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Deplorable US Public Ignorance
Stephen Lendman
Americans are the most over-entertained, uninformed people on the planet - despite 84% of households having a computer, 73% with broadband Internet access, according to Pew Research.
Instead of relying on credible information sources easily available online, too many Americans apparently follow mainstream television - providing disinformation, Big Lies and fake news, masquerading as the real thing.
A mid-September Gallup poll showed 58% of US adults surveyed favor military action against North Korea if (nonexistent) diplomacy fails.
Support varied by party affiliation - 82% of Republicans favoring war, 56% of independents, only 37% of (undemocratic) Democrats.
A new Quinnipiac University poll showed 46% of Republicans support a preemptive strike on the DPRK, 41% against - 1% for is unacceptable.
Neocon Nikki Haley the Dark Force Behind Trump’s Decertification of Iran Nuclear Deal?
Stephen Lendman
Haley reportedly was Trump’s first choice for secretary of state, a war goddess Hillary clone, a Ziofascist, a recklessly dangerous neocon.
Her extremism makes her unqualified for any public position. She uses her UN envoy platform to maliciously vilify sovereign independent states - notably Russia, North Korea and Iran.
Earlier she claimed she was offered the secretary of state position, turned it down, telling Trump he could find someone better. Perhaps she’s Trump’s top choice now to replace Rex Tillerson, clearly frustrated about being left out of the loop on key geopolitical decision-making.
A previous article suggested Trump may choose CIA director Mike Pompeo, ideologically like Haley, a recklessly dangerous extremist heading an agency responsible for high crimes globally since the 1940s.
On Saturday, Sputnik News said Haley “prepared the ground” for Trump’s decertification of the Iran nuclear deal, citing Politico, saying she was his “favorite internal voice” on Iran.
Trump EOs Aim to Undermine Obamacare
Stephen Lendman
On Wednesday and Thursday, Trump signed two anti-consumer executive orders, aiming to wreck Obamacare instead of seeking to improve affordable coverage for all Americans.
His actions made dysfunctional Obamacare much worse if they stick. One EO permits buying health insurance across state lines.
It’ll expand association health plans (AHPs) written by trade associations, small businesses and other groups. It’ll only lower insurance premiums by limiting coverage. Otherwise, they’ll keep increasing.
According to American Academy of Actuaries’ Cori Uccello, it’s “a step in the wrong direction” for millions of people with preexisting conditions.
Healthy individuals could go without coverage, creating a high risk pool, making insurance premiums more unaffordable than already.
Wyoming, Maine and Georgia tried cross-state purchases of coverage unsuccessfully. Insurers lacked interest, in part because they had no customer base outside their marketplace.
Remarks by Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman
Stephen Lendman
On Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said 92% of Syrian territory was freed from (US-supported) ISIS control.
In the past week alone, Russian airpower conducted 517 sorties, destroying over 1,260 facilities controlled by terrorists.
Its operations along with Syria’s continue smashing US-supported terrorists, defeating Washington’s imperial aims in the country.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explained Russian, Syrian and allied forces continue smashing ISIS terrorists in Deir Ezzor.
Much of its Al-Mayadeen stronghold was liberated, including the strategic Al-Rashadeh District and nearby Taybeh Farms, cutting a vital ISIS supply line.
Deescalation zones’ ceasefire violations were “substantially reduced.” Thousands of US-supported al-Nusra terrorists continue “trying to wreck the effort to normalize the situation and establish durable peace in Syria,” Zakharova explained.
Putin on Eroding International Law
Stephen Lendman
On Saturday, he addressed the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU) in St. Petersburg - where Russia’s first parliament, the State Duma, was established in 1906, the body a contributing factor in the 1917 revolution, abolishing czarist rule.
The IPU is the world’s oldest international parliamentary organization, established in 1889. Its membership includes parliaments of 173 nations. Annual conferences are held in cities worldwide - last year in Dhaka, Bangladesh, next year in Geneva, Switzerland. Putin noted Russia’s post-Soviet Constitution will mark its 25th anniversary next year, explaining the nation continues developing its “democratic, representative institutions of power and enhancing the legislative branch’s authority and importance.”
World parliaments are involved in “searching for efficient answers to modern challenges and threats that are common to all of us,” he noted.
Trump Withdraws America from UNESCO
Stephen Lendman
UNESCO is the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural organization. It stresses “building peace in the minds of men and women.”
It “works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values.”
Through dialogue it hopes the “world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’S mission and activities.”
In October 2011, it granted Palestinians full membership in the organization, applied for by the PA weeks earlier. Israel called the decision a “tragedy.”
