IMF: Destroyer of Nations?

BOSNIA, CURSED BY EUROPEAN UNION (EU) TECHNOCRATS

Indifference of the EU and the West on Bosnia’s political stalemate could backfire

A fellow political analyst working for the EU in BOSNIA once mentioned the frustration he encounters when briefing EU representatives in BRUSSELS on BOSNIAN issues. It appears that these mostly young highly educated technocrats, running the show in BRUSSELS, lack practical and on the field as well as life experience when it comes to complex geo political decision making in the BALKANS.   

Underestimating the ethnic rift

 

One of the most pressing issues that analysts are trying to point out to the EU and the WEST is that if they don’t offer more decisive support to solve the political stalemate in BOSNIA, BOSNIAKS (Bosnian Muslims) will turn their back on the West and turn towards other Muslim counties for support, thus inviting radical Muslim elements to establish their pillars in BOSNIA and at the doorstep to EUROPE. The SAUDI ARABIAN WAHHABI movement in BOSNIA up to now has played a minor role, despite efforts by politicians to portray them as a serious threat, nevertheless they are present and do have followers. 

Potential power of youth movements in the Balkans 

As mentioned in my previous article on BOSNIA dated the 21 July 2011 the older generations of BOSNIAKS are still strongly connected to EUROPE. This does not apply to the young generation who represents a large portion of the BOSNIAN population and who are rather well organized through social networks and student organizations and who share more radical views on the current game the EU and the West plays with BOSNIA. As one BOSNIAK student union leader pointed out bluntly, if the EU does not want us we have TURKEY and other fellow Muslim countries in ASIA to turn to, which are economically better off then EUROPE anyway. Why bother joining the EU or bother to live in harmony with Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats, who tend to favor secession anyway.

The minute the economic situation in BOSNIA deteriorates and the BOSNIAN DIASPORA ceases, the political landscape of BOSNIA will tilt towards more instability and provide fundamentalist movements such as the HOUSE OF SAUD WAHHABI movement the opportunity to gain more influence and power in the region. 

Unlike EUROPE, BOSNIA consists of a large population of educated youth with lack of perspectives (the latter also applying for the youth of EUROPE), thus creating a dangerous vacuum in the region which should not be underestimated, especially in times when young people increasingly  voicing their anger on the street around the world.  

The Dayton Peace Agreement Ghost

There exists common consent among the 3 ethnic groups of BOSNIA that the DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Agreement) is obsolete and that the country’s constitution has to be changed.

Threats by the RS (REPUBLICA SRBSKA ) (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republica_Srpska) to separate have been put on hold for now, but in recent past Bosnian Croats also voiced their opinion and called for a 3^rd entity, a move that would definitely complicate the situation in BIH. Some Bosnians suggest forming 3 or 4 cantons with each canton being governed by the respective ethnic entity, thus eliminating the current expensive and politically flawed 10 cantonal system of Bosnia.

Questionable Role of the Office of the High Representative 

One would think that the OHR (Office of the High Representative) (see http://www.ohr.int/), the EUROPEAN UNION and the WEST would try to intervene more decisively in current secession tendencies in BOSNIA. Instead, as WILLIAM STUEBNER, an American Diplomat who held several diplomatic posts in BOSNIA during and after the 1992 to 1995 war, points out in an article published in the CYPRUS MAIL, the EU in most likelihood would not step in strongly, should the 2, respectively 3 (Croats) entities really split. 

(seehttp://www.cyprus-mail.com/cmsearch?keyword=West%27s%20indifference%20could%20condemn%20Bosnia%20anew)

The indifference displayed by the EU and the West plays in the hands of TURKEY who already has grabbed the key player position in BOSNIA and is willing to go a step further in order to become a key player in the entire region. TURKEY’S position in the BALKANS on the other hand strengthens SAUDI ARABIA’S WAHHABI expansionism in the region, by spreading the Islamic faith. (See TURKISH and SAUDI ARABIA’S common interests at http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MH23Ak02.html,  http://english.alarabiya.net/views/2011/08/20/163186.html )  All in front of the gateway to Europe and with EUROPE playing the indifferent!!!

Where Occident meets Orient 

Unlike EUROPE, TURKEY the USA and its ally SAUDI ARABIA are following another agenda in the Balkans, one that the EU seems to neglect, namely that of vast amount of natural resources in the region.  

