryptocracy you better know what you are doing. Appreciation for loyalty and work done is not the cryptocracy's strong suit. Their mode of operation is to cynically use people until they are used-up, and then just dump them.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 12.02.09

2009-12-03T02:25:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. "Obama Bets Big on Troop Surge," Wall Street Journal lead headline on page one today.

Well, he tried everything. He tried to get rid of Afghanistan President Karzai. He tried elections in Afghanistan. He tried to snooker the Taliban. He tried to ignore the problem. He threw the issue to his advisors. He tried to get the "allies" to take more of the burden. He hoped for a miracle. He procrastinated and procrastinated.

In the end, nothing worked. And Obama is right back where he started, except the situation has worsened. He faces an Afghanistan government that is at best less-than-friendly. The Afghan government has little-to-no support in the Afghan public. The Taliban has gained strength to a surprising extent to the point where they are actually challenging the government in significant military battles. He has a split in his own political party, with the left, who were critical to his election, alienated. The 'allies' are none too fond of the predicament Obama puts them in when he requests more aid and troops. And the American public is war-weary.

And so, Obama is forced after all to follow the advice of the military, toning it down a bit and setting an impossible deadline. He says he will send in 30,000 more troops and begin withdrawing them in 18 months.

Obama knows full-well that 30,000 troops will do nothing to change things. Today's news' coverage says little about the military strategy to be followed. But, a week or so ago, the reportage was that the reinforcements will come with a new strategy: to isolate Kandahar and to secure the roads. This is not a strategy to pursue the war and try to win. It is a strategy to hopefully keep Afghanistan from blowing up in Obama's face.

And why 18 months from now to begin withdrawing? Eighteen months is getting close to the next election. If Obama thinks that withdrawing a few troops before the election will help his re-election prospects, he is seriously deluded.

Afghanistan will not go away. It will continue to haunt the Obama administration. This is so because the war is a proxy war, not in the interests of America foreign policy. The war is fought because Israel wants it fought. Israel's interest is for the US to keep Israel's enemies bottled up. American forces being bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq suits Israel just fine.

Israel's ultimate plan for Afghanistan lies through Iran. The idea is that Afghanistan will take care of itself when Iran is chopped off at the knees. In other words Israel is looking to a major mideast war to establish Israel as the predominant power that all other countries in the area will be beholden to.

Obama and his zionist advisors and backers are not necessarily opposed to this strategy. It's just that the timing is off. A war with Iran right now would get in the way of all the other Obama plans, not the least of which is to make Obama the world's most influential politician, which then would make the war on Iran easier to pull off.

Obama is caught in a dilemma in Afghanistan. He is stuck where he is until some bigger pieces of the world strategy fall into place. It is not likely that those pieces will occur soon. And so, Obama tries to hang on in Afghanistan hoping that Afghanistan won't fall apart.

Needless to say Afghanistan is at the center of world politics. It goes right to the heart of all the current issues, because Israel's need to dominate is so well demonstrated.

The Church leaders, however, seem sublimely oblivious to the whole thing. They say very little about it, and show no indication that they have any understanding of what is involved. There was a time when the Church leaders were on top of what is happening in the world and endeavored to keep the faithful informed. Now, it seems that the Church leaders are too interested in being accepted by the media and others to have any desire to learn about the objectives of the world powers.

Blog Update, 11.20.09

2009-11-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

Apologies. Unable to blog for a while because of a broken elbow.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 59, in Today's News 11.13.09

2009-11-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. Apparently the number of deaths from swine flu is not enough to please the Center for Disease Control. The CDC felt that the 1,200 reported deaths was insufficient. So back to the drawing boards and ...wallah, all of a sudden 3,900 have died!!! It announced the new numbers with great fanfare today.

How do they do it? Easy. The CDC is the world's preeminent manipulator of data. In this case, they decided to include cases where the patient's death appeared to be brought on by the flu (not swine flu, just the flu)(and 'appeared' to be brought on, as opposed to being directly caused)!! And just like that the count increases 300%.

And by the way, these numbers are not an actual count. No, the CDC is estimating how many are ill. They have a nifty computer program and all they do is throw in some numbers and out comes the estimate they want. Amazing.

