The Week in Review
Middle East
Iran hosts Taliban leaders: A delegation of Taliban members visited Tehran in mid-September as part of an effort by Iran to play a greater role in Afghanistan. “Iran quietly hosted a delegation of Taliban members in Tehran this month in a powerful and unusual signal of its ambition to shape the trajectory of the Afghanistan conflict as U.S. troops begin to withdraw,” the Washington Post reported September 30. The Taliban representatives’ visit to Iran to attend the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Islamic Awakening conference indicates that Iran has already cultivated deeper ties with the terrorist group than was widely thought. Because the Taliban has been a traditional enemy of Iran, it had long been thought there was little room for cooperation between the two. However, as theTrumpet.com has been reporting for several years, a common hatred of America provides plenty of common ground for Tehran to provide assistance to the Taliban. While U.S. officials have previously admitted Iran’s role in providing weapons and training to the Taliban, there has been little evidence of contact at the senior leadership level. Now that it is becoming increasingly certain the Taliban will play a lead role in Afghanistan once the U.S. leaves, it appears Tehran wants to be in a strong position to influence that government.
New Libyan rulers’ dodgy allies in Sudan: Sudan’s Vice President Ali Osman Taha visited Tripoli on September 29 and met with Mahmoud Jibril, chairman of the executive board of Libya’s National Transitional Council (ntc). “This is the most high-level visit to Libya since the fall of the Qadhafi regime,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Al-Obeid Merwah said. “This indicates that Sudan gives priority to Libya as a neighbor and is ready to give its full support to the new interim government in Libya.” According to Sudanese media, ntc head Mustafa Abdel Jalil said Khartoum had given military support to the anti-Qadhafi forces. This means that Libya’s new leadership has a cozy relationship with a government that has been accused of genocide in Darfur by both the U.S. State Department and the International Criminal Court (icc). In fact, Vice President Taha himself stands accused by the icc of complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity—the charges that have been leveled against President Omar al-Bashir. Colonel Qadhafi had given Darfur’s rebels sanctuary and financial and military aid. “[T]he Sudanese support for the Libyan rebels raises obvious questions about the coherence of the so-called ‘Responsibility to Protect’ doctrine, which was invoked to justify international military intervention in Libya,” writes the National Review Online. “The allegedly humanitarian justification was reinforced when the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Qadhafi in June, charging him with crimes against humanity. Qadhafi thus became just the second sitting head of state to be made the object of an icc arrest warrant—after none other than Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir. … [I]t turns out that some of the very Sudanese forces that stand accused of carrying out genocide in Darfur have been the de facto allies of the Western powers in Libya” (October 4).
Shiite unrest in Saudi Arabia: Protests occurred in the Shiite-majority Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia on Monday, according to the Saudi Press Agency. A group of rioters reportedly shot automatic weapons at security forces, wounding nine. The Interior Ministry vowed to use an “iron fist” against any further unrest and claimed the attack was initiated by a “foreign country”—presumably Iran. Riyadh is also getting nervous about other initiatives of Iran in its neighborhood—particularly in relation to the Shiite unrest in Bahrain. In an effort to quell the unrest, Bahrain’s leadership has gone to Iran for help. Stratfor reports that on September 26, Bahrain’s foreign minister met with his Iranian counterpart to talk about improving bilateral relations and to ask Tehran to portray Bahrain in a more positive light in Iranian state media. This meeting “indicates Bahrain’s desire to pacify its Shiite opposition by improving ties with Iran,” says Stratfor (October 4). There have been several Shiite rallies in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province in support of the Bahraini protesters in recent months, and the incident this week provides a warning to Riyadh of the potential for large-scale Shiite unrest spreading to its territory. Saudi-Iranian competition for influence in the Persian Gulf is heating up as the two prophesied end-time alliances in the Middle East solidify—one led by Iran, and the other a more moderate grouping that will ally with Europe.
Europe
Italy downgraded, again: Italy’s credit rating was downgraded three notches, from Aa2 to A2 with a negative outlook by rating agency Moody’s, October 4. “The negative outlook reflects ongoing economic and financial risks in Italy and in the euro area,” it wrote. “The consensus adjustment in the country’s credit rating now appears to put Italy firmly in the category of peripheral eurozone states in danger of losing access to credit and no longer a core country merely infected by contagion from Greece and its fellow bailout countries,” writes the EU Observer (October 5).
