The Weekly Watch

Eternal Infernal US Imperialism

Open Thread image.jpg

The consequences of US imperialism are far reaching and global. Most people don't draw the connection to climate chaos and the US war machine but it is catastrophic. In fact Abby Martin's new film describes it as Earth's greatest enemy (2 min trailer)

Earth’s Greatest Enemy is the second feature film project by Abby Martin. In collaboration with the Empire Files team and award-winning journalist Dahr Jamail, Earth’s Greatest Enemy seeks to be a groundbreaking anti-imperialist environmental documentary.

It will center the US Empire—with its expansive war machine, Military Industrial Complex and junior partners—as not only a primary contributor to climate change, but the central entity that imperils life on Earth. Through on-the-ground investigations, high-profile interviews and new cutting-edge research, Earth’s Greatest Enemy will make the case that the movement to save the planet has no choice but to confront the beast that is American Imperialism.

Abby is asking for donations in order to complete the film. The site above has paypal and credit card links or (for Luddites like me):
Send a check made out to:
“Empire Files Inc.”
PO Box 42085
Los Angeles CA 90042

Given the silencing of whistle blowers I fear for Abby with the release of her film.
We all know Julian is being tortured for revealing US war crimes, but he isn't alone.

US intelligence analyst Daniel Hale blew the whistle on drone strikes, revealing that 90% of those killed by these strikes are innocents. But Daniel Hale did not receive a metal for his bravery. Instead, he's going to receive a prison sentence, and he faces ten years.

RT Correspondent Trinity Chavez brings us the story and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges, the host of RT's On Contact, explains why "traitors" like Hale should be celebrated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twGn_fdm8Wg (10 min)

A former Air Force intelligence analyst said his guilt over participating in lethal drone strikes in Afghanistan led him to leak government secrets about the drone program to a reporter.
Daniel Hale of Nashville, Tennessee, is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria after pleading guilty to violating the Espionage Act by leaking top secret documents.

https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-nashville-sentencing-espionage-715a...

And now the UK to pass draconian new law...journalists = whistle blowers = spies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1CzmU9s9eE (4.5 min)

TPTB are doing everything they can think of to control the narrative...

As Chris says, America is a shadow of itself... (10 min)

As the US is increasing its military assets in Asia to counter China, another player is following America’s footsteps. The United Kingdom says it will permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters, starting in September. Alex Mihailovich and former UK MP George Galloway weigh in. George nails it with insightful wit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jJlFuZXFKo&t=5m (9 min)

So why is the US targeting China? As George points out in a previous clip above, it isn't China that is the aggressor. It is the US and its bitches, the UK, AU, and so on. Max talks with Gerald Celente of TrendsResearch.com about the China-US relationship and how that might impact both the dollar and the global economy. I found this conversation insightful. The whole show is good, but I set it up as a 12 min clip.

We can't compete so we want to start a war. Let's see how has that worked out in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and so on? Here in our own hemisphere things have not been much better, and we've been at it a long time.

smedley.jpg

He continues...
"I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”
― Smedley D. Butler, War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier

The Last 100 years of the Monroe Doctrine in action...

Let's go back 100 years and remember (or learn since our education is rather lacking about US aggression) what was going on with the US in Central America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux_HBUsy1_4&t=45s

US involvement in Central America dated back to the first attempt to build the Panama Canal. And in accordance to the Monroe Doctrine was expanded in the 20th century too. US Marines took part in expeditions in Guatemala, Nicaragua and US naval power was a factor in many disputes like the Coto War between Costa Rica and Panama. With the rise of the United Fruit Company, the US domestic market also influenced decisions in the region.

...and move forward in time to our post WWII interventions. (16 min)

Seems the more things change the more they stay the same.

Today we are persecuting Cuba because it offers an alternative to corporate capitalism. We blockade them for decades and then holler they are a failed state (because of our blockades). None the less they handled COVID much better than the US and sent doctors around the world to help other countries. Whoops better nip that in the bud!

