US On Road To Third World — Paul Craig Roberts

US On Road To Third World — Paul Craig Roberts

October 29, 2015 

US On Road To Third World

Paul Craig Roberts

On January 6, 2004, Senator Charles Schumer and I challenged the erroneous idea that jobs offshoring was free trade in a New York Times op-ed. Our article so astounded economists that within a few days Schumer and I were summoned to a Brookings Institution conference in Washington, DC, to explain our heresy. In the nationally televised conference, I declared that the consequence of jobs offshoring would be that the US would be a Third World country in 20 years.

That was 11 years ago, and the US is on course to descend to Third World status before the remaining 9 years of my prediction have expired.

The evidence is everywhere. In September the US Bureau of the Census released its report on US household income by quintile. Every quintile, as well as the top 5%, has experienced a decline in real household income since their peaks. The bottom quintile (lower 20 percent) has had a 17.1% decline in real income from the 1999 peak (from $14,092 to $11,676). The 4th quintine has had a 10.8% fall in real income since 2000 (from $34,863 to $31,087). The middle quintile has had a 6.9% decline in real income since 2000 (from $58,058 to $54,041). The 2nd quintile has had a 2.8% fall in real income since 2007 (from $90,331 to $87,834). The top quintile has had a decline in real income since 2006 of 1.7% (from $197,466 to $194,053). The top 5% has experienced a 4.8% reduction in real income since 2006 (from $349,215 to $332,347). Only the top One Percent or less (mainly the 0.1%) has experienced growth in income and wealth.

The Census Bureau uses official measures of inflation to arrive at real income. These measures are understated. If more accurate measures of inflation are used (such as those available from shadowstats.com), the declines in real household income are larger and have been decling for a longer period. Some measures show real median annual household income below levels of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Note that these declines have occurred during an alleged six-year economic recovery from 2009 to the current time, and during a period when the labor force was shrinking due to a sustained decline in the labor force participation rate. On April 3, 2015 the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that 93,175,000 Americans of working age are not in the work force, a historical record. Normally, an economic recovery is marked by a rise in the labor force participation rate. John Williams reports that when discouraged workers are included among the measure of the unemployed, the US unemployment rate is currently 23%, not the 5.2% reported figure.

PCR Interviewed by Press TV on US Violation of China’s 12 Mile Limit

PCR Interviewed by Press TVon US Violation of China’s 12 Mile Limit

October 28, 2015 

PCR Interviewed by Press TV on US Violation of China’s 12 Mile Limit

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/10/28/435376/US-threats-coercion-China-

China unswayed by US threats and coercion: Former White House official

The United States should not use "threats and coercion" against Beijing because these tactics do not work against “powerful” countries like China, a former White House official says.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, who was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Wednesday.

He was commenting on a statement by Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter who said that the United States will continue operations in the South China Sea after a US warship entered the disputed waters, provoking Beijing’s anger.

“There have been naval operations in that region in recent days, and there will be in the weeks and months,” Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. “We will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits, and whenever our operation needs require it.”

The Pentagon chief made the comments when asked about news reports that the US Navy had sent a guided-missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of one of China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea late on Monday.

The USS Lassen conducts a trilateral naval exercise in May of 2015.

Dr. Roberts said the United States “doesn’t know how to exercise diplomacy. It relies on threats and coercion, and threats and coercion might work against weak countries but they won’t have any effect on a powerful country like China.”

“So what we see here, again, is a foolish United States government creating ill feelings where a powerful nation that is Washington’s major creditor, a powerful nation which is the host to most of the American manufacturing corporations, who used Chinese labor to produce the products that they sell back in the United States to Americans, and they cause needless trouble for a country on which the United States is so dependent for goodwill and cooperation,” he added. “This is a sign of just amazing foolishness.”

“I suspect the Chinese will make a protest and Washington will find that we need China on some issues; they won’t be there, China won’t be there to help,” the analyst noted.

“So it’s all of a senseless policy, but it has been the policy of the United States’ government in the 21st century,” Dr. Roberts concluded.

The Goon Thug Nazis Who “Serve and Protect”

The Goon Thug Nazis Who “Serve and Protect”

October 28, 2015 

The Goon Thug Nazis Who “Serve and Protect”

Note that the male students just sat there. They could easily have overpowered the criminal
cop, handcuffed him, called the police and reported the goon thug’s assault on a female student. Assault is a felony even when cops do it.