Also of interest: the CDC says 22 million people have been sickened by swine flu. This number has about the same credibility as the above number. But if you accept their number of deaths, it comes to less than one-half of one per cent of those who have been ill. Some pandemic!

Also of interest: the November 9th edition of the American Free Press reports that CBS news claims that the number of swine flu cases has been grossly exaggerated. "Only one percent to three percent of suspected cases have actually turned out to be the H1N1 virus. When samples of patients were actually tested, it turned out that the overwhelming majority -- nearly 86 percent in some states -- did not even have a more common strain of the flu. Instead they had a cold." (!!!)

Does anyone remember the days when the Soviet Union political bureau set a goal of manufacturing so many widgets under the five year plan? And before long, the numbers would be produced to prove the leaders right, even to be geniuses.

Does this practice sound at all familiar to this country's experience with swine flu?

The CDC said there was going to be a pandemic, and, by golly, here are the numbers to prove it!

Health Care, in Today's News 11.10.09

2009-11-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

Health Care. Headline in today's Wall Street Journal (page A4): "Catholic Church Emerges as Key Player in Legislative Battle." The 'news' article is a puff piece on the Church leaders attempting to flatter them into becoming shills for the complete health care legislative package.

Unfortunately the stance the Church leaders have put themselves in lends itself to precisely this political maneuver. Spokesmen for Catholicism have in essence become a one-issue lobbying group on the abortion issue in the health care debate. They have neglected to even try to comprehend the overall picture of what the health care legislation means, and instead have tried to bring their weight to bear on the abortion and a couple of other issues. And in so doing, they leave in silence the noble history and teaching of Jesus and the Church on compassion towards all.

No one doubts that the Church leaders influence on abortion has been a commendable undertaking, but by concentrating on the issue without regard to the context of what the cryptocracy is trying to do with this legislation, the Church leaders let themselves be positioned to support the legislation in return for an amendment on no abortion spending.

The key quote in the WSJ article is, "They [the Catholic leaders] actually wanted to pass the bill. That's why they had status. Other groups that had similar views on abortion weren't interested in passing the bill," Representative Mike Doyle (D, Pa).

In other words, 'you support our bill and we will give you a little on abortion and complement you.'

But to repeat for the umpteenth time: this legislation is designed to kill the idea of compassionate health care and replace it with government-control under cost-cutting guidelines.

The Church brought Jesus' teaching to the world on compassion toward those who are ill. The Church founded the first hospitals. These hospitals treated all regardless of circumstance and 'cost-effectiveness'. These great institutions lived in a world where insurance protocols and medicare guidelines would have seemed barbaric, which they are.

The legislative leaders and the media are hyping their 'reform' as 'health-care for all.' But all their blather is just misdirection for what is really happening: a fundamental change in the way medical care is performed.

One wants to cry out when it is realized that the Church leaders actually take the legislative leaders at their word. Believing these thieves-called-legislators is always a mistake, but in the case of something as central as health care, believing what they say is a colossal mistake bordering on criminality. It certainly is a betrayal of the centuries of compassionate charity toward the ill by the Church.

Will the Church leaders take the cryptocracy bait and actually formally endorse the legislation? Time will tell. But, be prepared. They have certainly given the impression that that is precisely what they plan to do.

****

The Church leaders try to chalk up their support for health care for immigrants as continuing the Church teaching on compassion. Of course, such support is in keeping with the Church, but it falls so short of what is needed in this situation where the compassionate health care of all is jeopardized.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 58, in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. What is there to say about swine flu?

The directors of the swine-flu scare campaign set out to have a massive inoculation and public training event. But, they so mis-managed their ambitious plan that they actually managed to increase the suspicions of the American people regarding the safety of vaccines. The directors are now reduced to squabbling among themselves over whom is to blame for the mess-up and over whom is going to receive the vaccine. Even a congressional hearing has been scheduled. And these are the people who think they should rule the world.

As for the 'pandemic' itself: What we are seeing is the result of swine flu, but also seasonal flu (whose effects are the same as swine flu), media determination to have a public panic, some hysteria, and psychological suggestion.

Health Care, in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

Health Care. The deed is not quite done yet. The health-care legislation still has to clear the Senate and a reconciliation with the approved House version. But, we are very close to the death of compassionate health care in the interests of government control and cost-cutting policies.