The US government is waging wars around the world, circling the planet with military bases, ramping up nuclear standoffs and working to destroy any nation which disobeys it, so naturally the news media are urgently warning us about the horrible tyrannical government of Cuba.

Yes the US has been deliberately strangling Cuba with the goal of fomenting unrest. Yes it has been attempting regime change ops in Cuba up to and including invasions and hundreds of assassination attempts. No you may not blame the US for unrest in Cuba, you goddamn tankie freak.

If you try to connect unrest in Cuba with the USA’s extensive history of interventionism there, people yell at you for denying the Cuban people’s “agency”. Agency, agency, agency, agency. They’ll factor in all sorts of agency except the Central Intelligence kind.

It’s wild how the US has an intelligence agency whose actual job is causing instability and unrest in nations who disobey the its dictates, and it has a very extensive and well-documented history of doing so, but you get called a crazy idiot if you say “CIA” during periods of unrest and instability in those nations.

Only a deranged lunatic would suggest that the CIA might be doing the thing it literally always does.

https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2021/07/12/cuba-space-billionaires-and-othe...

Ben Norton is an outstanding Central American historian who makes his home in Nicaragua.
Ben Norton: The Imperial Playbook Comes to Cuba (38 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro5UTEyDheM

Speaking of Nicaragua, here's Ben's recent article...

President Ortega condemns the dictatorial US “empire that wants to dominate all countries,” and Vice President Murillo declares poverty an imperialist “crime against humanity.”

https://thegrayzone.com/2021/07/24/nicaragua-sandinista-revolution-42-an...

CIA Considered Bombing Miami To Blame Cuba!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djj84ooaJCs (34 min)
Max Blumenthal and Jimmy Dore discuss US interventions in Cuba.

AOC can't decide if she supports the CIA intervention in Cuba or not. Max and Jimmy are back to look at her tweets...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkPmXnvD_ZQ (3.5 min)

Lots of talk about Cuba's protests. Not so much Brazil's protest against the US fascist puppet Bolsonaro.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/07/15/braz-j15.html

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Haiti
You think the US might be involved in the presidential assassination? I think it is likely. Why? Because he was pushing for more self rule and less US influence.

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse said Monday that proposed constitutional amendments would allow members of the country’s diaspora to run for the presidency and other high-ranking offices.
The announcement came during an online public address during which Moïse reiterated that he would not step down until February 2022 and urged Haitians to support the creation of a new constitution, which is due to be voted upon in April. “It’s time to change it,” he said. “We can’t continue like this. The country is paralyzed.”

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-constitutional-amendments-constitutions...

US ties to suspected Haiti assassins follow a long history of intervention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3iT3y7MktI (47 min)
A growing number of suspects in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have US ties. At least one is a former DEA informant and several have received U.S. military training. Scholar Jemima Pierre of The Black Alliance for Peace discusses the unfolding mystery surrounding Moïse's killing and the context of longtime US, foreign intervention and neocolonialism in Haiti.
https://blackallianceforpeace.com/

What's behind the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCxBP4bGdqk (47 min)
Anya Parampil speaks with activist and musician Chango Bastia about the recent assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Bastia shares how average Haitians have responded to the news, what questions they still have about what took place, and how they feel about US attempts to intervene in their nation. Bastia also explains that Haiti's government is controlled by the United States and relies heavily on the deployment of armed gangs throughout the country's capital, Port-au-Prince, in order to quell political unrest and opposition to neoliberalism. He also shares his vision for what needs to take place in order for Haiti to be truly independent.

Caity nails it yet again summarizing this topic of US imperialism much better than me.
https://caityjohnstone.medium.com/?p=f6e7935baca8 Here's a taste...

Boy this US-led world order sure is working out great. This was definitely worth killing millions of people in imperialist wars for.

The “harm reduction” president just bombed Afghanistan and Somalia and added further sanctions to Cuba.

