From His Office In Cloud Cuckoo Land Obama Says He Is Improving the World

.
Note: Reader comments at end of article:
.

He asserts: “wherever we have been involved over the last several years, I think the outcome has been better because of American leadership.”

By Eric Zuesse

December 31, 2014 "ICH" - U.S. President Barack Obama said in a December 30th Oval Office interview with Steve Inskeep of National Public Radio, that, “wherever we have been involved over the last several years, I think the outcome has been better because of American leadership.” This statement from him was part of his answer when Inskeep asked whether the President had regrets about “overthrowing the Gadhafi regime” in Libya.

Obama answered:
“We are hugely influential; we’re the one indispensable nation. But when it comes to nation-building, when it comes to what is going to be a generational project in a place like Libya or a place like Syria or a place like Iraq, we can help, but we can’t do it for them.” In other words: the Libyan people failed, and the Syrian people failed, and the Iraqi people failed, according to America’s President — but he himself and his predecessor Bush did not fail by bombing those countries under false pretenses as they did.

Inskeep (who apparently was ignorant that the people of Crimea had always opposed the donation of Crimea from Russia to Ukraine by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1954, and who was also ignorant that Crimeans in March 2014 were delighted to be reunited again with Russia and had not been “taken” by Russia but were instead saved by Russia from the fate that befell Donbass) interjected, there, for clarification to his listeners, that Obama meant that Putin was thought to be a “genius” “for taking Crimea.” Inskeep was here trying to help Obama by clarifying Obama’s anti-Putin reference in his “genius” term; and, by doing so, Inskeep falsely assumed that Crimea had been seized, against the will of Crimeans.

The President skillfully built upon Inskeep’s ignorance, and anti-Russian bias, here, by playing along with Inskeep’s false intrinsic assumption, and by continuing directly from it in such a way as to present himself as being the real “genius”; he asserted, “And he had outmaneuvered all of us and he had, you know, bullied and, you know, strategized his way into expanding Russian power. And I said at the time we don’t want war with Russia [even though his February 2014 anti-Russian coup in Ukraine and actions afterwards show otherwise] but we can apply steady pressure working with our European partners, being the backbone of an international coalition to oppose Russia’s violation of another country’s sovereignty [as if it weren’t the case that two recent Gallup polls in Crimea showed an overwhelming public support there for leaving Ukraine and for reuniting with Russia, and as if it weren’t the case that America’s takeover of Ukraine on Russia’s border hadn’t been the aggressive act here], and that over time, this would be a strategic mistake by Russia [when, in fact, Obama knows quite well that the people he installed in his February coup in Ukraine had already been initiating the process to kick out of Crimea, Russia’s crucial Black Sea Fleet, which had been stationed there since 1783, and that this reversal of Khrushchev’s 1954 gift of Crimea to Ukraine was crucial for Russia’s own national security]. And today, you know, I’d sense that at least outside of Russia [such as among the trusting listeners to NPR], maybe some people are thinking what Putin did wasn’t so smart [when Obama knows quite well that what Putin did by his re-absorbing Crimea back into Russia was actually vital to Russian national security under the circumstances of Obama’s February coup in Ukraine].”

Inskeep responded to Obama’s distortions, with what he perhaps hoped his listeners would think to be a challenging question to the President: “Are you just lucky that the price of oil went down and therefore their currency collapsed or … is it something that you did?” Inskeep was apparently quite ignorant there that Obama’s Secretary of State had met in Riyadh with the Saudi King on September 11th widely viewed as having actually produced the King’s decision to flood oil markets in order to drive oil prices so low as to cripple Russia’s economy, so that Inskeep’s question here was assuming a non-existent polarity, in any case (between the sanctions from Obama, vs. the falling oil-price, which was supposedly not from Obama).

Obama answered Inskeep’s ignorance there by triumphantly bragging against Putin:

“If you’ll recall, their economy was already contracting and capital was fleeing even before oil collapsed. And part of our rationale in this process was that the only thing keeping that economy afloat was the price of oil. [Actually, Russia’s economy under Putin had been growing much faster than had the U.S. economy under the George W. Bush and Barack Obama regime.] And if, in fact, we were steady in applying sanction pressure, which we have been, that over time it would make the economy of Russia sufficiently vulnerable that if and when there were disruptions with respect to the price of oil — which, inevitably, there are going to be sometime, if not this year then next year or the year after [which also is a lie from him because the current low oil price is the engineered price, and even the Saudis will have to quit doing it within a few years] — that they’d have enormous difficulty managing it. I say that, not to suggest that we’ve solved Ukraine [by producing the civil war there?], but I’m saying that to give an indication that when it comes to the international stage, these problems are big, they’re difficult, they’re messy [like America’s coups were in Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954, Chile 1973, etc.]. But wherever we have been involved over the last several years, I think the outcome has been better because of American leadership.”

So, the particular instance in which America’s President feels proudest of having produced an “outcome [that] has been better because of American leadership” was in Ukraine, where Obama’s policy produced a takeover of the Ukrainian Government by racist anti-Russian fascists, or nazis who hate Russians — nazis who are ethnically cleansing ethnic Russians away from Ukraine’s Donbass region, the region that had voted 90% for the President, Viktor Yanukovych, whom Obama had overthrown with the crucial armed muscle of those nazi snipers who carried out his coup. (And virtually no U.S. ‘news’ medium has reported that the actual person whom Obama placed in control of Ukraine is a longstanding leader of Ukraine’s nazis.)

