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U.S. Public Don’t Care if ‘News’media Lie
Eric Zuesse
To say that the U.S. public don’t care if ‘news’media lie, is shocking, but I shall here present evidence that it actually is true — not in some mere theory, but in empirical fact.
A typical example of Americans not caring about the truthfulness, nor even about the honesty, of their sources of alleged ‘news’, is that, during the period of October 3rd through the 5th, there were two news-reports both of which were true, but which, when taken together, display the total disconnect between newsmedia-honesty, on the one hand, and the confidence that the American people have in the nation's ‘news’media, on the other.
Putin Addresses Russia’s Energy Week Forum
Stephen Lendman
It’s ongoing from October 3 - 7 in Moscow and St. Petersburg, attended by representatives of hundreds of international energy companies, officials from 70 foreign countries, leading experts in the field participating.
Topics discussed include global energy needs, fuel and energy sector directions, along with challenges the sector faces to supply worldwide needs in the years ahead.
Putin addressed these issues in his welcoming remarks, explaining why Russia is attractive to foreign investors despite sanctions. It’s a reliable business partner, Putin saying “(t)he most significant advantage we have is that we never double-deal. We are always honest with our partners. We openly lay out our position.”
“It’s to our advantage” to operate this way, the same way it engages in all geopolitical dealings. Foreign partners cooperating with Russia see it for themselves.
“If we disagree with something, we say so outright and outline our position. We also say that we do keep partners’ position in mind and respect it, but that we will opt for this or that mode of action,” said Putin.
Jimmy Carter Explains What North Korean Leaders Told Him
Stephen Lendman
The neocon/CIA-connected Washington Post gave him feature op-ed space to discuss one of the vital issues of our time - the urgency of avoiding another Korean war, potentially with nuclear weapons, devastating the peninsula and beyond if used, Carter saying:
“(T)he strong possibility of another Korean war…is the most serious existing threat to world peace, and it is imperative that Pyongyang and Washington find some way to ease the escalating tension and reach a lasting, peaceful agreement.”
True enough, the problem lying squarely in Washington, not Pyongyang, for decades wanting normalized relations with America and the West.
Carter met earlier with Kim Il-sung (North Korea’s founder), Kim Jong-nam (his eldest son and successor), and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly.
He found them and other DPRK officials “completely rational and dedicated to the preservation of their” country. They’re not madmen, as falsely portrayed by US and other Western hardliners.
Their demands are entirely legitimate, Carter explaining they want direct talks with Washington, a peace treaty ending decades of an uneasy armistice.
Netanyahu Vows Stolen Palestinian Land Won’t Ever Be Given Back
Stephen Lendman
Last August, Netanyahu vowed Judea and Samaria (illegally occupied Palestinian West Bank land) belongs to Israel forever, blustering:
“This is the land of our fathers, this is our land. We are here to stay, forever. There will be no uprooting of communities in the Land of Israel,” adding:
Samaria is a “strategic asset. From these hills we can see the Land of Israel from one end to the other.”
“Imagine that radical Islamic forces were stationed on these hills. That would be a danger not only to us, but to all our neighbors.”
“It would endanger the whole region and the entire Middle East. Given everything that is happening around us, one could only imagine the consequences.”
Israel supports the most “radical” of “radical Islamic forces,” supplying ISIS and likeminded terrorists with weapons, treating their wounded in its field hospitals, terror-bombing Syrian targets to aid their campaign of murder and other atrocities, including use of CWs falsely blamed on Damascus.
White House Talking Points on Las Vegas
Stephen Lendman
NBC News and the Washington Examiner obtained them. Were they written ahead of Sunday’s incident, knowing what was coming?
The talking points aim to quell arguments for gun control, useless against state-sponsored gun violence.
They stress “gather(ing) facts before…mak(ing) sweeping policy arguments for curtailing the Second Amendment.”
They state Trump welcomes “a reasoned and well-informed debate on public safety” while affirming supporting the Second Amendment, calling gun ownership a constitutional right “meant to protect people’s freedoms.”
“The President believes that our founding principles, like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms must be protected while maintaining public safety.”
General Strike and Mass Protest in Catalonia
Stephen Lendman
On Tuesday, strike action along with hundreds of thousands of Catalans taking to the streets in Barcelona, protesting against police state viciousness last Sunday made headlines.
Normal activity in the city ground to a halt, people chanting “Independence!” and “The streets will be ours!” Thousands gathered outside PM Mariano Rajoy’s People’s Party Barcelona office.
Supportive firemen played bagpipes, crowds cheering them on. A huge banner was displayed saying “Catalonia is NOT Spain” in English.
Dozens of roads were blocked, local transportation affected including ports. Many businesses closed for the day. So were schools and tourist areas. Medical centers operated at minimal levels.
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said “I am convinced this strike will be widely followed.” Rajoy greatly misjudged the spirit of Catalan residents.
Sergey Lavrov on War in Syria
Stephen Lendman
Interviewed by the Asharq Al-Awsat pan-Arab newspaper, Lavrov highlighted Russia’s key role in combating US-supported terrorist invaders.
He stressed the importance resolving things diplomatically, Astana peace talks moving things incrementally in this direction, de-escalation zones established, others to come.
He blasted Arab states for denying Assad’s legitimacy, “practically usurp(ing) the right of the Syrian people to decide who will govern Syria and in what form. We strongly disagree with this approach.”
Syrians alone must decide who’ll lead them and how they’re to be governed, free from outside interference.
Russia believes combating ISIS and other terrorists “should be accompanied by the search for a political solution. To that end – continuing to fight against terrorist groups – we are enhancing our efforts to stop bloodshed, provide humanitarian assistance to the population, and intensify the political process as provided for in the UNSC Resolution 2254,” Lavrov explained.
Gallup: Trump Has Record-Low Approval Ratings: What are the implications, nationally and internationally?
Eric Zuesse
U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest job-approval rating in Gallup’s latest poll (which was taken during “Sep 18-24, 2017”), is 38%.
Gallup also posts there the relevant comparisons with the 9 other U.S. Presidents, since the time of Eisenhower:
How Billionaires become Billionaires
James Petras
America has the greatest inequalities, highest mortality rate, most regressive taxes, and largest public subsidies for bankers and billionaires of any developed capitalist country.
In this essay we will discuss the socio-economic roots of inequalities and the relation between the concentration of wealth and the downward mobility of the working and salaried classes.
How the Billionaires become Billionaires
One of the most likely sources of billionaire wealth is through tax evasion in all of its guises and forms.
Contrary to the propaganda pushed by the business press, between 67% and 72% percent of corporations had zero tax liabilities after credits and exemptions … while their workers and employees paid between 25 – 30% in taxes. The rate for the minority of corporations, which paid any tax, was 14%.
Madrid Vows to Block Catalan Independence
Stephen Lendman
State-sponsored street violence tried preventing Sunday’s referendum from taking place. It may have been prelude for harsher measures ahead.
Fascist PM Mariano Rajoy announced his intention, saying “(i)f anyone plans to declare the independence of part of the territory of Spain, as he can’t since he does not have the power to do so, we would have to do everything within the law to impede this.”The “law” apparently is whatever he says it is, including unleashing thuggish police in virtual combat gear against nonviolent Catalans exercising their right to vote, injuring hundreds, some seriously.