As total mass media blackouts on important news stories become more common, the challenge increasingly is not just obtaining newsworthy information about the powerful via whistleblowing, investigative journalism etc, but also finding ways to get that information seen by people. Which is awful, but it also means people like you now play a much more important role in the media, because you don’t need to be an investigative journalist or whistleblower to find fun and creative ways to get important critical information in front of people’s eyes.

Those who can get people to actually see critical information are just as important as those who obtain that information, because since the media won’t report on it, getting it circulating online is highly important. If you can do this, you’re making a huge difference. Find ways to distribute information by packaging it in fun and interesting ways to get it to go viral online or offline; use memes, distribute flyers, give talks, anything you can think of to open people’s eyes to what’s going on, and you’ll be doing humanity a tremendous service.

All the journalists and whistleblowers do important work, but their work won’t make a damn bit of difference if nobody sees it. We can’t all do what they do, but we can all help spread awareness in our own unique and creative ways.

The most important thing is getting unauthorized information over the walls of the echo chamber of people who already know about it. We all kind of talk to ourselves in our little circles, so we want to get ideas and information out to people who don’t normally hear such things.

The cool thing about having a US president with obvious dementia symptoms is it makes it clear that the administration is running independent of his authority, which is like training wheels for the reality that all administrations are run independent of any president’s authority.

“Hmm, it turns out a presidential administration can run fine even if the president has a degenerative neurological disease. Perhaps the presidency isn’t as important as advertised. Perhaps the most powerful government in the world isn’t being run by its elected officials at all.”

home burning.jpg

A War on the Ecosystem driven by Fossil Fuels...

I can't wrap up the week without touching on the extent of global climate collapse... From the fires out west and in the Russian Arctic to the flooding in Europe, China, and US...
The floods in Europe and the bankruptcy of capitalism
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/07/19/floo-j19.html

Wildfires fueled by heat wave and drought surge across California and western US
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/07/16/fire-j16.html

Paul Beckwith explained this week that heat waves and floods are a function of two primary causes. First, for every degree of warming, the atmosphere can hold 7% more water. And secondly, the jet stream which drives weather systems is slowing down due to Arctic warming and the decreased temperature differential that drives the upper atmosphere flows. Additionally that slowing is causing big northern and southern loops that either trap heat or dump rain.


It is inescapable, this is going to get worse.

Meanwhile those trying to stop the expansion of Fossil Fuels and its destructive force are being arrested by corporate thugs dressed and acting as police.
https://www.democracynow.org/2021/7/23/protests_line_3_pipeline_minnesota

WINONA LADUKE: I was arrested because I wanted to stop Enbridge’s Line 3 from crossing the Shell River. I’ve been appointed guardian ad litem for Shell River by the 1855 Treaty Commission and by my tribe. And Enbridge is trying to finish this line. And along with — it’s now 600 people have been arrested. But we stood there in front of the police for quite a while with our people and, you know, our horses and our children. And they arrested seven of us.
...
She continues -
They’ve [Enbridge] been bankrolling the northern police departments. Some of the police departments, like Aitkin County, were saddened by COVID, because they had to let people out of prison or out of jail there and losing money on their budgets in that dysfunctional system. And so, you know, at this point, Enbridge has been financing all these northern police departments. And so you’re seeing 40 different squads show up from counties throughout the state to repress water protectors, who are just trying to protect the water in northern Minnesota, and arrest hundreds of us.

And, you know, it begins — it’s a civil crisis when a Canadian multinational controls your police force. You know, I thought the police were supposed to work for the people and not for the Canadian multinational, but that’s not what’s happening up here. A Canadian multinational has taken our civil rights, clearly, you know, myself, among many, being put in jail. I mean, that’s the Enbridge way: control the police of the state of Minnesota and shove your pipeline through. You know, it’s so wrong from every aspect.