Russian TV Says U.S. Breaks Peace Treaty
Eric Zuesse
Headlining "'More US troops at our borders' - Russian Defense Ministry”, Russian Television (whose U.S. broadcasts the U.S. Government is considering to ban) reported, on Friday, October 13th, that “On Thursday, the U.S. announced the presence of a second [U.S.] regiment in the already very tense Baltic region, and Poland, and that’s a move which Moscow claims violates that fundamental peace treaty signed between Russia and NATO.”
This report was referring to the NATO Founding Act, which had been signed in 1997 after Russian President Boris Yeltsin learned that the verbal promise which the agents of America’s President George H.W. Bush had made to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 that NATO would not move “one inch to the east”, was soon going to be broken, and that Hungary, Czech Republic, and Poland would be the first former Warsaw Pact nations to be added to NATO. Yeltsin was furious to learn of this, and so there were negotiations; and, this time around, Russia got the West’s signatures upon what was to be the contractual relationship between the by-now clearly expanding NATO, and the post-communist and now lone nation of Russia. The NATO Founding Act promised that:
NATO reiterates that in the current and foreseeable security environment, the Alliance will carry out its collective defence and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces. Accordingly, it will have to rely on adequate infrastructure commensurate with the above tasks. In this context, reinforcement may take place, when necessary, in the event of defence against a threat of aggression and missions in support of peace consistent with the United Nations Charter and the OSCE governing principles, as well as for exercises consistent with the adapted CFE Treaty, the provisions of the Vienna Document 1994 and mutually agreed transparency measures. Russia will exercise similar restraint in its conventional force deployments in Europe.
Congressional Disaster Relief Legislation Ignores Puerto Rico
Stephen Lendman
Hurricanes Maria and Irma caused vast destruction in Puerto Rico, creating humanitarian crisis conditions for millions.
Instead of massive amounts of vitally needed aid and debt relief, the Trump administration requested House and Senate members authorize a $4.9 billion loan to the island as part of $36.5 billion in disaster relief - plus a $150 million loan, matching FEMA grants, increasing its unrepayable indebtedness instead of responsibly cancelling it. Funds loaned are intended for maintaining basic government operations, nothing for devastated Puerto Ricans.
Most on the island still lack power. They have limited access to food, fuel and clean drinking water.
Estimated hurricane damage is around $95 billion, according to Governor Ricardo Rossello. “Puerto Rico is on the brink of a massive liquidity crisis that will intensify in the immediate future,” he said.
House legislation provides emergency funding for hurricane and wildfire relief - earmarked for business interests, not devastated Texas and Florida residents, or Californians affected by wildfires.
The Middle East Pivot: Erdoğan’s Turkey Seven Deadly Sins
James Petras
Introduction
Multiple wars ravage the Middle East. Turkey has inserted itself into the middle of most of these regional conflicts and ended up a loser.
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has intervened and formed alliances with a rogue’s gallery of imperial warlords, terrorists-mercenaries, Zionist expansionists, feudal potentates and obscure tribal chiefs, with disastrous economic, political and military consequences for the Turkish nation. In this paper we will discuss Turkey’s domestic and foreign policies and behavior over the past decade. We will conclude with lessons for middle range powers, which might help in future decisions
President Erdogan’s Domestic Disasters
Throughout the early decade of the 21st century, Erdoğan made a strategic alliance with an influential semi-clandestine organization led by a cult-leading cleric, Fethullah Gülen, who was conveniently self-exiled in the US and under the protection of the US intelligence apparatus. This marriage of convenience was formed in order to weaken the leftist, secular and Ataturk nationalist influenced opposition. Armed with the Gülenists’ treasure trove of forged documents, Erdoğan purged the military of its Ataturk nationalist leadership. He proceeded to marginalize the secular Republican Party and repressed leftist trade union, social movements and prominent academics, journalists, writers and student activists. With support from the Gülenists movement, ‘Hizmet’, Erdoğan celebrated his successes and won multiple election and re-election victories!
Renegotiating NAFTA
Stephen Lendman
Many NAFTA terms are non-negotiable. Chapter 11 promotes offshoring, companies building plants abroad getting special protections - including private enforcement through the so-called Investor State Dispute Settlement.
US, Canadian and Mexican companies can sue governments before a tribunal of three corporate lawyers.
They can get unlimited monetary awards from taxpayers - compensation for loss of future profits by claiming the nation they relocated to violated NAFTA provisions.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid these predatory firms under what Global Trade Watch director Lori Wallach calls “extrajudicial NAFTA” provisions - available only to relocated firms, a huge incentive to offshore, besides gaining access to low-wage labor. Companies only need to convince the corporate lawyer tribunal that laws protecting public health, digital rights or ecosanity violate NAFTA provisions.
Tribunal lawyer rulings are final, not subject to appeal. Chapter 11 is a corporate giveaway, a grand theft scheme, sure to remain part of any NAFTA renegotiated changes to the January 1, 1994 agreement.
