politics for the 99%

Published on Global Research.ca, by Jim Miles, MAy 17, 2015.

… There are some broad trends that should be obvious. Financially, the ‘western’ world is operating as a debt laden consumer society, competing with the rising strengths of China and Russia as co-leaders in an at best multi-polar world. Militarily, the U.S. and its allied NATO countries remain dominant, but that dominance is reckoned on the threats of a failed “full spectrum dominance” military, backed by an official first strike nuclear capability and policy.

As for the environment – the consumer society run by corporations with zero environmental concerns, and the military fighting for control of resources and for control of the financial world are dominant topics in the MSM, leaving the environment to change almost unheralded. These changes would be seriously aggravated by a larger war and /or significant financial changes.

There are two main ways to examine these faultlines. It can be done region by region, highlighting the impacts on the populations of defined areas. There are, however, no isolated regions, as one bleeds (literally) into another, with the global context quickly encroaching into any discussion of one country or region. Another examination could be approached from the genres mentioned above, in which an attempt to precis the global aspects of each would again bleed (literally, financially, and metaphorically!) one into the other. A third approach would take an even less well defined train of thought approach, following the bleeding as it encircles the world.

Good-bye Palestine: … //
… Gaza: … //
… Asia Rising: … //
… U.S. declining: … //
… Russia – neither collapsing, nor isolated: … //
… The World Island – and the New Silk Road: … //
… Last as always – the environment: … //

… Outcomes unknown:

Unfortunately, many humans are terribly short-sighted and intent on ‘winning’ at whatever cost. Hopefully the balancing power of Russia, China, India and other countries not aligned with the U.S. will be able to moderate the craziness that is widespread in the U.S./NATO today. Russia is doing its best to not become involved with U.S. instigated wars whether in Syria, Ukraine, or anywhere else in the world. China is supporting Russia as the Chinese are well aware that the U.S. views them as another threat to their global hegemony.

The U.S. fiat currency will collapse – all fiat currencies have. The U.S. is lashing out violently at the world trying to support its near hegemonic control of international finance. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Bank of International Settlements (based in Basel), national central banks, and other powerhouses of the current financialized world market are now having to deal with the new AIIB, the Latin American Bank of the South, and the BRICS Development Bank.

John Kerry’s recent trip to Sochi indicates a slight ratcheting down of U.S. hubris. Kerry also remonstrated Poroshenko for his idiotic statements abouty retaking the airport at Donetsk. Ironically, even the suggestion of a New Cold War indicates that there is no longer a unipolar world tipped in favour of the U.S.

Which way events of today will turn is obviously an unknown. There are too many possible scenarios from the calm settlement of rational ideas overcoming military lunacy to its obverse, a world destroyed by that military lunacy.

The broad trends working through our societies today – the interplay of a financialized world, the militarization of domestic and foreign policies, and the understated importance of global climate change – are in a period of dramatic change.

I offer no solutions. That is out of my abilities, out of my range of influence, as events are turning now on their own energies, propelled by the actions of the powerful state actors of the world. I do not believe that anything I can do will have much bearing on the outcomes….yet at the same time while many other people suffer in so many significant ways beyond my experience, it behooves me to continue to observe and to try and synthesize the various sets of information as best as possible into a coherent whole. Interesting times, with big changes already in process.

(full long text).

Links:

ISIS claims full control of Ramadi after Iraqi troops abandon positions (4 VIDEOS), on Russia Today RT, May 18, 2015;

Varoufakis says Greek debt swap would fill Draghi’s soul with fear, 1.32 min, uploaded by Fast News Today, May 17, 2015;

Britain’s Nuclear Armed Trident Submarine, Rigged Safety and Security – Royal Navy Whistleblower, on Global Research.ca, by Nuclear Information and Resource Service, May 17, 2915;

#TakeUsWithYouScotland: 1000s in N. England sign petition to join ‘future independent Scotland’, on Russia Today RT, May 16, 2015;

As Chicago Pays Victims of Past Torture, Police Face New Allegations of Abuse at Homan Square, 14.51 min, uploaded by Democracy Now, May 15, 2015;

South Africa’s Xenophobia of a Special Type, Historical and Global Perspectives, on The Bullet, Socialist Project’s E-Bulletin No. 1116, by David Moore, May 15, 2015:  In the past weeks a few South Africans – possibly inspired by an artificially resuscitated Zulu ‘king’ who mused that it might be a good idea for foreigners to go home to till their fields – murdered seven migrants, pillaged hundreds more and scared thousands into temporary refuge camps. The vast majority of their compatriots responded in shock and sympathy with the victims. Most South African interpreters of this carnage repeated a tendency typical to that corner of the planet: exceptionalism. It might be helpful to challenge this patriotic particularism with wider global and deeper historical comparisons …;

Five years on Greece counts cost of bailouts and bust, 1.32 min, uploaded by Fast News Today, May 14, 2015;

Grexit or default within the eurozone and Rick Rule on oil, 56.59 min, uploaded by Casey Sanchez, May 14, 2015: Greece could come up short on cash next week if the government can’t reach a deal with the Eurozone on economic reforms that would unlock essential bailout funds. Both the Greek government;

Die EZB, die parlamentarische Kontrolle und der Grexit, 5.08 min, von Bernd Lucke am 12. Mai 2015 hochgeladen;

The bitter sweet result the Polls missed completely, on Scottish Socialist Party, by COLIN FOX, May 11 2015;

GodMorning! DAX-Gefahr durch Stolper-Grexit? China: Zocken in nicht-existenten Aktien, 9.31 min, von Johen Stanzl am 10. Mai 2015 hochgeladen;

Video: Workers’ Struggles Against the Corporate Offensive, Continental Perspectives, 53.23 min, on Socialist Project.ca/Leftstreamed, April 28, 2015;

Grexit, Sprengsatz für Europa? Unter den Linden, 46.03 min, von phoenix am 28. April 2015 hochgeladen;

on Grexit, Evidence of Collapse, USD being shunned – Rob Kirby April 20, 2015, 63.41 min, uploaded by Paul Sandhu, April 22, 2015;

War Against All Puerto Ricans, Inside the U.S. Crackdown, 26.11 min, uploaded by Democracy Now, April 21, 2015: on Pedro Albizu Campos & Nationalist Party

Menschen bei Maischberger: Himmel, Herrgott! Wieviel Religion braucht man zum Leben? 74.00 min, von zumsport1 am 10. Okt 2012 hochgeladen: Sandra Maischberger diskutiert mit TV-Moderator Frank Elstner, Theologin Uta Ranke-Heinemann, Ex-Bundesarbeitsminister Norbert Blüm, der gläubigen Sophia Kuby, der konvertierten Muslimin Nora Illi sowie Schriftstellerin Karen Duve.