The public should demand that state and local governments stop hiring psychopaths as police officers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa6yp7dmVU4

FARS News Agency reports Israeli Colonel captured leading ISIL terrorists

 FARS News Agency reports Israeli Colonel captured leading ISILterrorists

October 28, 2015 

FARS News Agency reports Israeli Colonel captured leading ISIL terrorists

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940730000210

Oct 22, 2015 3:38

EXCLUSIVE: Israeli Colonel Leading ISIL Terrorists Captured in Iraq

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iraqi security and popular forces have caught an Israeli colonel from Golani Brigade along with a number of ISIL terrorists, a commander disclosed on Thursday.

"The security and popular forces have held captive an Israeli colonel," a commander of Iraq's popular mobilization forces said on Thursday.

"The Zionist officer is ranked colonel and had participated in the Takfiri ISIL group's terrorist operations," he added.

Noting that he was arrested along with a number of ISIL terrorists, the commander said, "The Israeli colonel's name is Yusi Oulen Shahak and is ranked colonel in Golani Brigade of the Zionist regime's army with the security and military code of Re34356578765az231434."

He said that the relevant bodies are now interrogating the Israeli colonel to understand the reasons behind his fighting alongside the ISIL forces and the presence of other Zionist officers among ISIL terrorists.

The Iraqi security forces said the captured colonel has already made shocking confessions.

Several ISIL militants arrested in the last one year had already confessed that Israeli agents from Mossad and other Israeli espionage and intelligence bodies were present in the first wave of ISIL attacks on Iraq and capture of Mosul in Summer 2014, but no ranking Israeli agent had been arrested.

Political and military experts told FNA that the capture of the Israeli colonel will leave a grave impact on Iraq's war strategy, including partnership with Israeli allies.

In a relevant development in July, Iraqi volunteer forces announced that they had shot down a drone that was spying on the Arab country's security forces in the city of Fallujah, Western Iraq.

Iraq's popular forces reported that they had brought down a hostile surveillance aircraft over the Southeastern Fallujah in Anbar Province.

They said that the wreckage of the ISIL's spy drone carried 'Israel-Made' labels.

This was not the first Israeli-made drone downed in Iraq.

In August an Israeli Hermes drone was shot down in the vicinity of Baghdad Airport.

Paul Craig Robert: Bring Back Jimmy Carter!

Bring Back JimmyCarter! — Paul Craig Roberts

October 27, 2015 | 

Bring Back Jimmy Carter!

Paul Craig Roberts

Caught with its pants down in Syria, the US government is making a fool of itself. By attempting to mischaracterize Russia’s actions against ISIS in Syria, Washington has admitted that the terrorists from outside Syria, who are attempting to overthrow the elected government of Syria, are “our guys.”

In an interview with Fox “News,” a senior US government official said: “Putin is deliberately targeting our forces. Our guys are fighting for their lives.”

Professor Michel Chossudovsky reports that “our guys” includes Western military advisers, intelligence agents and mercenaries recruited from private security companies.

The defense official told Fox “News” that the Russians are “completely disingenuous about their desire to fight ISIS.” According to the Obama regime, all of the hundreds of Russian air and missile attacks against ISIS are directed at US trained moderate terrorists — all five of them — and their hundreds of Western advisors.

Evidently, the senior defense official forgot that General Lloyd Austin, who heads US Central Command, recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee that only 4 or 5 of the US-trained “moderate terrorists” remain on the battle field. Obama has cancelled the failed $500 million waste of US taxpayers money to train “moderate terrorists” to overthrow the Syrian government. The trainees took the money and ran.

It is difficult to believe that even the incompetents who work for Fox “News” could really think that the Russians made hundreds of air strikes, supplemented with cruise missile strikes, against 4 or 5 moderate terrorists and their Western advisors. But the stupidity and ignorance of Fox “News” knows no limits. (The most discouraging aspect of my existance is the knowledge that millions of dumbshit Americans sit before Fox “News” for their daily brainwashing.)

But that is the story that senior US government officials are leaking to a gullible, or paid for, Fox “News.”

The truth of the matter—which will never emerge from Fox “News”— is that Washington is using ISIS in an illegal attempt to overthrow an elected government that will not submit to being a Washington puppet.