Former Polish prime minister warns of restored German “imperial power”: Former Polish prime minister and leader of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) Jaroslaw Kaczynsk claims that German Chancellor Angela Merkel “belongs to a generation of German politicians that would like to reinstate Germany’s imperial power.” In his new book titled The Poland of Our Dreams, he writes that a “strategic axis with Moscow is part of that” plan. Germany plans to “subdue our country, one way or another,” he says. He implies that Chancellor Merkel gained power through help from the East German secret police—the Stasi. The Trumpet has never said that Merkel gained power in a conspiracy, and we disagree with much that Kaczynsk says, but we have often pointed out that good relations between Russia and Germany have not, historically, been good for Poland. The Polish have good reason to be paranoid—they are certainly threatened by a rising Russia and Germany.
Greek strikes continueas bailout negotiations stall: Workers held a 24-hour general strike in Greece on October 5, meaning government offices and tourist attractions were closed and flights cancelled. Over 16,000 joined union-led protests in central Athens. Greece’s gross domestic product is forecast to fall by 5.5 percent this year. Figures published on October 2 show that Greece will miss the deficit targets set a few months ago in a hefty bailout package. The government deficit for this year was meant to be 7.6 percent of gdp. It is forecast to be 8.5 percent. Eurozone finance ministers were expected to decide on whether or not to give Greece its next loan on October 13, however the meeting has now been cancelled. Greece looks more set to default every day.
Bank failure raises specter of eurozone bank crash: Dexia, Belgium’s largest bank, is in difficulty for the second time in three years, causing officials from Paris and Brussels to hold an emergency meeting. The French government owns around 23.3 percent of the bank and Belgium 30.5 percent. The real worry about Dexia though is that it was given a clean bill of health in the EU bank stress tests in July. If Dexia is in trouble, what other supposedly safe banks could be next?
German parliament approves expanded bailout fund:The coalition of German Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the expansion of Europe’s bailout fund September 29, meaning that the measures passed without Merkel having to rely on votes from opposition parties. If 19 members of Chancellor Merkel’s coalition had voted no, the coalition could have collapsed and the country been forced to early elections. Instead, 13 voted no and 2 abstained. Still, events in Germany continue to build toward a political crisis. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble promised parliament that Germany would not support any plan to “leverage” the eurozone’s bailout mechanism, the European Financial Stability Facility (efsf). Leader of the Christian Social Union Horst Seehofer said the csu would go “this far and no further.” Germany’s Constitutional Court has made similar statements, saying that Germany has gone about as far toward European union as its constitution allows. To go further, Germany must hold a referendum, head of the court Andreas Vosskuhle said. Yet economists say that the markets seem to be acting on the assumption that European leaders have already agreed to go further, and that the German parliament has been deceived. American think tank Stratfor believes the only way for the euro to be saved is for Greece to leave, or be pushed out. It estimates that €2 trillion would be needed to deal with the fallout. The efsf isn’t big enough. Germany is looking like an immovable object. It must do more for the crisis to be solved, but the people, court and politicians have had enough. The economic crisis is creating political crisis in Germany.
Asia
Putin calls for Eurasian Union with former ussr countries: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has called for Russia to build a Eurasian economic union with Kazakhstan and Belarus as he gears up to return to the Kremlin after presidential elections in March. The prime minister’s proposal, published on Tuesday, represents the latest step in Russia’s quest to bolster ties between Moscow and the former Soviet republics. Although Putin denied that his statement represents an effort to rebuild the Soviet empire, he admitted he would like to see the union grow into something significant. “We are not going to stop there,” he wrote. We are “setting an ambitious goal—to achieve an even higher integration level in the Eurasian Union.” Putin also said the union is open to new member states, and will strive to boost economic and currency-policy coordination among its member states. Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus already created an economic alliance in 2010 that erased customs barriers in mutual trade. Beginning January 1, they plan to introduce unified market rules and regulations. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are also expected to join the union. Between Putin’s call for the Eurasian Union and his march back toward Russia’s presidency, it is becoming clear that the ex-kgb strongman has ambitious plans for Russia. With Putin returning to the presidency, Moscow is shifting into a higher gear in its pursuit of a broader, more powerful and more capable Soviet power.