Thus, one of the great accomplishments of humanity stemming from the teaching of Jesus and the practice of the Church for centuries, is about to pass away.

Most astonishing in this development is the fact that those who ought to be defending the legacy of the Church do not have the faintest clue about the issues and the disastrous effects the legislation will have for the faithful and the rest of humanity.

Hillary Clinton, in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton. The repercussions from Clinton's foray into the middle east politics continue to pile up.

First, shortly after Clinton positioned the United States as giving some support to the Israeli settlement policy, the various political forces in the middle east went into uproar. Clinton, the State Department, and the White House had to go on a special footing to spin her remarks into 'no change in the American position of non-support to the settlements.'

Next, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he would not seek re-election in protest over the US bias in favor of Israel.

And now Obama has to scramble to assure Israel of the United States' real position. A meeting between the two has been scheduled.

Clinton is so used to having her big-mouth remarks explained away by the media and her team, that she can't quite seem to adjust to the world of diplomacy where every word counts.

Clinton is now finished as a politician. Her frequent mis-steps as Secretary of State, starting with her "reset" fiasco in Moscow, will haunt any future attempts by her to achieve the presidency, or any other office.

"V", in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T12:29:00.000-08:00

"V". Is it accidental that the leader of the lizard-aliens in "V", the new TV series, bears a striking resemblance to Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, probably the most influential of the Hindu 'Gurus' operating in the western world?

Afghanistan, in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T12:19:00.001-08:00

Afghanistan. President Obama resolutely refuses to commit to a course of action in Afghanistan. He has adopted this stance because he has no viable alternative that doesn't result in defeat.

But the longer he waits to make a decision, the worse the consequences will be.

******

The Obama people lost in their attempt to get rid of Afghan President Karzai in the recent elections. But that doesn't stop them from continuing to try. Articles in the media have steadily appeared 'reporting' on the corruption under Karzai. Even the Brits got into the act with a major denunciation of the corruption and a threat to withdraw support.

Fort Hood, in Today's News 11.09.09

2009-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

Fort Hood. Why is it that Major Nidal Malik Hasan reminds one of the Jeff Bridges' character in the 1999 movie, Arlington Road?

For more on the Fort Hood situation, see Michael Hoffman's blog, On the Contrary.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 11.02.09

2009-11-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan. Obama's gambit to solve his problem in Afghanistan has resulted in zip. Now he is right back to the alternatives he has been trying to avoid for months.

Obama thought he could convince the Taliban to forsake al Qaeda and join in some form of a reconcilliation government. He also thought he could move Afghan president Karzai out of the way to facilitate a settlement.

What happened? The Taliban said, "no thanks." And it would be silly to expect anything else from them when the tide is moving toward their objectives.

Second, Karzai proved to be much more difficult to get rid of than the Obama people thought. The US forced a run off election in the hope that his opponent could defeat him. That little maneuver came up empty today when the opponent dropped out of the election.

And so, Obama is left with nothing. Trying to make the situation look good, he telephoned Karzai and promised to work for a better Afghanistan.

Obama is back to his three alternatives: declare victory and get out, stand and fight, or send in lots of troops. He desperately wants to avoid sending in more troops, but the other options mean defeat relatively soon.

What Obama does next will be extremely interesting.

Hillary Clinton, in Today's News 11.02.09

2009-11-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton. She's done it again. Another disastrous trip as Secretary of State to foreign lands. Clinton is proving to be one of the worst Secretaries of State in the nation's history.

1). Clinton made her first official trip to Pakistan to, as the Wall Street Journal put it, "to smooth relations strained by terms of an American aid package for the key South Asian ally." WSJ: "Clinton said she will seek to clarify issues related to the aid during her meetings with Pakistani officials...while also working to forge closer economic, diplomatic and cultural ties."

And so, what happened? "A stream of people grilled Mrs. Clinton on the merits of a new multibillion-dollar US aid bill for Pakistan that they claimed was tailored to constrain Islamabad's military and nuclear programs. Lahore university students argued that the Pentagon's drone strikes against Taliban and al Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal regions were increasingly causing violence to spill out into their country's major cities and urban areas."

