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THE HOLY ROMAN ...
B16: Church's roots aren't European
Christianity didn't originate in Europe, but rather has its roots in the Middle Eastern world of the Old Testament, says Benedict XVI. "According to general opinion, Christianity is a European religion that has exported the culture of this Continent to other countries. The reality, though, is a lot more complex, as the root of the Christian religion is found in the Old Testament, and therefore in Jerusalem and the Semitic world."
(Also: Full text of address)
Non-Holy See insists that it has right to speak
The human being has dignity and a transcendent dimension, and this is why an independent moral authority, such as the Holy See, has a role to play in international organizations, says an official at the Vatican Secretariat of State. “The Catholic Church is the only religious institution that can enter into diplomatic relations and that interests itself in international rights, acting through the Holy See, an international sovereign subject of singular characteristics."
He explained that an adequate understanding of the Holy See, as such, requires 2 distinctions. First, one must bear in mind that the Holy See cannot simply be identified with the Church, as a community of believers. And second, it cannot be identified with Vatican City State, a geographical place that assures the freedom of the Roman Pontiff.
“The Holy See is the Holy Father himself inasmuch as he is an independent, universal, spiritual authority, together with the organizations of the Roman Curia that collaborate with his mission."
The Holy See thus requires a particular status, such as that given by the definition of “subject 'sui juris,'" meaning the Holy See defines for itself its juridical organization and does not receive it from outside, and as such, can enter into relationship with other states.
The Holy See currently has diplomatic relations with 176 states. It has a presence at the UN as an observer state, membership in 7 organizations or agencies within the UN system, and is an observer in another 8. The Holy See also has observer status in 5 regional organizations.
... EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION
Merkel defends foreign policy focused on human rights
Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her controversial policy toward China and Russia on Wednesday, insisting that it could no longer be separated from domestic policy. In a speech to the Bundestag, to mark 2 years of the grand coalition, Merkel sharpened the explanation of her foreign policy.
While in the past she has tended to refer in general to the ideas of freedom, she went further, saying that "the foreign and security policy of the government was built on values." That meant, she said, that "human rights and economic interests are one side of the same medal and should never stand in opposition to each other."
Minister warns clashes could happen in Germany
After hundreds of French riot police were deployed Wednesday night to clamp down on violent clashes in a Paris suburb, Germany's interior minister has warned that similar unrest could spread.
EUROPE/RUSSIA
Is Italy's spectacular find authentic?
Italy has been rocked by soccer violence, the government is divided and the economy is sluggish. Now archaeologists have entered the scene to save the country's national pride. On a hill in the center of the nation's capital, they have allegedly found the sacred cave of the founders of Rome.
On the brink: Kosovo clock runs out
Why such a rush? Why are both the Albanians and the Empire so eager to force the "final solution" for the province, when they have almost precisely what they want right now? And why does the Empire desire a centralized, Muslim-dominated Bosnia, and an Albanian Kosovo?
If the Albanian separatists declare their "independence," on December 10 or any time thereafter, recognition of that would be just the "damn fool thing in the Balkans" Bismarck had warned about. The first time it unleashed the cataclysm of 1914. What will it do now? If you answer "nothing," that's precisely what the kings and emperors had said back then.
German press:
"Kosovo talks failed due to Albanians' intransigence"
Kosovo Albanians refused to give up the dream of independence Wednesday during the final round of talks on the future status of the province. Serbia, however, is refusing to grant anything more than autonomy. German papers fear the consequences for the region and the EU.
MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA
Pessimistic on chances of peace
Disappointment, pessimism, frustration. The participants in the Annapolis conference could only feel victorious for one evening - then the disillusion set in. In a rare show of unity, Israeli and Arab newspapers have thrashed out at their political leaders.
(Also: Non-Holy See delegation at Annapolis summit)
(Also: Jerusalem divided)
(Also: Olmert lying about Temple Mount?)
(Also: Cardinal backs Palestinians' right of return)
(Also: US prepares Palestinian civil war and rallies Arab support against Iran)
German press:
"You can pick your friends, but not your enemies"
The Israeli and Palestinian leaders, umpired by President Bush, are pushing forward on an agreement for the existence of an independent Palestinian state. German commentators are eager to see action to back up the bold statements.
10 reasons to suspect "Save Darfur" is a PR scam
The regular manufacture and the constant maintenance of false realities in the service of American empire is a core function of the public relations profession and the corporate news media.