With ‘news’ coverage like this, it’s clear why, as Gallup headlined on December 29th, “Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton Extend Run as Most Admired.”

That sort of thing — respect for people who are actually war-mongers — has become routine in the United States. In 2001, the most-admired man was George W. Bush, and the most-admired woman was his wife. In 2002-2006, the most-admired man was President Bush, and the most-admired woman was former President Bill Clinton’s wife. (Hillary Clinton is a big backer of all invasions and coups by the U.S.)

And, without ‘news’ coverage like that, it’s also clear why people outside the United States consider the U.S. to be the biggest threat to world peace. Internationally, Russia is way down this list. However, America’s President won’t need to ask those foreigners whether to launch a nuclear attack against Russia. All that he will need to control is America’s press — and he (and the aristocrats who placed him into power) do.

Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

See also -

2014 - The deadliest year for Afghan civilians on record: The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan is to exceed 10,000 in 2014 - the highest since records began. UNAMA's Georgette Gagnon tells DW the figures reflect how civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence.

Scroll down to read comments

Support Information Clearing House
Monthly Subscription To Information Clearing House

Comments (34)
Jason Barfield 's avatar

Jason Barfield · 23 hours ago
Did Obama actually say that "we're the one indispensable nation?" Like Paul Craig Roberts always sarcastically refers to America? I guess satire has become reality. This is truly a jump the shark moment, and hopefully an indication that he's finally snapped. It'll be more fun having a genuine madman leading us, instead of just a violent borderline psychopath. Maybe he'll be more gentle now the weight of his own evil has finally broken him. Took long enough.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
3 replies · active 11 hours ago
+21
's avatar - Go to profile

DennisM · 22 hours ago
Obama could fairly be called Satan's Arse! It is a fitting title for a fraud who was given a Peace Prize.

Our world spirals ever downwards and the dictionary fails to provide adequate words to describe each new crop of so-called leaders!
My recent post Happy New Year? What A Joke!
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+19
Steve's avatar

Steve · 22 hours ago
All this warmongering has a way of trickling down to society. People see the CIA and private contractors getting away with murder. Society is being undermined. Blowing away people innocent bystanders with drones is now commonplace. What kind of effect does this have on average people?
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
2 replies · active 9 hours ago
+24
maricia's avatar

maricia · 21 hours ago
Obama-you LIE!!! Where is the improvement?? You and your cronies in congress have made our country less safe!!!! You are all gutless wonders--you all defend the Israelis, but for the Palestinians you have no heart-no soul-you cast them aside like dirt!! Also you have no heart for the citizens of the US!!
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+19
Robert's avatar

Robert · 20 hours ago
Name one country, only one, in want's known as the West, where it's citizens don't know that the people they continually elect and reelect to public office are liars, scoundrels and frauds. Why haven't, for example, the people of Arizona grown tired of John McCain or the American people of the Clintons? When there is no question as to the kind of people they are, why do we continue to embrace them, hoping for a different outcome? I would run for office but I don't have the money and fortunately I know what my limitations are.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
2 replies · active 16 minutes ago
+15
Sowheretofromhere's avatar

Sowheretofromhere · 19 hours ago
Pride comes before a fall, lets all hope and pray that this deceived and deluded Obomba and his puppet masters will fall on their swords soon.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
1 reply · active 10 hours ago
+19
Old School's avatar

Old School · 16 hours ago
Obama & Co. was what Orwell had in mind. It might be laughable if it weren't so tragic.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+3
GreedrulesinDC's avatar

GreedrulesinDC · 14 hours ago
When the petrodollar isn't worth the paper the FED prints it on, and the "indispensable nation" veil is ripped off, our blathering leader and his elite buddies will be exposed as the thieving, murderous bastards they actually are. Give it five to seven years. The only thing keeping the economy afloat is bullshit, and our Dear Leader won't be so dear and won't be a leader when the money is gone. His time in the sun is passing..
And when Americans are broke and their bellies are empty, what will happen to sycophants like Inskeep? Like a tree that falls in the forest with no one to hear, do the elite propagandists really make a sound? I wonder if cretins like Inskeep ever remember that Nazi propagandists were prosecuted as war criminals, too.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+6
ringo's avatar

ringo · 12 hours ago
Obama " world is better for US leadership "
I know he prefers golf to politics, but this statement defies all logic, I suppose if one spends ones time on the golf course, events are likely to pass you by, Obama is like the proverbial OSTRICH, BUT INSTEAD OF BURYING HIS HEAD IN SAND HE BURIES HIS IN GOLF BALLS.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+11
Jim's avatar

Jim · 11 hours ago
Just further confirmation that Obama is nothing more than a 'talking head', a characteristic shared with virtually all of his predecessors.