Of course, Clinton took the bait, lost her cool, and insulted her hosts. "In a particularly blunt exchange, Mrs. Clinton told a gathering of newspaper editors that the US didn't believe Pakistan's government had done all it could to hunt al Qaeda leaders...whom Washington believes are still hiding in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan."

In other words, Clinton succeeded in doing just the opposite of her stated goal of smoothing relations.

In her defense, it is possible that Clinton was set up by the Obama team. Obama's people were surely aware of the Pakistan discontent with the new aid package. They could have reasoned, 'send Clinton and let her take the heat.' It's a lose-lose situation for her, and a winner for the Obama people.

2). After the Pakistan debacle, Clinton travelled to mid-east for two days "aimed at getting the Palestinians and the Israelis to return to peace talks..." (WSJ). To which one can only comment, 'you got to be kidding!!'

Clinton thinks that she can swoop in for a couple of days and the forces who have been battling for decades will suddenly recognize her superior wisdom and return to negotiations.

Even so, she managed to screw things up a bit further. She positioned herself closer to the Israeli policy of settlements, and as a result the Palestinians strengthened their resolve to stay away from negotiations.

In other words, Clinton achieved just the opposite of what she set out to do.

The media, of course, gives her every break. But, the Obama team knows all the better why it is crucial to keep her away from the administration's key foreign policy discussions and actions.

One other comment: in reading Clinton's various statements on these trips, it becomes clear that her knowledge of the situations is no greater than what one would get from reading the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Government-Controlled Economy, in Today's News 10.28.09

2009-10-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

Government-Controlled Economy. The great Rothschild power grab, otherwise known as the economic crisis of 2008-09, continues its audacious program of theft.

Now they are on the verge of Congress giving power to the Federal Reserve System to police the country's largest financial companies, including the ability to seize and break up failing companies, and to order large firms to shrink.

Rothschild agents and front men were instrumental in the formation of the Fed early in the last century. The Rothschilds attained predominant control of the Fed decision-making then and they have not relinquished it since.

The Fed is a private organization that is owned by the largest banks which are in turn owned by the Rothschilds and others of their ilk. The Fed tries to present itself as a government agency because the Fed director is appointed by the President and approved by Congress. But the government has no shares in the stock of the Fed. The Fed's decision are strictly in the interests of the families which own it.

The economic crisis was precipitated by the bank owners with the aim of transforming the American economy into a government-controlled economy with the Fed as the principle instrument of the government. Soon after the crisis began the Fed sought to reform the entire financial regulatory arrangement in the economy to give the Fed the central and pivotal role. When this effort became stalled in Congress, the Fed just reread their own rules and decided they already had the power to oversee the banking sector.

Now the Fed is striving to attain even greater powers. The legislation under review would give the Fed the power to direct any large financial holding company to sell or transfer assets or stop certain activities if the central bank determined there could be a 'threat to the safety and soundness of such company or to the financial stability of the United States.' The proposal would also require financial firms to pay for the unwinding of a collapsed competitor.

The Obama administration has taken significant steps toward consolidating a government-controlled economy. The Obama people have done their best to meet the Fed demands. They have made unprecedented forays into major corporate entities, such as General Motors. They have established various 'czars' to oversee aspects of the drive to a planned economy, including a pay czar who decreed unilaterally and without appeal that bank salaries were to be cut drastically.

The Rothschilds and the other families and forces at the pinnacle of world power are intent on changing the American economy into a centrally-controlled economy under their iron fists. They show no signs of relenting until they get their way. And everyday the American economy looks more and more like a soviet economy in formation.

The Rothschilds already control the central economic units in the United States through their agents on the boards of directors. Now they are looking to have the ability to step in and rearrange the corporate world at their whim.

The ultimate aim is to create a world-wide fortune-creating machine under the control of the Rothschilds with the world's population serving as the wage slaves under tight control. They are well on their way to achieving their goals.

The Rothschilds' constant effort to rule the world is the most important development in the world today and for the foreseeable future. Anyone who is seriously trying to preserve and promote what is good and righteous in the world, must start their considerations with the reality of the Rothschild drive to control the world. One's appreciation of any event in world politics must start from the context of what the Rothschilds are trying to do.