Among the latest false realities being pushed upon the American people are the simplistic pictures of Black vs. Arab genocide in Darfur, and the proposed solution: a robust US-backed or US-led military intervention in Western Sudan. Increasing scrutiny is being focused upon the "Save Darfur" lobby and the Save Darfur Coalition; upon its founders, its finances, its methods and motivations and its truthfulness. In the spirit of furthering that examination we here present 10 reasons to suspect that the "Save Darfur" campaign is a PR scam to justify U.S. intervention in Africa.
Ethiopia-Eritrea war fears
It's hard to see the looming threat of war with Ethiopia as you walk Eritrea's tree-lined boulevards or enter its Italian-style cafes. But beneath the Eritrean capital's tranquil surface, many Eritreans say they are worried about a repeat of the 1998-2000 border war that killed some 70,000 people.
It's so dangerous now. They say the troops are so close at some points it's like this," says a middle-aged Eritrean, holding his index fingers a few inches apart. "And worse, all the world has sided with Ethiopia"
Eritreans and Ethiopians have lived with 5 years of heightened tensions, harsh rhetoric and the threat of war after an independent border commission's ruling on their countries' shared frontier failed to resolve the explosive issue. Ethiopia initially rejected the final and binding decision, and now says it unconditionally accepts it, but wants more talks. Eritrea rejects new discussions.
PROVOKING PERSIA
China wants more Iran oil
Chinese oil firms will again buy crude oil from Iran and are seeking to increase their imports from the country. A senior Iranian official has confirmed that Chinese state firms are carrying on business with the world's 4th-largest oil producer, despite US calls for international businesses to reduce business ties with Iran.
B-52s vs. B-16?...
Iran's secret weapon: B16
The diplomatic chess game around Iran's nuclear program includes an unlikely bishop. According to several well-placed Rome sources, Iranian officials are quietly laying the groundwork necessary to turn to Pope Benedict XVI and top Vatican diplomats for mediation if the showdown with the US should escalate toward a military intervention. Iran, which has had diplomatic relations with the Holy See for 53 years, may be trying to line up Benedict as an ace in the hole for staving off a potential attack in the coming months.
"The Vatican seems to be part of their strategy," a senior Western diplomat in Rome said of the Iranian leadership. "They'll have an idea of when the 11th hour is coming. And they know an intervention of the Vatican is the most open and amenable route to Western public opinion. It could buy them time."
If the situation heats up in the coming months, the question of exactly what role the Vatican would play could become pivotal. Says one high-ranking Vatican official: "The Iranians look to the Holy See with particular attention. It is born from our common religious matrix. This could be utilized to offer ourselves as an intermediary if the crisis worsens."
Iran has a surprisingly large diplomatic corps at the Vatican (only the Dominican Republic has more diplomats accredited to the Holy See) who have a monthly meeting with papal advisers. But other unofficial discussions, in trattorias and cafes and a variety of Church institutions, are a constant part of the diplomatic workings in Rome.
For now, Benedict is maintaining a low profile. During his September trip to Austria, the Pope chose not to address the Iranian nuclear question in a key speech to world diplomats in Vienna, which is the headquarters of the IAEA. Though Vatican officials say they are concerned about Iran's development of nuclear arms, the pontiff is both doctrinally bound and personally inclined to pursue a negotiated settlement at almost any cost.
[WAR: Yes, B16 will become intimately involved in this situation (whether overtly or covertly) - trying to avoid war at all costs. But after Bush nukes Iran, all bets are off. Then the Bavarian B16 will give his blessing to some elements in Germany (Edmund Stoiber, the Teutonic Knight, leading a group of hardcore Catholic Crusaders in the BND?) to launch an EMP attack on the US in order to protect the world from our second King George III. The Trojan ... Teutonic Horse is already here within our gates, in New Mexico ... just waiting for the order to unload its cargo.]
Yes: I told you so
"SO WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO ME NOW?" The primary subject about which I would have such thoughts is the one that ought to concern everyone, the only subject that matters now in terms of what it could mean for the future of the world, and of the US: the probability of an attack on Iran. Did you hear that? An attack on Iran. Do you understand what I'm saying? A LIKELY ATTACK ON IRAN.
Never mind. The point is that even commenters who offer this kind of praise for my musings will not listen to me now, despite what they themselves admit is a track record of 100% accuracy, or as close to 100% accuracy as anyone is likely to come. For such commenters always go on to add: "Oh, but I don't read him regularly. I can't. He's just too damned depressing."
