History Repeating

Russia evacuates citizens in Syria ahead of military strikes in the ‘next few days’

"A Russian emergency situations ministry aircraft carrying aid landed in Syria on Tuesday, and is set to take Russians and other CIS citizens out of the country on its return flight. Russia said it had evacuated all of its defence personnel from Syria in June, but a foreign ministry spokesman said at the time that about 30,000 other Russians were still living across the country. Russia's deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, said on Twitter: 'The West behaves towards the Islamic world like a monkey with a grenade.' The build up to military action continued today when Chuck Hagel, the United States defence secretary, said that American forces are now ready to act on an order to strike Syria." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussia evacuates citizens in Syria ahead of military strikes in the ‘next few days’

Ron Paul Unfiltered; Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg takes on the NSA

"Ron Paul joins Larry to blast US government secrecy and talk about his new Web channel. Plus, have his supporters finally found peace with the GOP? Also, whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg says the government is always watching... even while you sleep." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul Unfiltered; Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg takes on the NSA

How Empires Fall

"Rome didn't fall so much as erode away, its many strengths squandered on in-fighting, mismanagement and personal aggrandizement/corruption. More telling for the present is Goldsworthy's identification of expansive, sclerotic bureaucracies that lost sight of their purpose. The top leadership abandoned the pursuit of the common good for personal gain, wealth and power. This rot at the top soon spread down the chain of command to infect and corrupt the entire institutional culture. As the empire shrank and lost tax revenues, the Imperial bureaucracies continued growing, much as parasites attach themselves to a weakened host." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow Empires Fall

The Technical Bankruptcy of the Government Is Kicked Out Another Six Weeks

"The U.S. government's debt has been locked in at this implausible limit for three months: $16,699,396,000,000. The Secretary of the Treasury says that it will not hit the ceiling until mid-October. This warning is silly. The U.S. government has obviously been over the limit ever since late May. The world knows this. There is no way that the debt simply stopped growing. There is no good reason why the government cannot report this same figure from now on. If the government can legally cook the books from May 17 until today, and promises to cook them until mid-October, and no one in Congress asks how, then why not for two more months, two more years, or forever?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Technical Bankruptcy of the Government Is Kicked Out Another Six Weeks

Hold US Policymakers to Their Abysmal Record on Foreign Meddling

"The media never holds anybody to either their predictions or their results–officeholders, politicians, and of course their own pundits. And it’s a good thing for people like Bill Kristol, John McCain, and Lindsey Graham. No matter what the overseas 'crisis' or where it is, they are gung ho about sending either U.S. forces or U.S. arms into the fray. Recently, these war hawks have been pounding the drums for U.S. greater intervention in Syria. Their argument isn’t that the Syrian rebellion will fall apart if the United States doesn’t provide arms, it’s that when the insurgents finally take over Syria, the U.S. will won’t have much 'influence.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHold US Policymakers to Their Abysmal Record on Foreign Meddling

Lieberman, Rove, Kristol Urge Obama to Attack Syria

"In an open letter to President Obama a group of warmongers have urged President Obama to impose 'meaningful consequences on the Assad regime.' 'At a minimum, the United States, along with willing allies and partners, should use standoff weapons and airpower to target the Syrian dictatorship’s military units that were involved in the recent large-scale use of chemical weapons. It should also provide vetted moderate elements of Syria’s armed opposition with the military support required to identify and strike regime units armed with chemical weapons,' says the letter." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLieberman, Rove, Kristol Urge Obama to Attack Syria

Should We Celebrate the American Revolution?

"Conservatives who cherish the Fourth of July while cheering today’s wars have a high tolerance for cognitive dissonance. The American Revolution was, at best, a revolt against empire. The taxes at issue were being used to finance Britain’s national security state. The colonial rebels didn’t 'support the troops' – they resented them. And they resented Britain’s status as the hypocritical world power, which closely resembled the modern United States – an empire claiming the mantle of liberty while smashing its colonial subjects. Today’s conservatives would have likely been partisans of King George. Independence would mean Washington, DC, releasing control of its colonies worldwide." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingShould We Celebrate the American Revolution?

Britain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world

"A new study has found that at various times the British have invaded almost 90 per cent of the countries around the globe. The analysis of the histories of the almost 200 countries in the world found only 22 which have never experienced an invasion by the British. Among this select group of nations are far-off destinations such as Guatemala, Tajikistan and the Marshall Islands, as well some slightly closer to home, such as Luxembourg. Stuart Laycock, the author, has worked his way around the globe, through each country alphabetically, researching its history to establish whether, at any point, they have experienced an incursion by Britain." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBritain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world

Syria crisis: Moscow reminds US of Iraq mistakes

"Russia warned that the alleged chemical attack could have been a staged “provocation” by the Syrian opposition forces and said US rhetoric recalled the allegations preceding the invasion of Iraq. 'All of this makes one recall the events that happened 10 years ago, when, using false information about Iraqis having weapons of mass destructions, the US bypassed the United Nations and started a scheme whose consequences are well known to everyone,' the Russian Foreign ministry said in a statement. 'Once again we call not to repeat past mistakes, not to allow actions that contradict international law,' the ministry said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyria crisis: Moscow reminds US of Iraq mistakes

Rand Paul slams Obama’s plans for military involvement in Syria

"Sen. Paul said during a speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention on Monday that President Barack Obama is asking for the American military to open up a front without waiting for congressional approval. 'Even if you believe we should arm Islamic fighters in Syria, shouldn't, at the very least, Congress vote on the matter?' Paul asked of the crowd. 'The Constitution is very clear. Congress is to declare war, not the President.' 'Nevertheless, President Obama is moving ahead with plans to get involved in the Syrian civil war, without the authorization of Congress,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRand Paul slams Obama’s plans for military involvement in Syria