And so we come back to the Church. The teachings of Jesus are the only antidote to the world of mammon promoted by the Rothschilds. But those teachings only have a minimal effect if the Church leaders and hierarchy do not comprehend what is happening to the world, and how the Rothschilds plan is an extreme danger to the Church and the faithful.

The Pope is about to have his third synagogue spectacular when he visits the synagogue in Rome. Such actions play right into the hands of the Rothschilds. The actions enable the Rothschilds to proceed with their grand plan with minimal opposition, and especially without the opposition of the one power in the world that can stop them -- the power of the Savior.

Were the Church leaders and hierarchy to orient the Catholic world toward establishing the world rule of the teachings of Jesus, the world would look very different, and the Rothschilds would have met their potential nemesis. There was a time not too long ago when the Church leaders attempted to bring the world to an understanding of the way of Jesus as the only means of saving the world and the world's population.

There is no higher priority than bringing the Church leaders back to this orientation.

Israel, in Today's News 10.28.09

2009-10-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

Israel. Prosecutors have begun the trial of Radovan Karadzic, Bosnian Serb wartime leader, in the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The case against him revolves around his alleged plan to build a mono-ethnic Serbian state through terror and murder.

A significant charge against Karadzic. One wonders if there are any other nations that have sought to build a mono-ethnic state through terror and murder.

And, by golly, there is!! There is a country that not only had such a plan, they actually carried it out, and continues to do so!

One wonders when the leaders of this country will be brought to trial and when the media will denounce the obvious racism.

Don't hold your breath.

Health Care, in Today's News 10.26.09

2009-10-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Health Care. Be prepared for a media deluge justifying the change in the medical world brought about by the upcoming legislation.

Today's Chicago Tribune carried two articles that indicate the drum beat has begun.

The first article was a major, major spread discussing how cancer and other screenings for seniors are costly and unnecessary. The argument goes that the screenings are for early detection of a cancer, but the elderly are already past the age where early detection is useful.

The second article reports that some ambulance services are raising fees for obese patients. The argument goes that it costs more to handle an overweight person, so why not charge for the extra cost.

Basic changes such as these are the intent of the proposed health care legislation. The idea is to transform medical care from a compassionate basis to one controlled by the government under cost-control guidelines. And so in these cases, for instance, who decides if a person is too old or too heavy? Why the government, of course, who will quickly establish 'best practices' guidelines to ensure compliance with their judgement.

It is simply astounding that the Church leaders and hierarchy don't have a clue about what the coming legislation proposes to do. The leaders are focused in on what the legislators say the legislation is: reform medical care, make medical care available to all, etc. But that is all misdirection, even if some worthy changes are made. The real aim of those behind this legislation is establish once and for all that cost-control and cost-reduction govern health care.

If they are successful health care will dramatically change for the faithful and everyone else. The elderly and the critically ill will feel the effect most quickly and most tragically.

Pray for the dawn of insight in those who lead the Catholic world that they may see what is actually happening and do something about it.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 57, in Today's News 10.26.09

2009-10-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. President Obama has declared that the swine-flu outbreak is a national emergency. Obama was only just following the script for the scare campaign which undoubtedly said something like: mid-October President declares emergency.

The stumbling nature of scare campaign means that this particular declaration on health emergency is pro-forma and will have little impact. It didn't even make page one of the Wall Street Journal.

One shudders to contemplate, however, what such a declaration would have meant if the scare campaign directors had been able to fully implement their plans. A presidential determination of a health emergency triggers federal, state, and local regulations that include mandatory vaccination and mandatory quarantining among other outrageous and unconstitutional stipulations.

What the scare campaign directors had in mind months ago will probably never be known. But it was their incompetence and the intelligence of the public that saved the country from their more drastic plans.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 56, in Today's News 10.24.09

2009-10-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. Opps. The directors of the swine-flu scare campaign have screwed up again. It's becoming more and more difficult to take these people seriously, even as adversaries.

First they projected a campaign that came just short of mandatory vaccination. Then they failed to allow enough time to adequately test the new vaccine. Then they announced that the vaccine would not be available until well into the anticipated flu season. That announcement was followed by another saying that the amount of vaccine to be received would be 25% less than planned. Finally, today the directors have revealed that less than half of the expected vaccine has been delivered.