BOSNIA and KOSOVO, both hold huge and almost unexploited reserves of coal, lead, zinc, lignite, bauxite and nickel. Rumors of uranium reserves in Kosovo persist, with some arguing that these reserves are located where coincidentally the USA erected the largest US Army base outside the USA, Camp BONDSTEEL.

Without strong guidance from EUROPE the BALKAN is a ticking time bomb. Unfortunately the EU “technocrats” seem not to understand the significance the BALKAN plays in the geopolitical landscape as well as in the “ war of faiths”, where OCCIDENT meets ORIENT.

The IMF on trial

IF NOT THE ECONOMIC CRISES, THEN BE IT LA NIÑA….. SI NO LA CRISIS ECONÓMICA, ENTONCES SERA LA NIÑA ... ..

LATIN AMERICAS ECONOMY IS BOOMING, A FACT NOT MANY WANT TO ACCEPT……
LA ECONOMÍA DE AMÉRICA LATINA ESTÁ EN AUGE, HECHO QUE NO MUCHOS QUIEREN ACEPTAR ... ...

http://www.latameconomy.org/en/outlook/

It is interesting to see how certain mainstream media, under the influence of lobbyists, try to anything to manipulate opinion of the reader by portraying certain topics in biased ways.

One such example is “The Economist” a reputable weekly magazine based in the UK. Reputable only when not covering Latin America, for when it comes to eco – political topics regarding Latin America and especially Argentina it becomes evident that “The Economist” follows a certain agenda which clearly is bias and manipulated by other entities.

Es interesante ver cómo algunos medios de comunicación, bajo la influencia de los grupos de presión, intentan cualquier cosa para manipular a la opinión del lector al presentar algunos temas de manera sesgada.

Un ejemplo es "The Economist", una revista semanal de buena reputación en el Reino Unido. Reputación intachable sólo cuando no cubre América Latina, por lo que se refiere a los temas eco políticos de América Latina y de Argentina en particular se hace evidente que "The Economist" sigue un programa determinado que claramente es sesgado y manipulado por otras entidades.

On August 13^th the magazine published an article on Latin Americas economy in which one realizes, even if one is not an economist, how the article is manipulative and bias, simply because certain entities clearly envy the economic progress the continent is experiencing.       

In the article the usual rhetoric’s about the threat of overheating economy and high inflation is dominating the story. According to The Economist, Brazil’s inflation is 6.9% above the target. What the article does not mention is that in comparison Europe faces similar high inflation numbers with the UK, “The Economists” home base, reaching 4.4%!

El 13 de agosto, la revista publicó un artículo sobre la economía de América Latina en la que uno se da cuenta, incluso si uno no es economista, que el artículo es manipulativo, simplemente porque algunas entidades claramente envidian, el progreso económico  que el continente está experimentando.

Este artículo está dominado por la retórica habitual sobre la amenaza del recalentamiento de la economía y la alta inflación. Según The Economist, la inflación de Brasil es de 6,9% por encima del objetivo. Lo que el artículo no menciona es que en comparación Europa enfrenta números similares de inflación alta en el Reino Unido,base de operación de  "los economistas", alcanzando el 4,4%!

When it comes to Argentina and its economic growth, political and financial lobbyists of various political and corporate entities are clearly annoyed by the way the country is advancing, although being expelled from the INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS.  Argentina has refused to adhere to IMF doctrine and subsequently was able to grow economically and developed independent policies. 

Cuando se trata de la Argentina y su crecimiento económico, los grupos de presión política y financiera de las distintas entidades políticas y corporativas están claramente molestos por la forma en que el país está avanzando, a pesar de ser expulsados ​​de los mercados financieros internacionales. Argentina se ha negado a adherirse a la doctrina del FMI y, posteriormente, fue capaz de crecer económicamente y desarrollar políticas independientes.

Reading the article it becomes imminent that “The Economist” promotes the views and stances of the IMF and mainstream economic models which cater for the “casino finance” markets and its speculators. This becomes evident when praising Chile, the only country in Latin America which adheres strictly to USA and IMF doctrines and subsequently is suffering its worst political and economic crisis in LATAM.

Leyendo el artículo se hace inminente que "The Economist" promueve las opiniones y posturas del FMI y principales modelos económicos que atienden al "casino financiero” de  los mercados y sus especuladores. Esto se hace evidente cuando alabando a Chile, el único país de América Latina, que se adhiere estrictamente a las doctrinas de EE.UU. y el FMI quien posteriormente, está sufriendo su peor crisis política y económica en LATAM.