So we have US global intervention as we also have a domestic war against those who seek a halt capitalist destruction. I agree with Chris in the clip below, we can also expect more conflict, but sadly TPTB will pit us against one another and obscure the MIC as the real enemy against which we should unite.


(25 min)

tar baby_1.jpg

So here's our nation caught in the capitalist tar baby of fossil fuels, war, and the corporate interests that propagate it all...as we are pitted against one another rather than this sick system. The US targets any nation which serves its own people rather than our corporate interest and declares them failed, evil, bad...yet we can't look in the mirror to see the primary terrorist nation, the USA. I understand how people are caught in the struggle to get by day to day as they are fed misleading MSM propaganda designed to promote war and ecocide. And so it goes as we rush toward our own extinction. I wish I could be more hopeful, but sadly I see a rather dismal future. I'll wrap up with my usual advice... treasure every day, love those around you, and appreciate and experience your natural environment. Be well friends. I look forward to reading your thoughts below in the comments.

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Lookout's picture

...for corporate greed.

How ironic to call aggression defense?

defense-spending-blog-chart-1.jpg
https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2021/07/the-united-states-spends-more-on-defen...

Imagine those funds being used for the people and the planet...

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14 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

enhydra lutris's picture

@Lookout

We spend all that on offense. Excepting 911, which was a terrorist act, a crime, for which our DoD was unsuited and unprepared, a lone Japanese sub shelling WA ages ago, and some Japanese fire baloons also ages ago, the last attack on the US was at Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Attacks on our foreign bases and personnel, CIA officers and offices, and the like do not count, for they are defensive measures on the parts of the world in which we have stationed them. Though our embassies are technically considered to be US soil, they are misused and arguably lose that status because they are also generally the in country HQs for the terrorist conspiracy known as the CIA.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Lookout's picture

@enhydra lutris
to call the war department, the dept of defense. Especially with General Raytheon as its chief.
https://moguldom.com/322176/bidens-pick-to-lead-pentagon-gen-lloyd-austi...

Seems obvious. Wonder why people can't see it?

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16 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

the US has to spend trillions on 'defense'
because they are making so many enemies
with their 'offense'

It make no sense to me. Like inventing new crimes
to justify increased law enforcement budgets.

kookoo nuts

thanks for keeping the whacky policies
in the spotlight LO !

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Lookout's picture

@QMS

...to reveal the insanity of US aggression. Not that it does any good, but as we discussed the other week, it is better to be aware than ignorant.

Hope all is well in your world. Alabama summer weather has finally arrived here and we'll have a hot week ahead, but they are calling for rain later next week. I can handle the heat as long as we get enough moisture for the plants and forest.

Plumbing problem last week was a check valve. Should have it fixed next week. Always something. Keeps life interesting.

All the best!

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11 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@QMS if you look at it as Profit and Power are the motives.

Offense and Defence are the charades. cover stories.

Money to the rich.

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NYCVG

Have a lot to go back and read further from this Weekly Watch but have long been against the insanity of our government spending on military with no end in sight. As you said better to be aware than ignorant. I work within the system to preserve and defend that which I can but stay informed about what is happening around us.

Have made it back to Santa Fe where it is monsoon season. Had a wild afternoon of intense rain, thunder and lightning. The small arroyo in front on my condo rose quickly from the rain and just as quickly moved on downstream.

Working to finish what I need to do to sell my condo but continue to live my life each day treasuring what is important and breathing deeply.

Have a good week to all!

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

Lookout's picture

@jakkalbessie

Looks chaotic. We better buckle up, more chaos is on the way.

Good luck with your condo sale and TX relocation.

Hope you can get out and about between showers. Have a good (and productive) week!

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11 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

enhydra lutris's picture

the open thread as well.

Just noticed that I addressed something to soe yesterday that should've went to you. "Cabbage Loopers" appears to be the information I was looking for (thanks to Janis for asking the question that elicited that answer). To late to react here, most of what they eat is already eaten until we try a fall planting later.