One must keep in mind that the the Nobel Peace Prize is itself an oxymoron, Alfred Nobel having been a significant, enthusiastic contributor to the business of war. Thus, Obama can be considered a fitting recipient.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+2
bozhidar balkas's avatar

bozhidar balkas · 8 hours ago
By now, most of us dissidents [with full bellies, tho--makes complaining much more pleasant than when homeless, hungry, jobless] know that US runs on a few principles [or to talk like a paesano or my neighbor: THOUGHTS]; so, is, indeed, also a principled country and not just San Marino, et al.
Following US tenets are holy of holies:
1) inalienable right of man to own man; a nation another nation[s], Planet, Moon, Mars..
2) US' inerrancy.
3) Survival of the fittest: adapted to humans and adopted for man by probably first of all priests.
And now a question: can it get worse than that? Alas, woe to us, it can and will!!!! 100% sure.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
1 reply · active 6 hours ago
+4
trampshining's avatar

trampshining · 8 hours ago
One wonders what kind of pills he is on.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
0
bozhidar balkas's avatar

bozhidar balkas · 8 hours ago
Crimea indeed took in Russia. Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia tried desperately--in order to avoid wars--to take in Serbia from '87-to '91, but Serbia did not want any of that.
World is now trying to take in Israel and US, but they are not ready for any union.
Maybe, we should ask the two Rogues what is it they want!
Upon finding out what it is they are after--and if sensible---let the two Rouges take us in.
Another solution would be for us to throw in the towel and then solemnly swear never again to doublethink US/Israel!
How about starting a nuclear war and say the hell with it all???? Who's gonna get too nervous and fed up first?? And when?
So, ONLY three solutions available!!!!!
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+1
bozhidar balkas's avatar

bozhidar balkas · 7 hours ago
If Ukraine and FEU/US manage to force all civilians in Donbas to flee for dear life, the ad hoc bloc would have in that case succeeded in what it wanted to achieve.
But question arises, would the entire nation of about 8M flee?
Not likely, i expect.
I am 100% sure that the ad hoc bloc can win in Donbass only if Russia let's it happen.
I just could not figure out yet--in light of the conclusion that Russia would not allow the bloc to defeat Donbass--why Russia did not send its army to Donbass even in March, April, or May '14???
Russia could have warned FEU [the "F" is that of the US] that if it in any way would support Kiev and kept gladahanding the coup [serious crime] it would cut the supply of gas to at least Germany [or western FEU] and then ready the nuclear weapons and the army for war.
By doing that, i suggest, US would not have hated Russia more and nor wanted more to destroy or change its government than now!
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+2
rgl's avatar

rgl · 7 hours ago
This is precisely how public opinion is shaped by the money(wo)men.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+2
Michael E 's avatar

Michael E · 5 hours ago
We will start with Mexico, we have returned to the days of rule by fear; the PRI was bought back into power thanks mainly to the US and its policy preventing its neighbors having a government that helps its own people. Venezuela. Again thanks to those Americans working on behalf of Obama, the country has gone backwards. Egged on by these scum, the rich have done a lot of damage to their own country, including selling off produce meant for consumption within the country, to its neighbors who support the American vultures. Canada and Australia. Although in the case of Australia, the governments have always been predisposed to wards the UK, they are both now in the back pocket of the US. Canada was once a reasonable country, and helped to balance the continent against the incessant idiocy of the US. Now all it does it grovel at the feet of the US. Iran, despite its many attempts to improve its lot with the US, is still being accused of all sorts of things. What with the assassination of it’s scientists by Israel, undoubtedly assisted by US intelligence, their economy has been sent into retreat by the invention of Iranian nuclear plots. Egypt has reverted back to a dictator, whether the brotherhood was good or bad, they were elected. But once again thanks to the US, Egyptians no longer have what they strode for, a free government. These incidents and facts can be reproduced in many other countries recently affected by American arrogance, whether by direct action or less direct action such as manipulation of the cost of oil. So as we can all see, Obama’s statement that he is “improving the world” is obviously meant to reflect his world of the rich, powerful thieves he comes into contact with. I have not forgotten the main victims of the US, Iraq, Libya, Syria etc, as we are all aware of them. Those above are just a few of the lesse known victims of Americas greed.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
1 reply · active 1 hour ago
+2
Right Now's avatar

Right Now · 4 hours ago
Jeeze...Look who calling the kettle black?...The Prez has a lot of guts, saying things like the Syrian, Iraqi and Libyan people failed to help themselves? Guess he means to overthrow their leaders? Then to talk rebuild their country's? Since the U.S. bombed them all? The U.S. should be rebuilding all those countries. Since the Federal Reserve prints money out of thin air? GIVE THEM THE MONEY TO REBUILD. And the real failures in the past 30 years? Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr., and Obama. Jobs have left this country in staggering numbers, under all prior presidents listed. Taxes have went up for the majority. While these fake derivitives makers on Wall Street? Get huge tax breaks for the last 20 years! And to throw trillions of dollars to big banks? Who continue to rob everyone? Obama really needs to open his eyes. Cause he's not paying attention? Or he's just as guilty as the criminals surrounding him.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
0
Satan 666's avatar

Satan 666 · 3 hours ago
Hahaha LMAO
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+4
guest's avatar

guest · 3 hours ago
Obama is a black guy. But he has a mind of a white imperialist who admire his own grandeur. A black guy saving the whole world.