The British magazine praises Chile for having gone furthest in rising taxes and cut its fiscal deficit to 1.8% of GDP this year. What they don’t mention is that part of the recent protest in Chile was not only about budget cuts in education, (See my recent posting dated 13th August 2011) one of the main IMF demands from governments utilizing its grants, but also because the current government has done little to nothing in infrastructure improvements in the wake of last year’s earthquake.
La revista británica elogia a Chile por haber llegado más lejos en el aumento de los impuestos y reducir su déficit fiscal a 1,8% del PIB este año. Lo que no mencionan es que parte de la reciente protesta en Chile no sólo fue generada por los recortes presupuestarios en educación, (ver la reciente publicación de fecha XXX) una de las principales demandas del FMI a los gobiernos que utilizan sus donaciones, sino también porque el actual gobierno ha hecho poco o nada en mejoras de infraestructura a raíz del terremoto del año pasado.

In the wake of economic growth in the region and a stagnating economy in the USA and Europe, eco- political lobbyists and policy makers do their utmost to portray LATAM as unstable economic entity. Thus it becomes evident that the IMF utilizes media propaganda tactics to spread uncertainty regarding LATAM economy by forecasting a fall in LATAMS growth to 3.5% next year and just 3% in 2013, which in view of some LATAM economists seems somewhat exaggerated.

Debido al crecimiento económico en la región y el estancamiento de la economía en los EE.UU. y Europa, los grupos de presión eco-políticos y los políticos hacen todo lo posible para retratar LATAM como entidad económica inestable. Así se pone de manifiesto que el FMI utiliza tácticas de los medios de propaganda para difundir la incertidumbre sobre la economía de LATAM en previsión de una caída en el crecimiento LATAMS al 3,5% el próximo año y sólo el 3% en 2013, que en opinión de algunos economistas LATAM parece algo exagerado.

The reason for biased media coverage and distorted market predictions regarding LATAM are because most of the current governments in LATAM distance themselves from IMF and “Wall Street Casino Finance” doctrines thus denying the “big players of the establishment” a larger portion of the economic cake available in LATAM.

La razón del sesgo de los medios de comunicación y las predicciones de distorsión del mercado con respecto a LATAM se deben a que la mayoría de los gobiernos de turno de LATAM se distancian de las doctrinas del FMI y del "Wall Street Casino Finanzas" negando así a los "grandes jugadores de la creación" una mayor porción de la tarta económica disponible en LATAM.

How desperate these entities are to portray a negative outlook for LATAM becomes evident when MercoPress, a Uruguayan based online newspaper published an article which claims that the “La Niña” weather pattern currently forming might threaten crops in Argentina and Brazil, reducing productivity and export, subsequently effecting economic growth in the region.

¿Qué tan desesperadas están estas entidades para retratar un panorama negativo para LATAM se hace evidente cuando MercoPress, un diario uruguayo online publicó un artículo que afirma que "La Niña", fenómeno climático que actualmente se está  formando puede poner en peligro las cosechas de Argentina y Brasil, reduciendo la productividad y las exportaciones, subsecuentemente afectando el crecimiento económico en la región.

Food for thought on IMF doctrines: 

Also see :

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/08/17/la-nina-threatens-brazil-and-argentina-crops-says-oil-world

http://www.economist.com/world/americas

Food for thought

SYRIA, the totalitarian regime permits cell phones to document the upraise, Face book and Twitter but no foreign media………

See video below:

The totalitarian SYRIAN regime that only permitted internet and mobile phones in recent past, (2002) and that under strict censorship, monitors fax transitions (See my article “The Assad Dilemma “, posted on 12 June 2011),  expelled all foreign press at the beginning of the upraise suddenly  permits protesters to use freely  cell phones to shoot videos portraying  anti regime protests  and distributing them via face book and the internet without censorship? 

Certainly the regime has means to block the internet and mobile phone services in order to stop postings? Nevertheless it seems that protesters have unlimited access to these medias. Furthermore one also has to question how it is possible that such a large amount of Syrian citizens are able to own cell phones, given the fact that cell phones and mobile phone services are extremely  expensive in Syria, the purpose of which is intentional, in order to favor the upper and middle class of Syria who so far have refrained from participated in the upraising. Thus one has to question how the poor of the country are able to afford them?

SAUDIA ARABIA, USA, TURKEY versus IRAN, RUSSIA and CHINA

"PLAYOFF" in Syria

SUNNI - SAUDI ARABIA against SHIITE -  IRAN and SYRIA

SYRIA'S regime will never tumble unless Iran allows it to tumble, but that will most probably not occur, for SYRIA and HEZBOLLAH in LEBANON are front proxy of IRAN, and IRAN will not experience a regime change unless CHINA and RUSSIA see a strategic advantage in tumbling the regime in IRAN. 