In clear words, Washington in total violation of law is behaving as a war criminal and is attempting to overthrow an elected government in order to replace it with a vassal answering to Washington.

President Putin has said that Russia will not stand for any more war crimes from Washington in areas of the world that affect Russian national interests. Russia has been asked for assistance by the legitimate government of Syria against ISIS, and the Russian air strikes are exterminating ISIS. This has the Washington war criminals upset. The senior US defense official told Fox “News” that the only role for Russia in Syria is to assist the US in overthrowing Assad. I guess the Washington official didn’t hear what Putin had to say.

The question that desperately needs to be asked will never be asked by the US print and TV media or by NPR. That question is: What is the point of the incessant US government lies about Russia, its actions, and its intentions? Are the warmongers in Washington trying to start World War Three?

Obviously the presidential candidates—both Hillary and all of the Republican dimwits—are determined to start World War Three. Watch the Americans vote for World War Three in the next election.

The United States government no longer has any credibility outside its borders and very little within, as evidenced by recent polls that show that 62 percent of American voters are wishing for a third party in the hopes that it might represent the people instead of a half dozen vested interests that, thanks to the Republican Supreme Court, have purchased the US government, lock, stock and barrel.

The reason so many voters admire Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, even though both have no idea what really needs to be done, is that these two are the only candidates who are raising a fuss about a politial system that serves only a few. Talk about dictators and disenfranchisement, the American voters are the most disenfranchised in human history. Allegedly the US is a democracy, but there is no sign of democracy in the behavior of the government. Sound and careful studies show that the US voter has no input whatsoever into the behavior and decisions of the US government. The US government is as far removed from the people, if not more so, than any dictatorship. We desperately need to be liberated ourselves!

As former President Jimmy Carter recently said, America is no longer a democracy. America is an oligarchy.

Like so many things Carter was right about, but never given credit for by the corrupt American Establishment, Carter is again correct.

I say bring back Jimmy Carter. The man is moral and intelligent. He is a million times better than any presidential candidate in the running. At 90 years of age in a losing war with cancer, Jimmy Carter is our best bet.

references:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/14/official-russia-deliberately-targeting-us-backed-forces-in-syria/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-program-isis-fighters-syria-general-lloyd-austin-congress/

http://www.globalresearch.ca/washington-accuses-putin-of-targeting-our-guys-including-cia-operatives-and-western-military-advisers-inside-syria-instead-of-isis-terrorists/5482475

Washington and Israel Are the Obstacles to World Peace by Stephen Cohen

 Washington and Israel Are the Obstacles to World Peace

October 25, 2015

Washington and Israel Are the Obstacles to World Peace

The fact that Washington has refused to help Russia in the fight against ISIL is evidence of US fears of losing the “ultimate superpower” standing it obtained after the collapse of the USSR, professor of Russian studies at Princeton University and New York University Stephen Cohen believes.

On The John Batchelor Show, the scholar said that the current foreign policy of the United States is indicative of its unwillingness to recognize the multipolarity if the world today. What we are witnessing now, Cohen said, is Washington's failing but persistent effort to maintain its superpower status in the global arena, and this is the primary reason for its refusal to join France, Germany and Russia in a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis and to join Putin's coalition against ISIL.

"Putin proposed sending to the United States his Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the former president, along with his Secretary of Defense…and the head of his National Security Council, to meet in Washington or somewhere privately to try to create a coalition against the Islamic State. Washington, the White House, refused the offer." Cohen said.

According to the scholar, Putin understood that the idea of a "moderate" Syrian opposition is a myth, and he doesn't want to wager Russia's national security on a myth, "even if Obama wants to do so." This is what led to a proposal to send his Prime Minister to meet with top figures in Washington. And by refusing Putin's proposal, the US only proved that it is becoming an obstacle to a modern peaceful multipolar world.

"Kissinger, I think, is right, the world is in disorder. He is also right…it's a different world." Cohen said, citing a recent article by Henry Kissinger analyzing the breakdown of order in the Middle East and Russian President Putin's rational policy in the region.

"The United States can no longer be number one alone, and therefore the obstacle to moving into the direction of a peaceful world order, the number one obstacle today, and I say this with regret, as an American patriot, is Washington," he declared.

Cohen explained that a multi-polar world is an emerging reality being driven by history, economics, politics, national traditions, and trans-national crises, and by opposing it America is becoming part of the problem, not the solution.