Way behind on mucho stuff here, but that is always the case. Meanwhile, time to get getting. the sun is up and tempus is fugiting. I need to plan less and do more, so I need to make a plan for that, heh Wink

be well and have a good one

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11 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Lookout's picture

@enhydra lutris

to control loopers...
https://caucus99percent.com/comment/538136#comment-538136

You do have to reapply after rains, which was a challenge this spring with all our rain.

I think planning is a good idea, but of course you do have to implement the best of those plans to accomplish anything.

All the best to you and your garden!

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6 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

"So here's our nation caught in the capitalist tar baby of fossil fuels, war, and the corporate interests that propagate it all...as we are pitted against one another rather than this sick system. The US targets any nation which serves its own people rather than our corporate interest and declares them failed, evil, bad...yet we can't look in the mirror to see the primary terrorist nation, the USA. I understand how people are caught in the struggle to get by day to day as they are fed misleading MSM propaganda designed to promote war and ecocide. And so it goes as we rush toward our own extinction. I wish I could be more hopeful, but sadly I see a rather dismal future. I'll wrap up with my usual advice... treasure every day, love those around you, and appreciate and experience your natural environment. Be well friends. I look forward to reading your thoughts below in the comments."

We are all saying the same thing in our own ways. only the POV and details vary at this point.

Dowd ends her short comments with "Apres Moi, le deluge." In case people do not recall, that's what Louis XIV or one of them said, after looting the entire country, driving the peasants with punitive taxation until death and starvation, in order to build Versailles. It is a comment on the end as she sees it and I think it is right for this moment.

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NYCVG

Lookout's picture

@NYCVG
I just wish we could get wider awareness of the nature of this nation.

Take care, and hope your weather is nice. Noticed y'all had the smoke all the way from out west last week. We also have been experiencing it. Sure seems end times doesn't it?

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout @Lookout I am on way out to brunch with a friend who is oblivious to everything we talk about here. My hair is fluffy and I am wearing makeup and a pretty NYC sleek outfit.

This website is where I feel safe enough to express myself truthfully.

I have tried to, very gently, prepare my daughter for what lies ahead. For example, when she talks about a friend of hers who lives in Maine I mention that Maine as a place to settle, or learn about, makes good sense.

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NYCVG

Lookout's picture

@NYCVG

At least from far away in Alabam.

Have a wonderful lunch with your buddy. If friendship required similar politics we probably wouldn't have any.

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10 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

TheOtherMaven's picture

@NYCVG

His grandson, Louis XVI, reaped the whirlwind.

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

Lookout's picture

@TheOtherMaven

doomed to repeat our mistakes again and again.

Pete asks in one of his songs "when will we ever learn?" Sadly we seem incapable of escaping our greed to create peace.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Azazello's picture

Mornin' everybody.
NPR has been unlistenable for awhile now, mainly because of this:

NPR has a new CEO. John Lansing, a veteran government broadcast and cable television executive, has been selected by NPR's corporate board to succeed its current chief, Jarl Mohn.
Lansing, who is 62, is currently the chief executive of the government agency that oversees Voice of America, Radio and Television Martí and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, among others. He made his mark in his current job with stirring defenses of journalism, free from government interference.

Free from government interference ??
Anyway, they really outdid themselves last week with this fawning interview of CIA director William Burns. NPR is now just a public relations arm of the CIA. Director Burns wants us to know that the "intelligence community" doesn't make policy, they're just information professionals collecting intelligence for those who do.
Bullshit. Caity J is right, our government isn't being run by elected officials at all.
It's being run by the CIA.
All this talk about identity and identity politics, I swear to God I still don't know what identity even is. This didn't help: Identity Tethering in an Age of Symbolic Politics
Yesterday was Navy Day in Russia. Here's RT's coverage of the ceremonies in St. Petersburg:
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn3OvkPA31c width:500 height:300]

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

Lookout's picture

@Azazello

Saw some amazing flooding scenes on YouTube. Not just from your area but all around the world.

