In These New Times

A new paradigm for a post-imperial world

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Russia, US officials revive dialogue on arms control

Posted by seumasach on September 16, 2017

The military leaders appear to have a different view. Gen. John Hyten, the head of US Strategic Command, told Congress in March that he is a “big supporter” of the treaty. According to him, “bilateral, verifiable arms control agreements are essential to our ability to provide an effective deterrent.”

This seems to confirm the prominent role of the military under Trump and that it is bringing a note of realism to US foreign policy.

Strategic-Culture

14th September, 2017

The New Start Treaty was in focus of the talks held in Helsinki between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon on September 11-12. The parties agreed that the treaty should be implemented without exception. It was revealed that expert consultations on the future of the agreement had begun. A meeting of the US-Russian bilateral commission on implementing the New START would take place in the near future so that the two sides could continue their discussion of the technical aspects of implementation.

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Venezuela stops accepting dollars for oil payments

Posted by seumasach on September 14, 2017

Zero Hedge

13th September, 2017

Apparently confirming what President Maduro had warned following the recent US sanctions, The Wall Street Journal reports that Venezuela has officially stopped accepting US Dollars as payment for its crude oil exports.

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Blowing off the roof

Posted by seumasach on September 11, 2017

This actually ties in logically with declarations at the recent BRICS conference concerning an alternative system of international payments involving, most notably. a gold-backed Yuan. The dollar’s demise as the global reserve currency is imminent and Trump’s deal with the Democrats merely brings it closer but with the advantage that the Democrats can’t blame Trump for it now.

Peter Schiff

Euro Pacific

8th September, 2017

Of all the absurd Washington pantomimes none has been as reliably entertaining and maddening as the annual debates to raise the debt ceiling. Although the outcome was always a foregone conclusion (the ceiling would be raised), the excitement came when fiscal conservatives bemoaned the perils of runaway debt and “attempted” to exact spending restrictions through threats “to shut down the government,” (which often led to news coverage of tourists being turned away from national parks.) On the other side of the aisle Democrats would rail that the ceiling must be raised “because America always pays her bills.” Lost was the irony that “paying” bills with borrowed money was fiscally responsible, and that raising the ceiling actually enabled America to continue to avoid paying its bills. After these amateur theatrics, the ceiling would be lifted and Washington would go on as if nothing happened. But at least the performance threw occasional light on the nation’s debt problems.

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Trump’s threat likely to bolster Venezuela’s struggling Maduro

Posted by seumasach on September 4, 2017

Trump’s threat has indeed changed the balance of forces in favor of Maduro as confirmed by James Petras. Are we really expected to believe that Trump was not aware of that reaction. Trump’s modus operandi is indeed most unusual but it has an underlying pattern: behind over-the-top, belligerent rhetoric moves are made against neocon, CIA interests. Put it another way: does anyone really believe Trump will intervene militarily in Venezuela?

Jason Ditz

Antiwar

13th August, 2017

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was in tough shape this time last week. Public protests and violence have been soaring, the nation’s economy is on life support, and virtually all of the rest of Latin America is unified in opposing his recent attempts to consolidate power in his party.

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The possible education of Donald Trump

Posted by seumasach on September 4, 2017

Robert Parry

Consortium News

25th August, 2017

Despite the chaos and ugliness of the past seven months, President Trump has finally begun to turn U.S. foreign policy away from the neoconservative approach of endless war against an ever-expanding roster of enemies.

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Work begins soon to bring Haiti into ‘Silk Road’

Posted by seumasach on September 3, 2017

The Silk Road is reaching right into the US backyard

Telesur

1st September, 2017

The People’s Republic of China is preparing to carry through with plans to invest a massive US$30 billion in developing Haiti’s infrastructure, including power plants, sanitation works, water systems, railways, affordable housing, and marketplaces, in an agreement that is expected to have a major social, economic, and developmental impact.

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Trump’s push to quit South Korea trade pact would mark latest swerve in region on edge

Posted by seumasach on September 3, 2017

Trump has undertaken a remarkable policy which consists of undermining key US alliances. He is effectively dismantling the US empire.

Guardian

3rd September, 2017

Donald Trump has asked aides to prepare for US withdrawal from a free trade agreement with South Korea, it was reported on Saturday – a potentially stunning development at a time of tense confrontation with North Korea.

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General ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis is the only one who can stop North Korea and US tensions from getting out of hand

Posted by seumasach on August 9, 2017

“It is the military around Trump, the sanest men in his administration, led by “Mad Dog” Mattis, who will, we can hope, stop matters getting out of hand.”

Trump is now role-playing “mad dog”, at least, let’s hope he’s role playing, whilst “mad dog” himself is cast in the role of one of the “adults” who restrain Trump. This is a clever ploy enabling Trump to escape being stereotyped as a compromiser with regard to Russia ,Iran or North Korea whilst the “realist” character of the Presidency is attributed to his more sore-minded entourage.

Independent

9th August, 2017

Donald Trump’s talk of annihilating North Korea with “fire and fury likes of which the world has never seen” – a threat delivered from his golf resort in New Jersey – was by far the most aggressive rhetoric used by a US President in difficult dealings with the country.

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McMaster solidifies power at NSC

Posted by seumasach on August 8, 2017

We here see a playing out of the chickenhawk versus realist dilemma which  surfaced dramatically during the Iraq War. The realists won the first round with the destitution of Rumsfeld. Now they are going head-to-head again with the neocon “chickenhawks” dominating Congress and the realists closely linked to the military in control of the White House. The chickenhawks are on a high after voting through sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea and will be pushing on to destabilize Europe working in tandem with their Brexit allies in the UK. But Trump is far from done and one has the impression by the way he is playing his cards that he is far from the fool he is so often made out to be.

and supports Iran deal, sees Israel as occupier

MondoWeiss

Last night President Trump issued a statement affirming his support for National Security adviser H.R. McMaster in the face of a storm of criticism from rightwing outlets. The statement is a sign that Trump and his new chief of staff are taking the realist side of the debate inside his administration over foreign policy.

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BRICS countries strike fatal blow on US dollar supremacy

Posted by seumasach on August 5, 2017

Pravda

4th August, 2017

The United States has declared a war of sanctions on Russia and continues putting trade pressure on China. It is not ruled out that the USA will restrict supplies of steel products from China. In return, Moscow and Beijing intend to abolish the US dollar in mutual settlements within the scope of the BRICS organization. The move will mark the end of the era of the undivided financial domination of the United States of America in the world.

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The President and the leaks: Sessions and Coats finally act

Posted by seumasach on August 5, 2017

Alexander Mercuris

The Duran

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Director of Intelligence Dan Coats finally heed President Trump’s demand for an investigation of the leaks which have been destabilising his administration.

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