Jan. 10, 2019 - Roscosmos chief says US visit cancelled because ‘second American civil war’ underway
Roscosmos chief says US visit cancelled because ‘second American civil war’ underway
Head of Russia's Roscosmos State Space Corporation Dmitry Rogozin has said his visit to the United States at NASA’s invitation has been cancelled because the "second American civil war" is underway.
Fri, 02/01/2019 - The Ruling Class & An Undeclared Civil War
The Ruling Class & An Undeclared Civil War
Over the past 73 years, devoid of any meaningful national misfortune, the American social order has undergone a major transformation. Historically, societies tend to stratify themselves along economic or pre-ordained class lines. The United States has long prided itself on the belief that class distinctions were no longer a part of a unique American culture. However,
the current social structure has evolved into a near impregnable three-tier categorization in which the
ruling class, that sits astride the social order, has revealed, thanks to the election of Donald Trump, open and unabashed disdain for the two lower classes and the unleashing of a radicalized army of malcontents.
The citizens who provide the primary labor and resources for the economic engine of the country constitute the second tier.
The third is comprised of those who have been
betrayed by a self-serving education system and are conditioned to be totally dependent upon a government dominated by the ruling class.
Class conflict just ain't what it used to be. ("Contracturalisation" by Kandukuru Nagarjun)
Unlike any other period in the nation’s history, one stratum of society,
the American elites of the past half-century, by their control of education, entertainment, the media and politics, have totally dominated and overwhelmingly and negatively influenced the culture and national character.
They are chiefly responsible for what it is today.
This American aristocracy is now entirely made up of those who have no recall or firsthand experience of the years of adversity prior to 1940. Their entire point of reference is never-ending affluence and the pursuit of pleasure within an overall framework of world peace. Yet this assemblage is dominated by a comparatively few committed ideologues and so-called intellectuals who are dedicated to permanently altering the economy and American culture. Nonetheless, they have been very successful in attracting many others by appealing to their vanity and avarice.
Thus entrance into this class is not entirely a factor of birth or wealth but rather that of developing a mindset of superiority similar to the evolution of cliques within a high school setting. This attitude is further reinforced and promoted in the incubator that is the college campus, wherein this mindset is further enhanced by the academic elites waxing eloquent about the failings of the United States and the ideal of a classless society -- led, of course, by the pre-eminent class…themselves and their their naïve recruits.
Once having left the bubble that is the university environment, the majority of these same recruits, still influenced by their university experience and desirous of maintaining a standing within the circle, look to the anointed leaders in the mainstream media, the entertainment industry and politics to set the agenda and dialog. Further, by being an accepted member of this class it is far easier to be ushered by the gate-keepers onto the path of making a substantial living be it in government, academia, Wall Street, the media or a myriad of non-profit advocacy groups.
To achieve and retain these benefits, it becomes paramount to retain membership within the congregation and do their bidding rather than question what the pronouncements and policies of their titular leaders would do to the culture and well-being of the country at large. Thus, while proclaiming to be independent thinkers, no faction in American society is more acquiescent to groupthink and conformity.
The reality is that the majority of those in the ruling class are mind-numbed eternal adolescents hell-bent on pushing the boundaries of ethical and moral behavior and viewing all political and policy issues as a war between their side and their mortal enemies (those who oppose the transformation of the nation into a socialist oligarchy, the concomitant erosion of liberty as well as unrestrained personal behavior). While there are a few comparatively independent thinkers within the group that do question the over-reaching of a powerful central government, their opposition is muted and limited to a more gradualist approach as their concession to remain within the fold.
An all-powerful central government is vital to maintaining the elite’s power, income base and pre-eminent class status and must be protected at all cost. In order to retain their supremacy, the tactics of outright lies, innuendos, and character assassinations, as well as exploitation of national tragedies to impugn their adversaries, have been utilized by the foot soldiers in the mainstream media, the political establishment and the entertainment industry.
The eight years of the Obama administration rudely awakened a sleeping populace. Many of whom, also benefiting from the overwhelming economic growth and absence of national adversity over the past half-century, had consciously chosen to ignore what was happening to the culture and future well-being of the country. Thus, the election of Donald Trump was in essence the revenge of the lower classes for not only the overbearing and condescending attitude of the elites but their ongoing success in transforming American society and culture.
Faced with the exposure of their agenda and the real prospect of losing their status and influence, the disdain toward the lower classes, which had always bubbled beneath the surface, burst forth in a volcanic eruption of uncontrolled vitriol, anger and absurdity.