The cryptocracy has to be viewing all this with disbelief. The idea was to launch a big effort to accustom the public to receiving vaccine shots. An ideal bug was found; ideal because it didn't essentially differ from an existing bug that was sure to hit in the flu season. They planned out a mammoth campaign, lined up local and state government agencies, health organizations and associations, political and health leaders, and the media. A new director was brought into the Center for Disease Control to lead the charge. Then they set their plan in motion. That's when the incompetence appeared.

Instead of an intimidated public, there now exists even greater skepticism about government announcements, and especially about the health dangers from these vaccines.

The key to the failure of the campaign so far is the intelligence of the public, who refused in great numbers to go along with what they were being told about swine flu and the necessity of vaccination. This is an important lesson. The cryptocracy tends to think of the public as peasants that can be easily led around and manipulated. Perhaps events such as this will lead the cryptocracy to be a little more respectful of the average Joe and Mary. It's doubtful, but one can always hope.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 10.23.09

2009-10-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan. The United States now has two weeks to undermine Afghan President Karzai before the second round of national voting. The goal is to so discredit Karzai that he loses the election. Baring that, the hope is to weaken him so much that he is forced to share power with someone who is more devoted to American war aims.

The United States effort is off to a flying start. The Afghan Independent Election Commission [the 'independent' presumably means independent of Karzai] announced that "2,000 to 25,000 [voting] stations won't open, most of them in restive eastern and southern Afghanistan, Mr. Karzai's main base of support." [!!!!!] The Wall Street Journal (today, page A14) reports, "U.N. representatives have been pushing for more stations to remain closed..."

Well, that's one way to vote Karzai out of office. Don't let his supporters vote!!

******

The Obama strategy for Afghanistan is becoming clear. The 'strategic review' for Afghanistan was simply a means of gaining time so that the elements of the new United States policy could fall into place. Obama is shooting for a settlement in Afghanistan that will allow US troops to be reduced, even withdrawn. Thus Obama is choosing the 'declare victory and get out' option.

Obama needs to accomplish two things to make it work. First, he needs a deal with the Taliban that they will leave al Qaeda behind and join a reconciliation government. Backdoor diplomatic efforts are now occurring to see if it is possible. The current Pakistan offensive against the Taliban helps put pressure on the Taliban to reach a settlement.

Second, Obama needs to get Karzai out of the way. He must either go, or agree to join a power-sharing government that ideally would include a tamed Taliban. The next two weeks will tell the tale of this adventure.

This strategy is a gamble for Obama, especially because it puts the Taliban in the driver's seat. The more the Taliban holds out, the more likely will they be able to call the shots on a new government, within limits of course.

Government-Controlled Economy, in Today's News 10.23.09

2009-10-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Government-Controlled Economy. The deed is definitively done!! The Obama administration has just taken the decisive steps that transforms the American economy into a government-controlled economy.

First, yesterday the Obama pay czar, who by the way has no constitutional authority, cut bank executives salaries by 50%.

Today, the Federal Reserve exercised its newly found enforcement powers to aggressively regulate compensation at thousands of lenders.

The Wall Street Journal observes (page one, today): "...[the] separate announcements by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department represent unprecedented federal intervention in pay decisions traditionally left to boards and shareholders." [!!!!!]

Thus, a central aim of the cryptocracy is achieved. The economic crisis was precipitated in part to centralize, economize and control the corporate entities that are siphoning off way too much money for salaries, etc. That income is supposed to go to the cryptocracy.

And so, the United States now has an economy that in formation looks like that of the Soviet Union.

Most Americans are unaware how much life in the country has actually changed. Unlike a generation or two ago, Americans are now hemmed in by regulations, controls and bureaucracies that govern every aspect of life. Employment compensation is now under the thumb of the Fed and the czar. The medical profession is bound by insurance rules that affect every person. 'News' of the world is strictly governed by a few media giants that tell anything but the truth. Acknowledgement of the ten commandments and other religious symbols as foundations of civilization are forbidden. The government even aspires to tell people what constitutes a marriage.

Along with the soviet-ization of the country, Stalin-like behavior and tactics in politics are becoming prevalent. Kimberley Strassel has an excellent column today on this growing phenomenon, although she doesn't call it Stalin-ization. Titled "The Chicago Way," it is a must read. The best quote is the lead sentence: "When Barack Obama promised to deliver 'a new kind of politics' to Washington, most folk didn't picture Rahm Emanuel with a baseball bat" [!!!!!]