(Also: Distorting fascism to demonize Iran)
(Also: 6 world powers to discuss Iran Saturday)
(Also: Bush: US would back Israel against Iran)
HOUSE OF ISRAEL
US fascist coup owes legacy to Nazi Prescott Bush
Author Naomi Wolf, who made headlines earlier this year after she identified the ten steps to fascism that were being followed to a tee by the Bush administration, spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about the origins of what we see unfolding today, Prescott Bush's attempt to launch a Nazi coup in 1930's America.
"(In Germany) a small group of people began very systematically to use the law and dismantle the Constitution and put pressure on citizens to subvert the law - and that opened the door for everything that followed. When I started reading, not only are tactics and strategy being reproduced exactly right now by the Bush administration - but actual sound bytes and language and images and scenarios are being reproduced."
US bishop: 9/11 was an inside job
Bishop Richard Williamson, seemingly the most outspoken and controversial bishop of the Society of St. Pius X, asserted in a recent talk that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were committed "to get the American public to accept the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq."
Bishop Williamson, whose talk was held Nov. 4, 2007 in Bedford, Mass., is quoted as saying: "Without 9-11, it would have been impossible to attack Afghanistan or Iraq. ... And now the same forces want to do the same thing to Iran . . . They may well be plotting another 9-11. Heat from the burning fuel of the planes that flew into the twin towers of the World Trade Center could not have melted the 47 steel columns in each tower, causing them to collapse. And a commercial airliner could not have penetrated 6 of the 10 walls that were breached by whatever hit the Pentagon." What did hit the Pentagon, according to Bishop Williamson?" It was a missile that hit the Pentagon. It was a missile that could only have been fired by the American military."
Clueless Catholics Causing Confusion...
Dates played mysterious role for US
With the approach of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and its close ties to America, we should take time for national reflection on God’s Providence, the connection between human embryonic stem cell research, and the events of September 11, 2001. Was a warning contained within the tragedy? Does the timing mean anything?
It was December 8, 1941, that America declared war on Japan for the bombing of Pearl Harbor. What many Americans forget is that December 8 is also the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. That feast day is of national significance because according to the Catholic Church the Virgin Mary is the Patroness of the US under the title of the "Immaculate Conception."
It is why the Basilica in our nation’s capital is called the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Sitting between Virginia and Maryland is our nation’s capital and the basilica that honors our national patroness. Just coincidence? What is at point here is that dates can have significance for the recognition of Divine Providence.
[WAR: Really? Does the Father and Yahshua use the papal/pagan Gregorian Calendar to determine when events will happen? Do they bow their knee to Rome when it comes to determining time? Do you?]
ECONOMY
Oil surges after pipeline blast cuts supply
Oil surged more than $4 a barrel, the most in a month, after an explosion cut Canadian oil shipments through Enbridge Inc. pipelines that typically provide about 15% of US crude imports. Enbridge closed four pipelines that supply an average of 1.5 million barrels a day after a blast yesterday killed 2 workers. "It's an important pipeline and it's also where it's being hit, these pipeline junctions are a nightmare. (Oil) could go up further if it's shut for some time."
(Also: IEA monitors pipeline outage)
(Also: Rogue US fighter jet takes out key pipeline?)
Venezuela nixes dollars for oil
Venezuela is calling for oil to be sold in other currencies besides the US dollar because of the greenback's declining value. "The dollar has devalued and it is distorting the oil market because there is a financial crisis knocking on the U.S. door," Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said. The oil price is $100 a barrel. But what dollar are we talking about? It's a dollar that makes you laugh."
Chavez isn't paranoid...
CIA Operation "Pliers" uncovered in Venezuela
An internal CIA memorandum has been obtained by Venezuelan counterintelligence from the US Embassy in Caracas that reveals a very sinister - almost fantastical, were it not true - plan to destabilize Venezuela during the coming days. The plan, titled "Operation Tenaza (Pliers)" was authored by CIA Officer Michael Middleton Steere and was addressed to CIA Director General Michael Hayden in Washington.
Operation Tenaza has the objective of encouraging an armed insurrection in Venezuela against the government of President Chavez that will justify an intervention of US forces, stationed on the military bases nearby in Curacao and Colombia. Operation Tenaza is a very alarming plan that aims to destabilize Venezuela and overthrow (again) its legitimate and democratic (and very popularly support) president.