The denizens of the ruling class unleashed their out of control foot soldiers on the citizenry, employing the tactics and weapons previously aimed at their political enemies. Today vast swaths of the American populace, whether they voted for Trump or not, are indiscriminately accused of being racists, misogynists, white supremacists, ignoramuses, religious zealots, xenophobes and malcontents.
Intimidation and threats of violence are no longer condemned so long as it is directed at those identified as a threat to the hegemony of the elites.
Various social media platforms are being hijacked and weaponized by the mindless and radicalized brain-dead army of elite wannabes, the ruling class chooses not to restrain, in order to terrorize and permanently cower those in the second tier of society -- the citizens who provide the primary labor and resources for the economic engine of the country.
There is at present an undeclared and non-violent civil war being waged in this country. The underlying factor of any civil war is an elite ruling class desperate to maintain power at odds with a majority of a population seeking change. Also prevalent in most civil upheavals is the unleashing, by those determined to retain power, of the radicalized and ultimately uncontrollable dogs of war who more often than not devour their sponsors. Both elements are currently in play.
While the ruling class publicly obsesses over Donald Trump and denigrates the vast majority of the population, they have planted the seeds, by their actions, for a takeover of the country by a radical element that will turn on them as they are presently doing within the Democratic Party.
The American people must understand that the current ruling class will not willingly exit the stage or take on their mercenary army. Donald Trump, while perhaps accomplishing a significant degree of change, cannot induce their demise. This threat can only be marginalized through the determined utilization of political process which will encompass a number of political cycles and the long-term willingness to not be intimidated or cowed into submission. The future of the nation as founded is at stake.
David Vine, associate professor of sociology at American University, is author of Base Nation: How U.S. Military Bases Abroad Harm America and the World.
Back-dated July/August 2015 - Where in the World Is the U.S. Military?
Where in the World Is the U.S. Military?
Despite recently closing hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad—from giant “Little Americas” to small radar facilities. Britain, France and Russia, by contrast, have about 30 foreign bases combined.
By my calculation, maintaining bases and troops overseas cost $85 to $100 billion in fiscal year 2014; the total with bases and troops in warzones is $160 to $200 billion.
These costs have heightened debate over whether the United States needs so many bases abroad: What effect do they have around the world, and are they really making us safer?
The first step is looking at where U.S. bases are, and where they’re most prevalent. For my forthcoming book,
Base Nation, I compiled a near-comprehensive list of overseas U.S. bases, including smaller cooperative security locations (“lily pads”) and suspected but unconfirmed sites (“unconfirmed lily pads”).
Mapped all together, this data, which comes from the Pentagon’s annual Base Structure Report and additional government, news or academic sources, helps to show just how far America’s reach is.
Graphic by 5W Infographics.
Italy - Hundreds of bases in Europe have closed since the 1990s, but the base and troop (
11,500) presence in Italy has been relatively constant. Recently, the military has built new bases and expanded Africa-focused operations in
Sicily.
Japan - During the Cold War, U.S. forces occupied hundreds of bases in Japan and the Pacific to surround China and the Soviet Union. Since 1995, anti-base
protests have escalated in Okinawa, where there are still more than 30 bases.
Honduras - A “temporary” base has existed since 1982, allowing officials to claim there’s no U.S. base in Honduras while circumventing the Honduran constitution’s prohibition against a permanent foreign troop presence. Some suspect the base’s involvement in a
2009 military coup.
Burkina Faso - A “cooperative security location” in Ouagadougou reflects a new generation of small, clandestine “lily pad” bases appearing in countries with little previous U.S. military presence. At least 11 such bases in Africa host special operations forces, drones and surveillance flights.
Iraq - There were
505 bases at the U.S. occupation’s height, but the Iraqi parliament rejected the Pentagon’s wish to keep 58 “enduring” bases after the 2011 withdrawal. U.S. forces have occupied at least five bases since 2014 and are
considering more installations.
Thailand - The Pentagon rents space at U-Tapao Naval Air Base from a contractor, allowing U.S. and Thai officials to insist there’s
no U.S. “base” and no inter-governmental basing agreement. The base was a major logistics hub for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Philippines - The Philippines
evicted U.S. forces from massive bases in the 1990s. Since 2002, at least
600 U.S. troops have deployed to help Filipino forces combat insurgents from some seven lily pads;
6,000 U.S. troops have operated temporarily under the cover of military exercises.