I thought Jimmy described identity politics pretty well in this interview. (4 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR7nJutI5iI]

Jimmy had a good line...if the democrats of today were in the 1850's they would be celebrating transgendered slave owners.

Edit to add:
the real danger of NPR is that many think it is a left wing voice...ha - they are corporate warmongers like the rest.
Take care and have a good week!

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15 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout PBS also. All alike. BBC. France 24.

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NYCVG

lotlizard's picture

@NYCVG

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Lookout's picture

@NYCVG @lotlizard

by the FBI/CIA/NSA as their propaganda arm. Not to mention the utter fail of social media and its censorship of anyone who strays from the accepted narrative.

We're fortunate to have one another as voices in the fog.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

lotlizard's picture

@Lookout  
As Biden and his mouthpiece Psaki have not just admitted but boasted, the ruling clique in charge of all three — federal government, Big Tech, and mainstream media — views dissent from its desired narratives as “misinformation” and “conspiracy theory” and fully intend to “flag it” so it can be banned from all platforms.

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Lookout's picture

@lotlizard

...when they have no access to stories of what is happening...unless it is an approved message.

We were talking last night how we are watching the unraveling of the ecosystem before our very eyes, but there are only reports of weather, not the collapsing climate system. Sadly at this point I think we are past the tipping point with a cascading domino effect. This extreme weather summer is, I fear, only the start.

Hope you avoided the floods in your corner of the world.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

lotlizard's picture

@Lookout  
What flooding there has been here in the former GDR seems to have been limited to the “Sächsische Schweiz” region abutting the Czech border.

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usefewersyllables's picture

@Lookout

but point your favorite uncensored search engine at “samizdat”. We’re getting there in a blinding hurry.

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.

Iraq wants us out

United States President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on Monday, the latest step in weeks of “strategic dialogue” over the future of US troops in Iraq, attacks by Iran-aligned groups, and fears of a resurgence of ISIL (ISIS).

At the top of the agenda for al-Kadhimi, the former director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service who became prime minister in May 2020, will be attaining a more concrete timeline for the withdrawal of US “combat” troops, a category that the Biden administration has yet to define.

Somalia after we've left

The U.S. military carried out an airstrike in Somalia on Friday, its second such action in a week after a months-long gap in strikes.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesperson Cindi King said U.S. forces conducted a strike against militants from the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab terrorist group near Qeycad, Galmudug, Somalia.

U.S. forces, which were largely withdrawn from Somalia during the Trump administration, were "conducting a remote advise and assist mission in support of designated Somali partner forces," King said, adding "there were no U.S. forces accompanying Somali forces during this operation."

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Lookout's picture

@gjohnsit
From CNN:

Biden administration still weighing CIA drone strike policy amid Afghanistan withdrawal

The answer is yes.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/07/05/biden-acknowledges-over-ho...

President Joe Biden sought refuge behind the July 4th Independence Day holiday, yet obliquely acknowledged that the U.S. will use some level of "over the horizon" air attacks to prevent the Taliban from taking power, attacks that will include drones and manned aircraft, possibly even B-52s.

The U.S. military’s “orderly and safe” departure from Afghanistan is making the Red Army’s retreat from the same country more than 30 years ago look like mission success by comparison.
When the last U.S. troops left Bagram Airfield recently, they reportedly did not give a heads up to the base’s new Afghan commander, who discovered the Americans were gone two hours after they had left, Kathy Gannon of the Associated Press reported.
...the Afghan troops assigned to the base realized something was up when the power and water abruptly stopped working on July 2, prompting civilians to start looting the installation, Ehsanullah Amiri and Gordon Lubold of the Wall Street Journal reported. Among the items left behind by the department Americans was a box of cinnamon Pop Tarts – a sign of better times.

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/afghanistan-us-military-withdrawal/

I sure like the idea of total troop withdrawal, but we'll leave our drones and CIA operatives in place.