The USA and the SUNNI WAHHABI HOUSE OF SAUD together with TURKEY are pulling on a common string regarding SYRIA and its protege IRAN but are unable to find a sound strategy to proceed with SYRIA without exposing themselves, as well as politically backfire. 

Needless to point out that a military intervention would stretch US defense budget to the limit, not to mention that of NATO member states such as ITALY, FRANCE and GERMANY, unless SAUDI ARABIA finances the intervention and uses fellow NATO state TURKEY to lead the operation which would play in the hands of the USA in order to “eliminate” Iran from the chessboard of the region. 

SYRIA’S REVOLT BRINGS LEBANESE HISBOLLAH IN TURMOIL

    

The conflict in SYRIA brings an enormous collateral damage to the LEBANESE HEZBOLLAH itself. The Shiite organization that is backed by TEHRAN and DAMASCUS, is militarily and politically stronger and influential than ever: NAJIB MIKATI LEBANON’S Minister President, is the first head of state which is a HEZBOLLAH protégée, and yet, HEZBOLLAH has hit rock bottom as far as their reputation in LEBANON and SYRIA, but also in the rest of the Arab world, who paid tribute to HEZBOLLAH on their resilience; in particular the 2006 war with ISRAEL in which HEZBOLLAH emerged unbroken.

HEZBOLLAH’S “double standard", something HEZBOLLAH usually accuse the USA of, in light of Arab protest movements, is striking.  In EGYPT, TUNISIA, YEMEN AND BAHRAIN, HEZBOLLAH, just as IRAN, was on the side of the protesters against pro Western Governments. In contrast to SYRIA’S upraise however, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, immediately favored the “resistance regime" in Damascus and Bashar al-Assad as the reformer, whereas the protesters acted in favor of ISRAEL and the UNITED STATES.

The aspect of which cannot even be denied. With the fall of Assad, Hezbollah’s lifeline to IRAN, currently running through Damascus will be cut and subsequently push Iran out of the region, one of the attractions of a “regime change" scenario - even for observers who strongly believe that with the fall of Assad, civil war and Fundamentalist Islamist takeover of power in SYRIA is imminent, with all the "non-pleasantries" and consequences for ISRAEL, the immediate neighbor of SYRIA. 

See related info:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MD28Ak01.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MH17Ak01.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MH17Ak02.html

Back to the Middle Ages

Feeling the pulse of the people...

is something politicians of democratic countries around the globe seem to neglect these days  

One week ago I published an article about austerity and the destruction of democracy and civil unrest in Europe due to the eco – political situation and subsequent government actions dictated by the IMF and the Financial Markets. 

The recent violence in the United Kingdom is a showcase example on how indifferent  politicians are when it comes to tackle the root of the problem and “feel the pulse” of the common people rather than use tyrannical language, as sociologist  Saskia Sassen in an interview in the “Der Standard” newspaper quoted:

 

“The language and reaction of center right politicians such as Great Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron in response to the riots in his country, has turned into what the Greeks would call Tyranny. The “leader” talks to his “peasants” as if they are small children and thus treated as if their word does not count and their language not exists instead of tackling social inequality.”

 Cameron’s unworldly response to the riots reflects the attitude of the majority of center right politicians currently ruling in Europe.  In view of the fact that Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy are able to decide to give 700 billion Euro of tax money to the banks, without asking taxpayers, one has to assume that the entire system has a serious fault. Conservative as well as left governments and politicians in Europe are increasingly distancing themselves from citizens, despite the fact that it is the citizens voting for them to protect their interests.

What is interesting to observe is that Europe has predominantly center right governments and a stagnating economy. In comparison South America has mostly center left governments and the economy is thriving, with the exception of Chile, which is governed by billionaire president Sebastián Piñera who faces similar unrests in recent days as the United Kingdom. Piñera intends to change the free higher education system to that of the US education model, in other words forcing students to pay high tuition fees in order to enter university, thus putting them into dept for life and at the same time making studying for a broad public impossible.
Such measures only increase the rift between rich and poor.    