Afghanistan, in Today's News 10.22.09

2009-10-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan. To develop a better understanding of what is really going on behind the scenes between the United States and Pakistan President Karzai, read the following from a paragraph in Karl Rove's column today.

"...Mr. Obama refused to take a call from Afghan President Karzai after his recent disputed election, a confidante to Mr. Karzai told me. That same confidante also said that the Afghan president was dismayed when political strategist James Carville, who has close ties to both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and [White House chief of staff] Mr. Emmanuel, became an advisor to Ashraf Ghani, who ran against Mr. Karzai. Mr. Karzai took that as a sign that Mr. Obama was encouraging opposition to him. And, finally, administration figures have raised doubts about the White House's confidence in Afghanistan's government. In his interview on CNN on Sunday, for example, Mr. Emmanuel questioned 'whether, in fact, there's an Afghan partner."

Catholic Church, in Today's News 10.22.09

2009-10-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Catholic Church. The reason behind the Society of Saint Paul X's agreement to closed discussions with no time limit with the Vatican now becomes a little clearer. Bernard Fellay, the Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, gave an interview to a Chilean newspaper in which he stated that "there is a lot of truth" to speculation that the Vatican is moving to convert the SSPX into a personal prelature, similar to Opus Dei.

In other words, an agreement could be in the making that the meeting with the Vatican will recommend. We will see.

Certainly, this move would make sense after the recent overture to the Anglicans. If a special accommodation can be made for the Anglicans, why not for the SSPX which after all is only defending the Church legacy.

*****

Bishop Fellay also commented on the Bishop Williamson controversy, saying the attack on Bishop Williamson "was a well-planned attack, not against the Society [SSPX], but directed against the person of Pope Benedict XVI, in order to tarnish his gesture."

Bishop Fellay seems to be playing up to the Pope here, but the statement does have some truth to it. And yet, Bishop Fellay seems to miss that those behind the attack on Williamson have an over-riding interest in establishing the holocaust as central event in world history. Their attack on Bishop Williamson served this aim as well.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 10.21.09

2009-10-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan. The United States effort to force Afghan President Karzai into a run-off election has succeeded. How did they do it? Therein lies a tale.

First some background. The Afghan regime has become more and more isolated as regional leaders form blocs with the Taliban to overthrow the government. The US recently decided that Karzai could no longer govern effectively in carrying out the US interests. He had to go, so that a new regime could try to turn the situation around. The problem, of course, is nowadays the US can't just go in and dump someone they don't like. Now they have to go through the motions of replacing Karzai 'democratically.' All this has added importance now that the Obama regime is looking to settle the war and still protect Obama's reputation. To this end, all manner of backdoor negotiations are occurring between the Taliban and the US. The US hope is that a new Afghan regime can work out a compromise with the Taliban to the exclusion of al Qaeda.

The US decided that the best way of disposing of Karzai was through manipulating the results of the recent elections. The media began beating the drums about corruption in the Afghan elections. Based on the media's claims the US brought in the UN-led Electoral Complaints Commission to examine the alleged fraud.

Election results showed Karzai with a 54.6% victory, enough to claim the presidency. When the commission finished its 'work' Karzai's total was 48.3%, only enough for a run-off election, which just happened to be what the US wanted.

When Karzai recognized the job being done on him, he and his supporters refused to support the commission results. Enter Senator John Kerry, he of nimble tongue.

Kerry, at Obama's request, flew to Afghanistan and went on a five-day marathon 'discussion' with Karzai. Karzai began to bend but said if the new commission results were accepted, his authority would be undermined.

What to do, what to do? Simple, the results of the election were simply changed! An agreement was reached that Karzai would lose a majority by three tenths of one percent. No one even bothers to try to justify the new result as based on some kind of count. And thus Karzai is moderately happy about his authority, and the US obtains the run-off election.

And so another outrageous manipulation of a nation's internal affairs is performed by the US. And most amazing of all, it is all done in the name of freedom and democracy.

The election will occur in a couple of weeks. The US will now go into high gear to undercut Karzai.