Those who voted for him, especially black America, now discovers that their president actually think and talk like the18th century imperial conqueror Napoleon and crusading Pope combined. This guy worship himself. The transformation is the stuff worthy of the most insidious novel.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+2
Confoundmeonce's avatar

Confoundmeonce · 2 hours ago
OBAMA, Too bad you can`t ask those millions of Innocents You and your Neo= Zionist Actions (* And Inactions ) Have Brought About. Too bad You can`t question even one of Them How They Feel . This Propaganda HAS to Stop.. How about Working For PEACE..instead of ''Continuous Wars. HELP Not Hinder.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
0
BRF's avatar

BRF · 1 hour ago
Zuesse keeps getting harder hitting all the time. Never watching MS anything I missed Inskeep's Orwellian interview with the current oval office resident, not that I could have stomached viewing the whole charade. Inskeep, if he has any intelligence must read and know the same information as those of us reading Zuesse's article here, so his playing dumb bunny is all a fraud aimed at advancing his earnings potential as a fraudulent journalist that can be relied on to mislead the public in true fraud artist fashion. Did I mention that Inskeep is a malevolent fraud. Well it appears the American Ministries of Peace and Love had been hard at work in their much earlier planning sessions (seven in five) and then very active in development of those plans since instigating 9/11/2001, bringing their benevolence to these nations. Soon Inskeep will be interviewing John Negroponte on the Peace and Love he brought to Central America, and then seeing the success there to Iraq. Meanwhile on the domestic front the Ministry of Plenty has publicized it's latest figures and the Ministry of Truth broadcast the numbers announcing that almost full employment has been attained and production of everything is up as is the standard of the people's living. Thanks and my sincerest gratitude to Mr. Zuesse for sitting through and then reporting to us what must be extremely painful to watch MSMisinformation sessions.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
0
Özcan's avatar

Özcan · 1 hour ago
Is it possible that he really believes this?
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
+2
nexusxyz's avatar - Go to profile

nexusxyz · 1 hour ago
Obama is just a vacuous puppet that is given a script to read by his minders. He looks totally uninterested and perhaps would like to retire to the golf course and speaking circuit.
Share/Save/Bookmark
Reply
0
Yuri's avatar

Yuri · 29 minutes ago
Crimea is a natural Ukrainian peninsula. It is also the original home of Crimean Tatars who are very pro-Ukrainian. In 1945 Stalin deported almost the entire Tatar population to Caucasus and Siberia and populated Crimea with ethnic Russians. That is how about 60% of the population of Crimea was Russian at the time of its annexation by Putin. Eventually Crimea will either be returned to Ukraine or there will be some mutually acceptable arrangement how to share it between Ukraine and Russia. Without such a deal, Russia will always have an enemy at its gates by the name of Ukraine.

Today Crimea is in a miserable state. Ukraine has stopped all rail connections with it. The electricity and water supplies are being limited to the minimum. Food supplies from Ukraine will also essentially stop with the stoppage of the rail traffic. Here is a good article about Armageddon in Crimea. http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/12/27/armageddon-...

Russia will have to supply everything to Crimea by air which in the long term is unsustainable. Already Crimea is costing Russia far more than it had budgeting for it. After Putin retires or is retired, the issue of Crimea will be renegotiated between Russia and Ukraine. I could foresee some kind of a joint ownership arrangement or a division of Crimean territory into Russian and Ukrainian portions or something like that. If Russia will want to live in peace with Ukraine, the issue of Crimea will have to be settled to the satisfaction of Ukraine.
Share/Save/Bookmark

US-Russia Reset? "HOLD THE CHEERS" by Stephen Lendman

Nem Note: Bloomberg, Josh Rogin and The Daily Beast (which are the "sources" for the article below which Stephen Lendman references in HIS (this) article) are "mainstream" shills, supporting U.S. Imperial policy, which is to allow NO country equal footing with U.S.A. The author of this post, Stephen Lendman "tears apart" Josh Rogin's hypocrisy.

.............

On New Year's eve, Bloomberg's Josh Rogin headlined "Inside Obama's Secret Outreach to Russia."

Saying administration officials have been "working behind the scenes for months to forge a new working relationship with Russia…"

A a time Putin bashing remains intense. Blaming him wrongfully for US crimes.

Irresponsibly claiming he "has shown little interest in repairing relations with Washington or halting his aggression in neighboring Ukraine."

Putin wants cooperative relations with all nations. Stressing it many times forthrightly. "(O)n an equal basis," he said at his yearend press conference.

"(O)n the condition that (Russia's) national interests are respected, in the sphere of security and in the sphere of the economy."

"The problem (with) international relations is that" Washington and EU nations have other ideas.

He defended Russia's Ukraine policy. Going all out to resolve crisis conditions peacefully.

Debunking notions otherwise. Criticizing US hypocrisy. Saying “(t)o take Texas from Mexico is fair, but when we make decisions about our territories, it is unfair."

"I believe we are right in the Ukrainian crisis and our Western partners are wrong."

America’s empire of bases is everywhere, he said. "(A)ll over the world, and you’re trying to say that we’re being aggressive."

America's military budget is over tenfold greater than Russia's. "Do we place our troops at US borders? Who is placing NATO troops, military infrastructure closer to us?"

"Does anyone listen to us, talk to us about it? No, nothing. There is always the same response. It’s not your business."

Washington’s menacing missile defense system threatens Russia.