US military presence around the World has expanded dramatically in the course of the last five years. This study is largely based on data for the period 2001-2005. This important analysis and review of US military might by award winning Canadian geographer Professor Jules Dufour, was first published by Global Research in 2007.
Back-dated April 15, 2018 - The Worldwide Network of US Military Bases The Global Deployment of US Military Personnel
The Worldwide Network of US Military Bases - Global Research
Excerpts: This article has focused on the Worldwide development of US military power.
The US tends to view the Earth surface as a vast territory to conquer, occupy and exploit. The fact that the US Military splits the World up into geographic command units vividly illustrates this underlying geopolitical reality.
Humanity is being controlled and enslaved by this Network of US military bases.
The ongoing re-deployment of US troops and military bases has to be analyzed in a thorough manner if we wish to understand the nature of US interventionism in different regions of the World.
This militarization process is characterized by armed aggression and warfare, as well as interventions called “cooperation agreements”. The latter reaffirmed America’s economic design in the areas of trade and investment practices.
Economic development is ensured through the miniaturization or the control of governments and organizations. Vast resources are thereby expended and wasted in order to allow such control to be effective, particularly in regions which have a strategic potential in terms of wealth and resources and which are being used to consolidate the Empire’s structures and functions.
The setting up of the International Network for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases turns out to be an extraordinary means to oppose the miniaturization process of the Planet. Such Network is indispensable and its growth depends on a commitment of all the People of the World. It will be extremely difficult to mobilize them, but the ties built up by the Network among its constituent resistance movements are a positive element, which is ultmately conducive to more cohesive and coordinated battle at the World level.
The Final Declaration of the Second International Conference against Foreign Military Bases which was held in Havana in November 2005 and was endorsed by delegates from 22 countries identifies most of the major issues, which confront mankind. This Declaration constitutes a major peace initiative. It establishes international solidarity in the process of disarmament. .
(
http://www.csotan.org/textes/texte.php?type=divers&art_id=267 ).
Where is the Threat?
The 2000 Global Report published in 1980 had outlined “the State of the World” by focusing on so-called “level of threats” which might negatively influence or undermine US interests.
Twenty years later, US strategists, in an attempt to justify their military interventions in different parts of the World, have conceptualized the greatest fraud in US history, namely “the Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT). The latter, using a fabricated pretext constitutes a global war against all those who oppose US hegemony. A modern form of slavery, instrumented through militarization and the “free market” has unfolded.
Major elements of the conquest and world domination strategy by the US refer to:
1) the control of the world economy and its financial markets,
2) the taking over of all natural resources (primary resources and nonrenewable sources of energy). The latter constitute the cornerstone of US power through the activities of its multinational corporations.
Geopolitical Outreach: Network of Military Bases
The US has established its control over 191 governments which are members of the United Nations. The conquest, occupation and/or otherwise supervision of these various regions of the World is supported by an integrated network of military bases and installations which covers the entire Planet (Continents, Oceans and Outer Space). All this pertains to the workings of an extensive Empire, the exact dimensions of which are not always easy to ascertain.
I. The Military Bases
Military bases are conceived for training purposes, preparation and stockage of military equipment, used by national armies throughout the World. They are not very well known in view of the fact that they are not open to the public at large. Even though they take on different shapes, according to the military function for which they were established; they can broadly be classified under four main categories :
a) Air Force Bases (see photos 1 and 2);
b) Army or Land Bases;
c) Navy Bases and
d) Communication and Spy Bases.
II. More than 1000 US Bases and/or Military Installations
The main sources of information on these military installations (e.g. C. Johnson, the NATO Watch Committee, the International Network for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases) reveal that the US operates and/or controls between 700 and 800 military bases Worldwide.
In this regard, Hugh d’Andrade and Bob Wing’s 2002 Map 1 entitled
“U.S. Military Troops and Bases around the World, The Cost of ‘Permanent War'”, confirms the presence of US military personnel in 156 countries.
The US Military has bases in 63 countries. Brand new military bases have been built since September 11, 2001 in seven countries.
Source:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=884
Map 2. The American Military Bases Around the World (2001-2003)
Source :
http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/intervention/index.htm
The Map of the World Network “No Bases” (Map 3) reveals the following:
Source :
http://www.nobases.org
Based on a selective examination of military bases in North America, Latin America, Western Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan,
several of these military bases are being used for intelligence purposes. New selected sites are Spy Bases and Satellite-related Spy Bases.
