Alternative News

Another ‘War is Peace’ Award (This Time Hollande Wins!)

"In this case it may be more appropriate than one might first imagine. The prize, awarded by UNESCO, is known as the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize in honor of the authoritarian president of of the Ivory Coast from 1960-1993. Could it be, as suggested in this very provocative article in the journal of the Strategic Culture Foundation, that France was over-eager to show its new Rafale fighter jets in action in hopes of scoring the "deal of the century" -- a $12 billion sale of these thus far tepidly received fighters to India?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnother ‘War is Peace’ Award (This Time Hollande Wins!)

France’s Hollande Invades Mali, Wins UNESCO Peace Prize

"This is France's second war in Africa in several years. The first we have written about at length – the destabilization of the Ivory Coast on behalf, partially, of France's cocoa interests and the empowerment of Alassane Ouattara. His opponent, Laurent Gbagbo is on trial now in front of the International Criminal Court for the crime of trying to insist on his lawful election. Hollande, who now lords over an increasingly aggressive and unjust France that has started two wars in about as many years, has just received a peace prize. Conclusion: Oh, the irony." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrance’s Hollande Invades Mali, Wins UNESCO Peace Prize

Tens of Thousands Protest in Spain (as Santa Claus dies)

"On Saturday, tens of thousands marched in cities throughout Spain to protest deep bankster driven 'austerity' measures taken by the government. The people are clearly fed up. The sad part of this is that most have no clue as to what are the proper measures that should be taken to reverse the deteriorating economic situation. The only way Spain gets out of its deteriorating situation is by cutting the red tape that makes it difficult for businesses to operate, and to also cut taxes and government spending, so that the country moves away from its current bureaucratic mess and closer to a free market that can spur energy and creativity." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTens of Thousands Protest in Spain (as Santa Claus dies)

Top Spanish official in graft scandal

"A former treasurer of Spain’s ruling People’s Party (PP) hid away his wealth in a Swiss bank account. Court documents from an on-going judicial investigation into former PP treasurer Luis Barcenas revealed the account held up to €22 million, reports Reuters. The party, along with the opposition socialists, has helped govern the nation for the past three decades. In 2011, the conservatives won the general elections and unseated the socialists. Barcenas was the People's Party financial chief for 28 years until 2009 when he became the focal point of an investigation for allegedly accepting bribes from businesses vying for lucrative government contracts." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTop Spanish official in graft scandal

Japan Ramps Up its Monetary Race to the Bottom

"So, the model for Japan today is their version of the New Deal. I'll assume that Japanese politicians will ignore that connection between easy money, inflation and war, and forget that such policies ended rather badly for the Japanese in 1945. LRC's own Mike Rogers reports from Tokyo that 'Japan's Debt Explosion [is] Coming Up'. Earlier, Rogers wrote that even the monied upper classes are starting to worry. Standards of living continue to fall or go nowhere." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJapan Ramps Up its Monetary Race to the Bottom

China Accounts For Nearly Half Of World’s New Money Supply Since 2005

"After having less than half the total US deposits back in 2005, China has pumped enough cash into the economy using various public and private conduits to make even Ben Bernanke blush: between January 2005 and January 2013, Chinese bank deposits have soared by a whopping $11 trillion, rising from $4 trillion to $15 trillion! We have no idea what the real Chinese GDP number is but this expansion alone is anywhere between 200 and 300% of the real GDP as it stands now." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChina Accounts For Nearly Half Of World’s New Money Supply Since 2005

Chinese-Made Globes Anger The Philippines With A Territorial Claim

"A tiny, barely-noticeable line on some Chinese-made globes has created insult in Manilla where they are being sold in bookshops. The problem is that these globes appear to use China's 'nine-dash' map of the sea, first published in 1947, which shows Chinese territory extending hundreds of miles south from China's Hainan Island to the equatorial waters off the coast of Borneo. That little line indicates that the Spratly Islands are within Chinese territory, ignoring that they are currently the subject of overlapping territorial claims by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese-Made Globes Anger The Philippines With A Territorial Claim

A close call in the China Sea

"China has no desire to fight the United States unless absolutely necessary, and less to spark a US trade embargo. China holds over $1 trillion in US government debt. Beijing has no desire to panic all of East Asia. A war over the Senkaku/Diaoyus would be like the 1998-2000 desert war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, described as 'two bald men fighting over a comb.' No matter how much fish swim around the Senkakus, or how much oil and gas may be found underwater, nothing justifies a war. But, then again, nothing justified World War I that began by a murder in obscure Bosnia. Pray for cool heads in Beijing and Tokyo." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA close call in the China Sea

“Let’s You and Him Fight,” Japan’s Prime Minister Tells Obama.

"Japan has a few useless islands that China is trying to get by force. Abe wants the U.S. to back Japan in keeping these islands. 'Let’s you and him fight.' He is also concerned that North Korea keeps launching missiles. 'Tell them to stop.' America pays for Japan’s defense because (1) we need Japan to keep useless islands away from China, and (2) we need a port for our carriers, so that the boys can let off a little steam on shore leave. Japan encourages this so that it can keep corporate taxes low, so that Japan’s export sector can bankrupt American firms, which pay taxes to defend Japan." Continue reading →

Continue Reading“Let’s You and Him Fight,” Japan’s Prime Minister Tells Obama.

Carnage in Syria Courtesy of US Allies

"While the US and its Western partners pretend to be engaged in a global war against terrorism, their terrorist allies in Syria have set off another car bomb, tellingly very close to the ruling Baath party offices and the Russian embassy. Initial reports are that more than 50 have been killed by the terrorists, including many children attending a nearby school. No doubt this bombing against a government building will be blamed on the Syrian government in the Western media, adding to the phony UN body count. The UN organization that is responsible for compiling the 'body count' in Syria is...surprise...funded by the US State Department!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCarnage in Syria Courtesy of US Allies