“They have been deploying strategic missile defense elements not only on Alaska, but also in Europe, in Poland and Romania, right at our borders,” said Putin.

What kind of reset is possible under these conditions? US policy belies its rhetoric. Its outreach more head fake than real.

Putin justifiably blamed Western countries for Ukrainian crisis conditions. “But for the West’s position, there wouldn’t be civil war in Ukraine,” he said.

The road to peace requires building common humanitarian space. Not walls, he stressed. "Russia pays the cost of remaining a nation, a civilization and a state."

According to Rogin:

"Obama's National Security Council finished an extensive and comprehensive review of US policy toward Russia that included dozens of meetings and input from the State Department, Defense Department and several other agencies, according to three senior administration officials."

"At the end of the sometimes-contentious process, Obama made a decision to continue to look for ways to work with Russia on a host of bilateral and international issues while also offering Putin a way out of the stalemate over the crisis in Ukraine."

One official told Rogin he sees no major reset coming. Washington wants to see what Moscow is "actually willing to do…Regardless of the likelihood of success."

In other words, to what extent can America convince Moscow to bend to its will? Accept Washington rules. Sacrifice Russian interests in the process.

Putin is very clear. So are other key Kremlin officials. Russian sovereignty is inviolable. Too important to compromise.

Relations with other countries must be based on mutual respect for each other's interests. Equal give and take. According to international law.

Not one nation dominating others. Longstanding US policy. Claiming what it says goes. Seeking unchallenged global hegemony.

Staging coups to install subservient regimes. Wars elevating handpicked stooges to power.

Wanting all independent governments ousted. Replaced by pro-Western ones. Especially key rivals China and Russia.

Rogin said John Kerry is Obama's point man. Intended a fall meeting with Putin. Negotiations got to the point of scheduling.

Then "scuttled because (of) little prospect of demonstrable progress." White House officials even approached Henry Kissinger to help, said Rogin.

It's unclear what followed. On the one hand, Kerry and Sergey Lavrov meet often. Maintain ongoing diplomatic relations.

On the other, "Obama and Putin…are known to have an intense dislike for each other and very rarely speak," said Rogin.

In discussions with Lavrov, Kerry floated notions about easing US sanctions, Rogin added. Provided "Russia adher(s) to September's Minsk agreement and ceas(es) direct military support for the Ukrainian separatists."

"The issue of Crimea would be set aside for the time being, and some of the initial sanctions that were put in place after Crimea's annexation would be kept in place."

Administration officials said Washington is "willing to isolate the issues of Donetsk and Lugansk from the issue of Crimea."

"If there was a settlement on Donetsk and Luhansk, there could be a removal of some sanctions while maintaining sanctions with regard to Crimea. That represents a way forward for Putin.”

It bears repeating. Washington blames Russia for its own wrongdoing. Its imperial adventurism. Ousting Ukraine's legitimate government. Elevating fascist putschists to power.

Co-opting Ukraine as America's newest colony. A dagger pointed at Russia's heartland. Threatening its security. Obama making outrageous statements.

Saying "Russian aggression in Europe recalls the days when large nations trampled small ones in pursuit of territorial ambitions."

Polar opposite Moscow's policies. Describing America's longstanding agenda. "Trampl(ing)" over one nation after another.

Kerry is testing the waters. Can he get Moscow to bend? How far? Short of mutual cooperation between both nations on equal terms. What Washington never tolerates.

Believing US policies are working. Weakening Russia's economy. Including sanctions. Market manipulated lower oil prices. Attacking the ruble.

One US official told Rogin "(w)e'll see how they feel as their economy continues to deteriorate…"

Putin and Lavrov insist Russia won't roll over for anyone. No nation ever defeated it. Not Napoleon. Not Hitler. Nor will America.

Its policies belie its rhetoric. Its word isn't its bond. The Ukraine Freedom Support Act (UFSA) of 2014 targets Russia.

Authorizing lethal and non-lethal aid. Besides what's already supplied. Approved more sanctions. Other measures targeting Russia's economy.

In mid-December, Obama embargoed Crimea. By executive order "prohibit(ing) the export of goods, technology, or services to Crimea and prohibits the import of goods, technology, or services from Crimea, as well as new investments in Crimea."

(A)uthoriz(ing) the Secretary of the Treasury to impose sanctions on individuals and entities operating in Crimea."

Russia's Foreign Ministry called his action "politicized discrimination." Against Russia and its people. Lavrov said:

"We have repeatedly stressed that attempts to speak to Russia using the language of ultimatums is totally unacceptable and will yield no results."

"We are ready to develop mutual and equal relations with all those who show an oncoming willingness to do that."

"…(E)very nation has the inalienable right to self-determination and the sovereign right to choose its own path of development." Russia respects this choice.

Containment won't work," he stressed. "The White House has set a course for confrontation, blaming Russia for all sins in connection with the Ukrainian crisis that they had provoked to a significant extent."

US-led NATO shows hostile intentions. "(S)trengthen(ing) (its) military capacity at Russia's borders."

Obama irresponsibly includes Russia on his list of global threats. Regime change is longstanding US policy.

Reset is wishful thinking. Expect no easing of US relations toward Russia ahead. Increased hostility is likely.

Perhaps the unthinkable. Direct confrontation. Potential war between the world's most formidable nuclear powers.