The Surface of the Earth is Structured as a Wide Battlefield
These military bases and installations of various kinds are distributed according to a Command structure divided up into five spatial units and four unified Combatant Commands (Map 4). Each unit is under the Command of a General.
The Earth surface is being conceived as a wide battlefield which can be patrolled or steadfastly supervised from the Bases.
Map 4. The World and Territories Under the Responsibility of a Combatant Command or Under a Command Structure
Source :
http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2009/0109_unifiedcommand
Territories under a Command are: the Northern Command (NORTHCOM) (Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado), the Pacific Command (Honolulu, Hawaii), the Southern Command (Miami, Florida – Map 5), The Central Command (CENTCOM) (MacDill Air Force Base, Florida), the European Command (Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany), the Joint Forces Command (Norfolk, Virginia), the Special Operations Command (MacDill Air Force Base, Florida), the Transportation Command (Scott Air Force Base, Illinois) and the Strategic Command (STRATCOM) (Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska).
Map 5. The Southern Command
Source : http://www.visionesalternativas.com/militarizacion/mapas/mapabases.htm
NATO Military Bases
The Atlantic Alliance (NATO) has its own Network of military bases, thirty in total. The latter are primarily located in Western Europe:
Whiteman, U.S.A., Fairford,
Lakenheath and Mildenhall in United Kingdom,
Eindhoven in Netherlands,
Brüggen, Geilenkirchen, Landsberg, Ramstein, Spangdahlem, Rhein-Main in Germany,
Istres and Avord in France.
Morón de la Frontera and Rota in Spain,
Brescia, Vicenza, Piacenza, Aviano, Istrana, Trapani, Ancora, Pratica di Mare, Amendola, Sigonella, Gioia dell Colle, Grazzanise and Brindisi in Italy,
Tirana in Albania,
Incirlik in Turkey,
Eskan Village in Soudi Arabia and
Ali al Salem in Koweit (
http://www.terra.es/actualidad/articulo/html/act52501.htm )
III. The Global Deployment of US Military Personnel
There are 6000 military bases and/ or military warehouses located in the U.S. (See Wikipedia, February 2007).
IV. The Operational Cost of the Worldwide Military Network
Source :
http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsTrade/Spending.asp
V. US Military Bases to Protect Strategic Energy Resources
(
http://www.voanews.com/spanish/2007-03-08-voa1.cfm)
In the wake of 9/11, Washington initiated its “Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT), first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. Other countries, which were not faithfully obeying Washington’s directives including Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela have been earmarked for possible US military intervention.
The same broad approach is being applied in Central Asia. According to Iraklis Tsavdaridis, Secretary of the World Peace Council (WPC):
“The establishment of U.S. military bases should not of course be seen simply in terms of direct military ends. They are always used to promote the economic and political objectives of U.S. capitalism. For example,
U.S. corporations and the U.S. government have been eager for some time to build a secure corridor for US.-controlled oil and natural gas pipelines from the Caspian Sea in Central Asia through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. This region -has more than 6 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and almost 40 percent of its gas reserves. The war in Afghanistan and the creation of U.S. military Bases in Central Asia are viewed as a key opportunity to make such pipelines a reality.”
(
http://stopusa.be/campaigns/texte.php?section=FABN&langue=3&id=24157 ).
Map 6. Petroleum and International Theatre of War in the Middle East and Central Asia
Source : Eric Waddell,
The Battle for Oil, Global Research, 2003
Map 7. American Bases Located in Central Asia
Source :
http://www.heartland.it/
Map 8. Oil Fields in Latin America
Source :
http://www.visionesalternativas.com/militarizacion/mapas/mapahegem.htm
VI. Military Bases Used for the Control of Strategic Renewable Resources
US Military Bases in foreign countries, are mainly located in Western Europe: 26 of them are in Germany, 8, in Great Britain, and 8 in Italy. There are nine military installations in Japan (Wikepedia).
In the last few years, in the context of the GWOT, the US has built 14 new bases in and around the Persian Gulf. It is also involved in construction and/or or reinforcement of
20 bases (106 structured units as a whole) in Iraq, with costs of the order of 1.1 billion dollars in that country alone (Varea, 2007) and the use of about ten bases in Central Asia.
Map 9. The Biological Wealth of Latin America
Source :
http://www.visionesalternativas.com/militarizacion/mapas/mapahegem.htm
Map 10. Freshwater Resources in Latin America
Source :
http://www.visionesalternativas.com/militarizacion/mapas/mapahegem.htm