"The world is made up of a lot of different regional histories and traditions. The idea that they can all be governed or ordered from one capital is a kind of crazed arrogance, though Washington clings to it," he concluded.

God’s Chosen People? — Guest Column by Stephen Lensman

God’s ChosenPeople? — Guest Column by Stephen Lensman

October 25, 2015 

God’s Chosen People?

Stephen Lendman is a Jew. What you read below are the words of a Jew who has a moral conscience and cannot tolerate the horrendous crimes that the government of the state of Israel—supported to the hilt by the American neocons who have dominated every US government since Clinton—commits on Palestinians.

Many Jews have a moral conscience. Jews are the most outspoken critics of the Zionist Israeli government that is worshipped by brainwashed American gentiles. The government of Israel calls its Jewish critics “self-hating Jews” and works to eliminate them, with much success, from Western university and media employment.

The American Congress, the mythical “voice of the people,” is in fact the voice of the crazed rightwing Israeli government. The idiots in Congress actually send each year to the Israeli government the billions of our taxpayer dollars that the Israeli government uses to buy the elections and the votes of the US Conress.

You can tell who the honest members of the House and Senate are. They are the few who do not vote as the Israel Lobby orders. Usually, such representatives elected by Americans don’t last long in the job.

Bloody Friday inPalestine

by Stephen Lendman

Israel’s killing machine raged on Friday, continuing into Saturday. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said Israeli forces wounded over 290 Palestinians yesterday alone, many seriously – 48 from live fire, 44 using rubber-coated steel bullets.

Hundreds suffered from toxic tear gas inhalation. Maan News said “Israeli forces used Palestine TV reporter and cameraman Sira Sarhan and Hadi al-Dibs as human shields…forcing them at gunpoint to remain in front of their Jeep and tell protesters to stop throwing rocks.”

French journalist David Perrotin was brutally assaulted by Jewish Defense League Zionist zealots outside AFP’s Paris headquarters. He was beaten with batons.

Lunatics involved tried storming AFP’s building, waving Israeli flags, throwing eggs, chanting: “We’re coming to get you.” 

One agitator raved: “We are here to show support for Israel in our war against the Arabs. Journalists working for organizations like AFP support the Islamic terrorists and that’s why we have to fight back.” Friday night, Perrotin twittered he’s OK. He thanked everyone expressing support.

On October 21, Luay Faisal Ali Abeid stood on his third floor balcony, displaying no weapon, threatening no one. No clashes were ongoing in the area around his home.

An Israeli soldier opened fire at him without just cause, a rubber-coated steel bullet fracturing his skull and nose, striking his left eye. Surgeons couldn’t save it. They had to operate to remove it. 

On Saturday, an Israeli security guard murdered a Palestinian teenager in cold blood. He was unarmed threatening no one.

Palestinian medical workers said Israel prevented help from reaching him. He was shot at least five times. Overnight Friday into Saturday morning, dozens of Palestinians were kidnapped – in East Jerusalem, Jenin, Abu Dis, Qabatia and Bethlehem.

Western and Israeli media reports are entirely one-sided. Palestinians are wrongfully portrayed as knife-wielding terrorists. Most reports are fabricated. The few legitimate ones are blown way out of proportion. 

Rampaging Israeli forces and extremist settlers are considered noble defenders. Al Monitor said “(t)he Obama administration is cutting aid to the Palestinians by $80 million in what congressional sources describe as a ‘message’ to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.”

It’s being reduced from $370 million to $290 million for the fiscal year ending September 30 – following criticism from congressional members, blaming Palestinians for vicious Israeli incitement and premeditated persecution over the past three weeks.

Zionist zealot Rep. Eliot Engel (D. NY) said “(w)e need to dial up pressure on Palestinian officials to repudiate this violence.” On October 22, House Foreign Affairs Committee members voted unanimously to punish Palestinians for Israeli high crimes.

Practically the entire Congress one-sidedly supports Israel, no matter how outrageous its crimes – nothing worse than cold-blooded murder, defenseless Palestinians outrageously blamed.

AIPAC demands an end to “Palestinian incitement…Palestinian terrorists are attacking Israelis,” it rants.