Madness if happens. Frightening to imagine on New Year's day. Or any other.

The top priority for cooler heads to prevent. Lose-lose for everyone otherwise.

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

posted by Steve Lendman @ 4:08 AM

Ready? Global Reset and other 2015 Predictions!

The results are in from the dream incubations for 2015, and atop the list is the biggest meme of all:

"COIN TRANSFORMATION"

Interestingly, not only was this meme the best supported dream prediction (meaning that statistically it has the best probability of coming true), the timeframe was implicated in the dream linguistics itself, which is very rare indeed.

Also interesting is that this set of predictions isn't all catastrophic like many big-picture dream compilations. Birth and NEW are another consistent thread.

Regardless, a seat belt is required 'cause 2015 looks to be one heck of an exciting roller coaster... 

 http://nationaldreamcenter.com/wp/2015/01/proj-ano-results-predictions-for-2015/

Who Is Behind The Oil War, And How Low Will The Price Of Crude Go In 2015?

Who is to blame for the staggering collapse of the price of oil?

Image Credits: Eric Kounce, Wikimedia Commons

by Michael Snyder | January 1, 2015

---

Who is to blame for the staggering collapse of the price of oil? Is it the Saudis? Is it the United States? Are Saudi Arabia and the U.S. government working together to hurt Russia? And if this oil war continues, how far will the price of oil end up falling in 2015?
As you will see below, some analysts believe that it could ultimately go below 20 dollars a barrel. If we see anything even close to that, the U.S. economy could lose millions of good paying jobs, billions of dollars of energy bonds could default and we could see trillions of dollars of derivatives related to the energy industry implode. The global financial system is already extremely vulnerable, and purposely causing the price of oil to crash is one of the most deflationary things that you could possibly do. Whoever is behind this oil war is playing with fire, and by the end of this coming year the entire planet could be dealing with the consequences.
Ever since the price of oil started falling, people have been pointing fingers at the Saudis. And without a doubt, the Saudis have manipulated the price of oil before in order to achieve geopolitical goals. The following is an excerpt from a recent article by Andrew Topf…

We don’t have to look too far back in history to see Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and producer, using the oil price to achieve its foreign policy objectives. In 1973, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat convinced Saudi King Faisal to cut production and raise prices, then to go as far as embargoing oil exports, all with the goal of punishing the United States for supporting Israel against the Arab states. It worked. The “oil price shock” quadrupled prices.
It happened again in 1986, when Saudi Arabia-led OPEC allowed prices to drop precipitously, and then in 1990, when the Saudis sent prices plummeting as a way of taking out Russia, which was seen as a threat to their oil supremacy. In 1998, they succeeded. When the oil price was halved from $25 to $12, Russia defaulted on its debt.
The Saudis and other OPEC members have, of course, used the oil price for the obverse effect, that is, suppressing production to keep prices artificially high and member states swimming in “petrodollars”. In 2008, oil peaked at $147 a barrel.
Turning to the current price drop, the Saudis and OPEC have a vested interest in taking out higher-cost competitors, such as US shale oil producers, who will certainly be hurt by the lower price. Even before the price drop, the Saudis were selling their oil to China at a discount. OPEC’s refusal on Nov. 27 to cut production seemed like the baldest evidence yet that the oil price drop was really an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and the US.

If the Saudis wanted to stabilize the price of oil, they could do that immediately by announcing a production cutback.
The fact that they have chosen not to do this says volumes.
In addition to wanting to harm U.S. shale producers, some believe that the Saudis are determined to crush Iran. This next excerpt comes from a recent Daily Mail article…

Above all, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies see Iran — a bitter religious and political opponent — as their main regional adversary.
They know that Iran, dominated by the Shia Muslim sect, supports a resentful underclass of more than a million under-privileged and angry Shia people living in the gulf peninsula — a potential uprising waiting to happen against the Saudi regime.
The Saudis, who are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslims, also loathe the way Iran supports President Assad’s regime in Syria — with which the Iranians have a religious affiliation. They also know that Iran, its economy plagued by corruption and crippled by Western sanctions, desperately needs the oil price to rise. And they have no intention of helping out.
The fact is that the Saudis remain in a strong position because oil is cheap to produce there, and the country has such vast reserves. It can withstand a year — or three — of low oil prices.

There are others out there that are fully convinced that the Saudis and the U.S. are actually colluding to drive down the price of oil, and that their real goal is to destroy Russia.
In fact, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro openly promoted this theory during a recent speech on Venezuelan national television…

“Did you know there’s an oil war? And the war has an objective: to destroy Russia,” he said in a speech to state businessmen carried live on state TV.
“It’s a strategically planned war … also aimed at Venezuela, to try and destroy our revolution and cause an economic collapse,” he added, accusing the United States of trying to flood the market with shale oil.
Venezuela and Russia, which both have fractious ties with Washington, are widely considered the nations hardest hit by the global oil price fall.

And as I discussed just the other day, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to agree with this theory…

“We all see the lowering of oil prices. There’s lots of talk about what’s causing it. Could it be an agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to punish Iran and affect the economies of Russia and Venezuela? It could.”