Piñera used extensive force and little thought to suppress the “uprising” of students who demand free education.  Current suppressive actions of Piñera remind many Chilenians of the times of the military dictator ship under Pinochet.   Piñera is under increasing pressure as public opinion is tumbling, for not only is he accused of trying to suppress free education but also took little to the improve infrastructure after the wake of the earthquake that struck Chile in recent past. In his latest attempts to undermine democracy he, just as Cameron, intends to block Twitter and Blackberry Messaging in order to curb in social unrest.

Chile was on the eco - politic fast lane prior to Piñera being elected president. Chile was on the verge of being a 1^st world country as it obediently adhered to the rules and grants it received from the IMF, thus being hostage to the demands of the IMF who’s prime target is to curb in on education and health care, key pillars for a healthy society.   

I would like to point out that I am aware that nothing in life is just  “black and white” and thus one cannot stereotype political movements and say that everything conservative political movements are bad and liberal left political movements are good. Nevertheless one has to question oneself in what period we are currently are living, where downgrading a county by a rating agency can trigger a so called eco - financial turmoil and where markets respond to pure speculative impulse etc.

Squeezing society to tight can trigger social uprising and undermine democracy, something certain entities might provoke deliberately in order to justify austerity measures and set up a world order which has little room for democracy.  

See also: 

http://www.alternet.org/story/151999/meet_the_global_financial_elites_controlling_%2446_trillion_in_wealth/

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=7159

Another New World Order ?

Austerity and the Destruction of Democracy in Europe

Implementing austerity measures on PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain) countries as envisioned by the IMF, Germany and France will lead to public uprising and undermine democracy. By tightening the screw on common people the establishment will foster radicalism and racism which will play in the hands of the far right as well as the far left political movements who could grab the opportunity to tumble democratic values of Europe by implementing autocratic political systems.

When the economy is in turmoil and unable to recover, in most cases it ends in war. Europe is one of the few places in the world which has not had an armed conflict for more than 60 years. Statistically speaking it is overdue in order to “reboot” its economy and the signs of this to happen are imminent. Historically speaking, it was not rare that European countries waged wars among themselves because of cultural and political differences, thus one cannot rule out that history does not repeat itself and pave the foundation for another NEW WORLD ORDER. See: http://www.prisonplanet.com/new-world-order-still-a-conspiracy-theory.html

Food for Thought

THE INCAPABILITY OF THE WEST TO INTERVENE IN SYRIA

On 24 and 30 June I mentioned in my blog that the Syrian regime will most likely survive the upraising. We are now into the 6^th month of uprising in SYRIA and the regime is still in power and will most probably stay, the reasons of which have been analyzed by mainstream media and basically reiterate what I have been stating in the first place.

The fear of total chaos and subsequent takeover by Islamic fundamentalists, after the tumble of the regime are simply too high. The close proximity to Israel and Lebanon are additional reasons the West is reluctant to intervene. It seems that the West has also learned its lesson with Iraq and thus will not want to do the same mistake with Syria.  

Thus the regime will stay in power, make one or two cosmetic concessions to calm the international community in order to obtain financial aid for its stagnating economy which is the only real threat that could tumble the regime.

Since Syria has always shared close relationships with Russia and China it will in most likelihood receive aid from these countries easier then Europe or the USA, who are too occupied solving their own financial crisis. In return Syria will purchase arms and at the same time increase its ties with Iran in order to counterbalance the threat from Saudi Arabia who has their own agenda regarding Syria. (See http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MD28Ak01.html )

SUPPRESSED ARAB SPRING

Has the so called Arab Spring brought democracy to these countries? What changes have really been implemented by the new governments or interim authorities as is the case in Egypt? The longer the “revolution” is ongoing the less we read in mainstream media and the lesser are the chances that the Arab uprising is likely to succeed. 

Looking at the current situation it seems that no real changes have occurred to implement democratic systems. Thus the more time elapses, the more the upraise is losing its momentum it originally generated.    There is also the danger that with each month passing without the creation of a democratic government the chances of Islamic fundamentalist taking over are growing.      

    

DOUBLE STANDARDS OF US RATING AGENCIES

It simply is amazing how manipulative US rating agencies are and the double standard they use when it comes to protect US interests. I have voiced my opinion about rating agencies in various articles on this blog. The question is why are the Big 3 US rating agencies not downgrading the USA in the wake of a looming default? The entire hype and influence rating agencies have over countries and international markets reflect the current state of mind financial as well economic wheelers and dealers have in an economic system which is becoming more and more like a casino monopoly game. What has become of society which bases their economy on speculation? ( economics are more complex then portrayed, but  I try to express the current situation in layman’s terms.)