"Recession ... for the rest of this decade and beyond"
Lambasting the greenback has become trendy. It's a favorite pastime of politicians, too. At the November OPEC meeting in Riyadh, President Ahmadinejad asked the assembled finance ministers to "study the feasibility of selling oil in another currency." He disparaged the dollar as "a worthless piece of paper."
The fiery President Chavez followed Ahmadinejad's lead, predicting that the demise of the dollar would mean the "end of the Empire." Hugo may be on to something. The dollar is America's Achilles heel; if the dollar tanks, so does the empire.
Central banks across the globe are trying to figure out how to ditch their dollar reserves without triggering a stampede for the exits. No one wants to see that. But, then, nobody wants to be stuck with vaults full of Uncle Sam's green confetti either. So, the question arises; What is the best way to divest oneself of $5.6 trillion (total USD held overseas) before the Lusitania capsizes?
Harvard Economics professor, Lawrence Summers offered this sobering warning in an article in the Financial Times, "Wake up to the dangers of a deepening crisis": "Even if necessary changes in policy are implemented, the odds now favor a US recession that slows growth significantly on a global basis. Without stronger policy responses than have been observed to date, moreover, there is the risk that the adverse impacts will be felt for the rest of this decade and beyond. Several streams of data indicate how much more serious the situation is than was clear a few months ago." We're doomed.
(Also: World's financial system vulnerable)
(Also: Temperature falls to freezing for junk bonds)
Citigroup deal highlights US banking crisis
The troubles faced by Citigroup are linked to the enormous expansion of speculation by US banks. This speculation has been encouraged by the deregulation of the financial sector, including the repeal of the Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act in 1999. The repeal, carried out under the Clinton administration, broke down the wall between investment and commercial banking. This made conglomerates such as Citigroup possible, and encouraged the closer integration of the banking system with Wall Street. The problems facing Citigroup are a more concentrated expression of problems facing the entire American banking system.
Abu Dhabi's Citigroup bargain
The emirate's investment arm grabs a chunk of the financial giant, as US woes offer tempting buys for cash-rich, Gulf state funds. Better get used to it.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's $7.5 billion investment in Citigroup could be the start of shopping on Wall Street for the Gulf states and other big holders of cash such as Singapore and China. The Gulf Arab countries are running up current account surpluses of around $200 billion a year and have to put their money somewhere.
Although the Gulf states are somewhat nervous about the US and worried that the dollar - which they now refer to as the "d-word" - will continue to fall, a troubled bank like Citi still looks like a bargain.
China's attempt to convert its dollars into euros
As I discussed previously, the Chinese currency wild-card may become relevant far sooner than expected. An effort by China to convert its $1.4 trillion US Treasury holdings into euros is not viable for many reasons - not the least of which is the European Central Bank's inability to absorb such an event. As China continues its rush away from supporting US Treasuries and as Middle Eastern investors are buying them up in more diversified holdings, a new "currency exchange" is unfolding.
EU leaders call for reform at trade summit in China
A trade summit between Chinese and EU leaders has opened in Beijing, with friendly official statements masking discontent. Europe wants China to move faster on product safety, currency reform and a yawning trade deficit.
MISC
What makes us moral
If the entire human species were a single individual, that person would long ago have been declared mad. The madness would lie in the fact that both qualities of the savage and the splendid can exist in one creature, one person, often in one instant.
We're a species that is capable of almost dumbfounding kindness. We nurse one another, romance one another, weep for one another, willingly tear the very organs from our bodies and give them to one another. And at the same time, we slaughter one another. That we're also the lowest, cruelest, most blood-drenched species is our shame—and our paradox.
Morality may be a hard concept to grasp, but we acquire it fast. Where do those intuitions come from? And why are we so inconsistent about following where they lead us?
(Also: The morality quiz)
A bunch of crap?...
Grandmother saved by daughter's poo
It must be one of the most stomach-churning medical treatments ever devised. A grandmother who contracted a potentially fatal superbug in Scotland has been saved after a hospital fed her daughter’s faeces to her. The treatment involves liquidising a sample of faeces from a close relative of the patient, and feeding the liquid down a tube into the stomach. The treatment restores the bacteria to levels at which they help the recovery process.
[WAR: If we would stop eating/drinking all the processed "crap" we do, then we wouldn't have to resort to eating/drinking real processed crap.]
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