Without a doubt, Obama wants to “punish” Russia for what has been going on in Ukraine. Going after oil is one of the best ways to do that. And if the U.S. shale industry gets hurt in the process, that is a bonus for the radical environmentalists in Obama’s administration.
There are yet others that see this oil war as being even more complicated.
Marin Katusa believes that this is actually a three-way war between OPEC, Russia and the United States…

“It’s a three-way oil war between OPEC, Russia and North American shale,” says Marin Katusa, author of “The Colder War,” and chief energy investment strategist at Casey Research.
Katusa doesn’t see production slowing in 2015: “We know that OPEC will not be cutting back production. They’re going to increase it. Russia has increased production to all-time highs.” With Russia and OPEC refusing to give up market share how will the shale industry compete?
Katusa thinks the longevity and staying power of the shale industry will keep it viable and profitable. “The versatility and the survivability of a lot of these shale producers will surprise people. I don’t see that the shale sector is going to collapse over night,” he says. Shale sweet spots like North Dakota’s Bakken region and Texas’ Eagle Ford area will help keep production levels up and output steady.

Whatever the true motivation for this oil war is, it does not appear that it is going to end any time soon.
And so that means that the price of oil is going to go lower.
How much lower?
One analyst recently told CNN that we could see the price of oil dip into the $30s next year…

Few saw the energy meltdown coming. Now that it’s here, industry analysts warn another move lower is possible as the momentum remains firmly to the downside.
“If this doesn’t hold, we could go back to price levels in late 2008 and early 2009 — down in the $30s. There’s no reason why it couldn’t happen,” said Darin Newsom, senior analyst at Telvent DTN.

Others are even more pessimistic. For instance, Jeremy Warner of the Sydney Morning Herald, who correctly predicted that the price of oil would fall below $80 this year, is now forecasting that the price of oil could fall all the way down to $20 next year…

Revisiting the past year’s predictions is, for most columnists a frequently humbling experience. The howlers tend to far outweigh the successes. Yet, for a change, I can genuinely claim to have got my main call for markets – that oil would sink to $US80 a barrel or less – spot on, and for the right reasons, too.
Just in case you think I’m making it up, this is what I said 12 months ago: “My big prediction is for $US80 oil, from which much of the rest of my outlook for the coming year flows. It’s hard to overstate the significance of a much lower oil price – Brent at, say, $US80 a barrel, or perhaps lower still – yet this is a surprisingly likely prospect, the implications of which have been largely missed by mainstream economic forecasters.”
If on to a good thing, you might as well stick with it; so for the coming year, I’m doubling up on this forecast. Far from bouncing back to the post crisis “normal” of something over $US100 a barrel, as many oil traders seem to expect, my view is that the oil price will remain low for a long time, sinking to perhaps as little as $US20 a barrel over the coming year before recovering a little.

But even Warner’s chilling prediction is not the most bearish.
A technical analyst named Abigail Doolittle recently told CNBC that under a worst case scenario the price of oil could fall as low as $14 a barrel…

No one really saw 2014’s dramatic plunge in oil price coming, so it’s probably fair to say that any predictions about where it’s going from here fall somewhere between educated guesses and picking a number out of a hat.
In that light, it’s less than shocking to see one analyst making a case—albeit in a pure outlier sense—for a drop all the way below $14 a barrel.
Abigail Doolittle, who does business under the name Peak Theories Research, posits that current chart trends point to the possibility that crude has three downside target areas where it could find support—$44, $35 and the nightmare scenario of, yes, $13.65.

But the truth is that none of those scenarios need to happen in order for this oil war to absolutely devastate the U.S. economy and the U.S. financial system.
There is a very strong correlation between the price of oil and the performance of energy stocks and energy bonds. But over the past couple of weeks this correlation has been broken. The following chart comes from Zero Hedge…

It is inevitable that at some point we will see energy stocks and energy bonds come back into line with the price of crude oil.
And it isn’t just energy stocks and bonds that we need to be concerned about. There is only one other time in all of history when the price of oil has crashed by more than 50 dollars in less than a year. That was in 2008 – just before the great financial crisis that erupted in the fall of that year. For much, much more on this, please see my previous article entitled “Guess What Happened The Last Time The Price Of Oil Crashed Like This?…”
Whether the price of oil crashed or not, we were already on the verge of massive financial troubles.
But the fact that the price of oil has collapsed makes all of our potential problems much, much worse.
As we enter 2015, keep an eye on energy stocks, energy bonds and listen for any mention of problems with derivatives. The next great financial crisis is right around the corner, but most people will never see it coming until they are blindsided by it.

First Winter Storm of 2015 to Unfold From Chicago to Boston This Weekend

A storm that brought rare snow to Southern California and the Southwest at midweek will spread a swath of snow, ice, rain and travel problems from Chicago to Boston this weekend.
The storm will strengthen and take a track toward the lower Great Lakes this weekend.
According to AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "There will be disruptive snow and ice north of the storm track."
Heavy snow, substantial ice and drenching rain will be associated with the storm, despite its fast movement. While travel problems will generally be limited to a day or so, areas that receive a heavy amount of ice or wet snow could have lengthy power outages.