Congressman berates Chinese cyberespionage: On Tuesday, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee lambasted the Chinese government and its drive to steal data and intellectual property online, saying China’s cyberespionage attacks have “reached an intolerable level” and that the U.S. and its allies have an “obligation to confront Beijing and demand that they put a stop to this piracy.” Rep. Mike Rogers said China’s spying activities now extended beyond the U.S. military and government delving into many private American companies. “Beijing is waging a massive trade war on us all, and we should band together to pressure them to stop.” Aside from the military implications, China is marginalizing the U.S. politically and economically as well. This is all combining to make the U.S. increasingly vulnerable, and China more powerful.
Latin America
Brazil discovers rare earth mineral deposits: Brazilian miner Vale SA has discovered deposits of rare earth minerals at a giant copper mine project in the Para state, according to statements made by a leading Brazilian minerals researcher late last week. Vale is now prospecting the area in the Brazilian Amazon for the metals, which are used in microchips and oil refining. Now that China has curtailed its export of rare earth minerals, expect the world’s other nations, especially Europe, to start looking to nations like Brazil as they try to fill their need for raw materials. The Federation of German Industries stated late last year that it would be looking to Africa and Latin America in particular as an alternate source of rare earths. Competition for the world’s resources will heat up in the near future.
Anglo-America
Britain’s politically correct passports: British citizens will soon be able to identify “parent one” and “parent two” instead of their father and mother, and decline to identify themselves as male or female on their passports. The changes are designed to cater to transsexuals and homosexuals. The Identity and Passport Service (ips) says it is simply reflecting the situation in Britain. However, the Daily Mail reports that the changes have been made in response to lobbying from the homosexual rights group Stonewall. America has already made a similar change to its passport application form. Director of the Family Education Trust Norman Wells said: “Fathers and mothers are not interchangeable but have quite distinct roles to play in the care and nurture of their children. To speak of ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two’ denigrates the place of both fathers and mothers. Much as the equality and diversity social engineers might wish it were otherwise, it still takes a father and a mother to produce a child.” These passport changes are another success for the radical homosexual lobby.
EU trying to work around UK tax veto: The European tax commissioner has “already started work” on getting around Britain’s veto on a financial transaction tax (ftt), member of European Parliament and spokesman for Europe’s economic and monetary affairs committee Dr. Kay Swinburne said, October 3. If passed, a tax on financial transactions would overwhelmingly target Britain, where 80 percent of all financial services in the EU are based. Britain has said it will veto any such tax. Swinburne warned, however, that the tax commissioner is trying to present the ftt as a valued added tax. Such a tax could be imposed if approved by a majority of EU nations, depriving Britain of its chance to veto. This is just another example of Britain and the EU heading in opposite directions.
Occupy Wall Street movement gains momentum: Over 700 protesters were arrested last Saturday for blocking traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge as they took part in the 15th day of the Occupy Wall Street protest. Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless protest movement comprised mostly of Americans under 30 years old who are upset with anything from rampant foreclosures to climate change, from the low number of vegan farms to the high unemployment rate, from the war in Afghanistan to high gasoline prices, and from corporate greed to the general state of America and the planet. These protesters are only thousands strong, but they claim to speak for millions. The degree to which these protesters represent mainstream America is questionable, but a cbs poll published Monday shows that 64 percent of Americans believe taxes on millionaires should be raised to reduce the nation’s deficit. Such a sentiment is parallel to many of the protesters’ anger over what they perceive as a broken system serving a wealthy elite at the expense of the rest. Columbia University Political Science Prof. Dorian Warren said he believes the protests could develop into something with teeth. Now in their third week, the Occupy Wall Street protests seem to be growing in strength despite, or perhaps because of, last weekend’s mass arrests. Now some analysts believe the disparate streams of Occupy Wall Street’s dissatisfaction could be channeled into one collective force of activism, transforming the movement into a liberal counterpart to the conservative Tea Party movement. Political division in America is escalating to a crippling level.