“Palestinian leaders…exacerbated tensions,” instead of accurately saying it’s the other way around, Israel entirely responsible, being rewarded by Washington with hundreds of millions more in military aid – supporting its killing machine to spill more blood.

“Palestinians must renew direct peace talks with Israel (to achieve) a real and lasting peace,” claims AIPAC – ignoring reality on the ground.

Israel and Washington deplore peace and stability, thrive on endless violence, at all times blame victims for their viciousness.

So-called peace initiatives are dead on arrival every time. They’re a waste of time, Palestinians always wrongfully blamed for failure.

Daily NYT reports provide cover for Israeli high crimes. Not a word on horrific Friday’s Israeli-instigated violence on defenseless Palestinians explained above.

Instead headlined “Jewish Man Stabbed in Israel by Palestinians as Violence Continues,” blaming them for an ongoing “wave of violence.”

The entire article highlights claims about Jewish victims, Palestinian terrorists, attackers, assailants. The latest Times propaganda piece cited Israel saying a “Palestinian stabber (was) shot dead.”

No Israelis were harmed. No weapons were found. Another accusation repeats the same Big Lie about violent Palestinians, poor Israeli victims. It’s hard believing this stuff gets printed – maliciously and willfully turning truth on its head.

Sources are always government or military officials, past or current ones, mostly unnamed, repeating the same old Big Lie, long ago discredited by legitimate news reports and analysts.

Israeli state terror, fully supported by Washington and rogue allies, bears full responsibility for ongoing, earlier and certain future violence against defenseless Palestinian victims.

The Times and other media scoundrels never report what everyone needs to know. Israel’s war on Palestinians continues with no resolution in prospect.

Just as the New York Times lies through its teeth about Palestinians, the New York Times lies through its teeth about Russia. Lendman holds the presstitutes accountable.

NYT Big Lie ClaimsRussia Bombing Syrian Hospitals

by Stephen Lendman

On October 20, The Times tried justifying the Pentagon’s latest Afghan war crime, willfully bombing a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital without just cause – premeditated Times deception suggesting otherwise, ignoring indisputable facts.

The death toll keeps rising, 26 according to MSF as of October 23 – 37 others injured, many severely. Numbers of known fatalities “may not be final numbers,” said MSF.

“All that now remains of the three operating theaters, the ER and outpatient departments, and the intensive care unit are collapsed roofs, blackened walls, floors thick with dust, and twisted pieces of metal that were once beds or trolleys,” it explained painfully. 

Its outrage remains unchanged. The Times report tried whitewashing deliberate mass murder. Its lies and will distortions never quit. 

On October 22, it claimed precision Russian airstrikes on ISIS and other takfiri targets struck “(a)t least seven hospitals or medical facilities in Syria,” another vicious Big Lie, same old Times reporting, systematically suppressing hard truths, substituting made up rubbish.

Its source for this and other anti-Syrian propaganda – the London-based, Western financed con man Rami Abdul Rahman Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), reporting only what his backers tell him to say, a pack of lies they want proliferated by willing major media scoundrels.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted anti-Russian propaganda, phony reports about its Syrian operations, saying:

“There are so-called mass media reports which allege that Russian aircraft bombed a field hospital in the Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria and reportedly killed 13 people.”

Journalists don’t write these type reports, she explained. They publish anti-Russian propaganda prepared for them, claiming it’s real news.

She blasted SOHR, saying “(a)s we all understand, it is very ‘convenient’ to cover and observe what is happening in Syria without leaving London and without the ability to collect information in the field.”

Russia’s campaign scrupulously avoids striking civilians, while “terrorist groups (keep getting) reinforcements of people (and) equipment from abroad…”

“These facts raise a question as to whether parties involved in the Syrian conflict are really interested in a peaceful settlement, and how this goal is reconciled with financial and technical support for anti-government armed groups, including those who directly cooperate with terrorists.”

Daily anti-Russian propaganda rages. Fabricated rubbish substitutes for hard truths. Only fools and liars believe it.

In a few short weeks, Russia’s anti-terrorism campaign in Syria continues showing remarkable effectiveness – ISIS and other takfiris getting systematically battered. Not a shred of evidence suggests it’s bombing hospitals or other civilian sites. Reports claiming otherwise are willful lies.

Moscow’s formidable weapons and air power have Pentagon commanders trembling, likely not eager to pick a fight it knows it can’t win.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html