Jump to: Snow, Wintry Mix to Streak Across Upper Midwest | Snow, Ice and Rain to Hit Northeast | Rain, Storms to Soak South
Snow, Wintry Mix to Streak Across Upper Midwest
After depositing a swath of snow and ice over parts of the central and southern Plains to close out the week, a swath of ice and snow will extend northeastward from northern and western Illinois to a large part of of Michigan and central Ontario during Saturday and Saturday night.
A swath of slippery travel will stretch across the general area from Kansas City, Missouri, to Chicago and Detroit. The first part of the storm will occur as ice or a wintry mix, then transition to snow over the Upper Midwest. However, the heaviest snow from the storm will fall north and west of these cities from central Kansas to Iowa, central and southeastern Wisconsin and northern Michigan.
RELATED:
Snow, Arctic Blast to Return Across Midwest This Weekend
Check AccuWeather MinuteCast® for Your Location
AccuWeather Winter Weather Center 2015
People traveling in or through these locations should anticipate slippery roads, flight delays and possible flight cancellations.
Warm air would win the battle in most areas south and east of the storm track with the major form of precipitation being rain with some snow or wintry mix limited to the onset of the storm. Most of the storm will be rain in the Ohio Valley, including the cities of Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Louisville, Kentucky.
Gusty winds, lake-effect snow and snow showers may cause sporadic travel delays in the wake of the storm later Sunday.
Snow, Ice and Rain to Hit Northeast
Cold air will linger during the first part of the storm in a large portion of the Northeast, such as central and northern New England and the Interstate-81 corridor from Pennsylvania northward.
The storm will spread over the area from southwest to northeast spanning late Saturday into Saturday night.
A period of accumulating snow and ice will change to rain around Boston, Albany, New York, Hartford, Connecticut, and State College, Pennsylvania.
From part of central Pennsylvania to the southern tier of New York state, enough ice buildup can occur to weigh down trees and cause power outages.
According to AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno, "Central and northern New England have the potential for a significant snow and/or ice event and multiple hours of slippery travel on the front side of the storm prior to any warmup."

"At this time, it appears most locations along the I-95 swath from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and New York City would still warm up quickly with all or mostly rain for the storm," Ranyo said.
The storm will then end from west to east on Sunday.
Similar to the Midwest, gusty winds may cause some flight delays Sunday into Monday with lake-effect snow and snow showers from the central Appalachians to the lower Great Lakes.
Rain, Storms to Soak South
Rain, locally gusty wind and low cloud ceilings could still cause flight delays and problems for motorists in a large part of the South and in areas farther north that receive mostly rain this weekend.

Parts of the South may also have to contend with locally gusty thunderstorms as the storm's cold front swings eastward.
Storms may affect the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys on Saturday into Saturday night, then part of the southern Atlantic Seaboard on Sunday.

Radical Black Activist Issues Cop-Kill Prediction -’Now They Must Put On Their Dress Blues & Have Their Funerals Too’

(Before It's News)

 

Shabazz (tallest in front) with New Black Panther Party

Chelsa Schilling / WND

Malik Zulu Shabazz, the former national leader of the New Black Panther Party, said the radical group will “build up an army” in 2015 to combat police, and he predicted coming events “that are gonna seem tragic to white America and may even shock our own consciences,” including the killing of police officers.
On a recent episode of the New Black Panthers Party’s “Black Power Radio” posted at Breitbart.com, Shabazz, current national president of Black Lawyers for Justice, said:
“Mister Malcolm X, he consistently teaches us self-defense. The most honorable Elijah Muhammad continuously teaches us self-defense. The honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey teaches us self-defense, and we know, our leader and our teacher, the honorable Khalid Abdul Muhammad, teaches us self-defense.
“What am I saying? Right now it’s time to build up that army. Right now it’s time for us to build up those corps, those troops. It’s time to get strong. It’s time for lifting weights and working out and going to the gun range and all of that.”

Shabazz (tallest in front) with New Black Panther Party in South Africa

Shabazz counseled his followers that some will do things that “shock” their consciences, including killing police officers.
“Sadly because America won’t do justice to black people, more and more people are going to lose balance and go off, and so we’re going to have funerals. Mike Brown gonna have funerals, Eric Garner in New York,” Shabazz said. “All over the country, we’re having our funerals, but now they must put on their dress blues and have their funerals, too. It’s a helluva day in this hour.”
Read more at WND:
http://www.wnd.com/2015/01/radical-black-activist-issues-cop-kill-prediction/

Remember this WHEN YOU DO YOUR TAXES IN APRIL

 

Remember this WHEN YOU DO YOUR TAXES IN APRIL

 

http://jeffduncan.house.gov/full-list-obamacare-tax-hikes

 

In case you didn't notice.

Here is what happened on January 1, 2014:

 

Top Medicare tax went from 1.45% to 2.35%, an increase of 62 %

 

Top Income tax bracket went from 35% to 39.6%, an increase of 13 %

 

Top Income payroll tax went from 37.4% to 52.2%, an increase of 52 %

 

Capital Gains tax went from 15% to 28% an increase of 87 %

 

Dividends tax went from 15% to 39.6%, an increase of 164 %

 

Estate tax went from 0% to 55%, an increase of infinity . . .

 

Remember this fact: These taxes were all passed with only democrat votes

No republicans voted for these taxes.

 

These taxes were all quietly passed under the Affordable Care Act, aka OBAMACARE.

 

 

If you think it is important that everyone in the U. S. should know this, pass it on. If not, then delete it.