Selling Syria: White House pleads with Congress for ‘limited’ strikes

"On Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry plead his case on why the US should launch limited attacks on Syria in retaliation for Pres. Bashar al-Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons on his own people. According to Kerry, not stepping in would only embolden other countries with weapons of mass destruction, and senators expressed their concerns that getting involved in Syria would only lead to another endless war in the Middle East. Sam Sacks is on Capitol Hill with a summary of the day's events." Continue reading

Continue ReadingSelling Syria: White House pleads with Congress for ‘limited’ strikes

Bill Bonner: It’s about geo-politics!

"Syria's sovereign government is a sworn enemy to America's supposed enemy - terrorists. Yet, in solemn chutzpah, the US Security Council met to discuss ways to attack not the terrorists...but the government. Yes, the US now plans an act of war against yet another country in the Middle East...and another intervention of unknown cost and uncertain duration. Some would ask: 'haven't they learned anything from Iraq and Afghanistan?' But the questioners would be people who haven't learned anything themselves. America's military adventures have nothing to do with national security. They are now the exploits of a Pharisee industry, intended to protect the zombies." Continue reading

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: It’s about geo-politics!

Rep. Cantor Steals Condi Rice’s Iraq Lines for Syria

"Today House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) directly channeled then-President Bush’s National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, spouting the same lying propaganda to get us into Syria that Rice spouted to get us into Iraq. Leader Cantor today: 'No one wants to be asking why we failed to act if the next time Sarin is used it is in the Paris or New York subway.' Condoleeza Rice, Sept 8, 2002: 'The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingRep. Cantor Steals Condi Rice’s Iraq Lines for Syria

The Syria AUMF: Be Careful What You Vote For

"The draft authorization for the use of military force the administration circulated Saturday is strikingly broad. And if we know anything from the history of past AUMFs, it’s that presidents will push the authority they’re given as far as language will allow—and possibly further. In his Rose Garden press conference Saturday, Obama said 'we would not put boots on the ground.' The action he’s contemplating would be 'limited in duration and scope.' Just a 'shot across the bow”—a light dusting of cruise missiles. The draft AUMF says no such thing." Continue reading

Continue ReadingThe Syria AUMF: Be Careful What You Vote For

Pepe Escobar: The indispensable (bombing) nation

"All parallels to Iraq 2.0 duly came to fruition when US Secretary of State John Kerry pontificated that Bashar al-Assad 'now joins the list of Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein' as an evil monster. Why is Cambodia's Pol Pot never mentioned? Oh yes, because the US supported him. Every single tumbleweed in the Nevada desert knows who's itching for war on Syria; vast sectors of the industrial-military complex; Israel; the House of Saud; the 'socialist' Francois Hollande in France, who has wet dreams with Sykes-Picot. Virtually nobody is lobbying Congress NOT to go to war." Continue reading

Continue ReadingPepe Escobar: The indispensable (bombing) nation

India pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

"India is pushing for joint 'shock-and-awe' intervention by key developing states to halt capital flight and shore up currencies, in a move that risks backfiring and triggering a vicious spiral. 'It is going to happen in a matter of days rather than weeks, Brazil and India can start the move,' said Dipak Dasgupta, a top Indian official. Mr Dasgputa told Reuters that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Russia and South Africa have all been squeezed as the US Federal Reserve prepares to tighten monetary policy. Joint action would give emerging markets greater firepower, allowing them to deploy their combined $8.7 trillion (£5.6 trillion) of reserves and crush 'speculators', rather than being picked off one by one." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIndia pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

India pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

"India is pushing for joint 'shock-and-awe' intervention by key developing states to halt capital flight and shore up currencies, in a move that risks backfiring and triggering a vicious spiral. 'It is going to happen in a matter of days rather than weeks, Brazil and India can start the move,' said Dipak Dasgupta, a top Indian official. Mr Dasgputa told Reuters that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Russia and South Africa have all been squeezed as the US Federal Reserve prepares to tighten monetary policy. Joint action would give emerging markets greater firepower, allowing them to deploy their combined $8.7 trillion (£5.6 trillion) of reserves and crush 'speculators', rather than being picked off one by one." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIndia pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

India pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

"India is pushing for joint 'shock-and-awe' intervention by key developing states to halt capital flight and shore up currencies, in a move that risks backfiring and triggering a vicious spiral. 'It is going to happen in a matter of days rather than weeks, Brazil and India can start the move,' said Dipak Dasgupta, a top Indian official. Mr Dasgputa told Reuters that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Russia and South Africa have all been squeezed as the US Federal Reserve prepares to tighten monetary policy. Joint action would give emerging markets greater firepower, allowing them to deploy their combined $8.7 trillion (£5.6 trillion) of reserves and crush 'speculators', rather than being picked off one by one." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIndia pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

India pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

"India is pushing for joint 'shock-and-awe' intervention by key developing states to halt capital flight and shore up currencies, in a move that risks backfiring and triggering a vicious spiral. 'It is going to happen in a matter of days rather than weeks, Brazil and India can start the move,' said Dipak Dasgupta, a top Indian official. Mr Dasgputa told Reuters that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Russia and South Africa have all been squeezed as the US Federal Reserve prepares to tighten monetary policy. Joint action would give emerging markets greater firepower, allowing them to deploy their combined $8.7 trillion (£5.6 trillion) of reserves and crush 'speculators', rather than being picked off one by one." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIndia pushes ‘shock and awe’ currency plan to save BRICS

Senate committee strikes deal on resolution authorizing force against Syria

"Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reached an agreement late Tuesday on wording of a new resolution authorizing U.S. military force against the Syrian government. The resolution would permit up to 90 days of military action against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, beginning with 60 days and the option of 30 more pending President Obama’s notification of Congress, according to a copy of the resolution provided by Senate aides. The resolution also bars the deployment of U.S. combat troops into Syria, but would permit the deployment of a small rescue mission, in the event of an emergency, the aides said." Continue reading

Continue ReadingSenate committee strikes deal on resolution authorizing force against Syria