Thanks for the updates.

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9 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@gjohnsit @gjohnsit Also, an update on Afghanistan military withdrawal. The 16,000 private contractors have also left Afghanistan. This appears to be a genuine withdrawal.

The song and dance we are getting about Iraq is not so clear-cut. Yes, we are leaving. But we are also staying.

Troops will be doing "force protection" on the 3 remaining areas American owns.

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NYCVG

dystopian's picture

Thanks for the WW. Hope all is well and birds are finding you. Have a good one!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

Lookout's picture

@dystopian

Are not singing anymore, but the tanagers continue calling.

We got 2.5" of rain in less than an hour today which brought the weather weirding home.

A typhoon is hitting Shanghai today too.
https://singaporedailynews.com/2021/07/25/typhoon-in-fa-hits-chinas-east...

Cascading chaos. Hold tight!

All the best.

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7 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

would understand. Most people I meet have no idea what empire means. They do not think through past We are No. 1!
We are not prepared to deal with the loss of the petrodollar beyond drop bombs on somebody. They do not understand we weren't selected by the world to put oil out of Saudi Arabia on our currency in the first place.
Assange, Hale, Snowden...examples of what might come to Abbey Martin.
It is tough to read and hear the truth, but we must keep our eyes and ears open, make the best plans for the future we can make out of the disasters coming from numerous directions.
I hope to watch a few videos this eveningg, Your effort to post this is very much appreciated.

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8 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Lookout's picture

@on the cusp

American aggression and war based economy. It isn't that people are stupid (although there is plenty of that). It is they are not being told, and sadly we failed to educate people to think.

Hope your weather has improved. We had a weird event, 2.6" of rain in less than an hour. I dread driving out and seeing how bad the road has washed. Oh well, tractor can pull it back up hill.

Take care and have a good week!

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4 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Dawn's Meta's picture

@Lookout If not would they help?

Can't thank you enough for the Weekly Watch.

Really like the Chris Martenson videos. Has anybody joined Peak Prosperity? It's $30/month. Wow can't afford it. Unless it's the best thing out there especially if the threads are very good.

We had a weather event this weekend: Saturday, build up of t-storms, most going West and North. then one cell came right at us. MicroBurst which was damn scary. Lost all power for a day and a night. No significant damage other than a large very heavy garage door came down (again). Our petite riviere rose toute suite, but no danger to the house. Water blew into the entire length of the house along the area the extension is attached to the main house.

Friends came by who were more bulls eye in the microburst and the whole area experienced damage: downed trees; collapsed roofs; things blown away; flooding. They figured our our flashing, shich typically used to be made of lead skirting and very heavy is now made of aluminum. So the wind from that direction lifts the flashing and the water pours in.

When that thing hit it was unbelievably powerful: our weeping ash looked like something was pressing it down. The rain amount was like a wall and the whole thing was noisy. Thunder and continuous lightening. In my fir-made house in Oregon, which was small foot-print but tall, it would have shook a lot. The stone houses don't budge. But really thinking we need lightening rods as we have more T-storms each year and more violent.

246 mm rain in July is 9.6 inches of rain in July so far. So May 9.5 inches; June 8+ inches now July 9.6 inches and more coming. 27 inches since May 1st. I can smell the mustyness. Dry days help.

Ain't climate chaos grand?

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1 user has voted.

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

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Lookout's picture

@Dawn's Meta

...and weeps, but when you live on a mountain water flows quickly and is erosive. We've been talking about a tar and gravel approach in the worst areas. We're trying to start preparing for the day when we can't manage to do all the work needed on our homestead.

Like you I can't (won't) afford the $30/month for Peak Prosperity. He must be catering to another crowd. Funny cause I could help him with his new homesteading efforts.

Hope y'all get a break and can dry out a bit. Saw that Italy had hail storms, flooding, and fires all in the same week. Talk about weather weirding.

Thanks for the visit and have a great week!

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2 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout n/t

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2 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981