Manlio Dinucci -- “THE ART OF WAR” -- Large-scale manoeuvres encircling Venezuela

“THE ART OF WAR”

Large-scale manoeuvres encircling Venezuela

by Manlio Dinucci

VOLTAIRE NETWORK | ROME (ITALY) | 23 AUGUST 2017 

FRANÇAIS  ITALIANO  PORTUGUÊS

                      

The political media reflectors shine their spotlight on what is happening within Venezuela yet leave a shadow cast over what is happening around Venezuela. As the Pentagon has plotted out the world, Venezuela falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom). This is one of U.S.A.’s six “unified fighter commands”. The US has sliced the world up into six and given a slice to each of these commands, as their domain of responsibility.

So Southcom’s slice means that it is responsible for the 31 countries and 16 territories that form Latin America and the Caribbean. To police this area, SouthCom has land, naval and air forces as well as a marine corps. It also has special forces and the following three specific task forces:
• The Joint Task Force Bravo: stationed in the air base of Soto Cano, Honduras, it is organizing multilateral drills and other operations;
• The Joint Task Force Guantanamo: stationed at the naval base bearing the same name in Cuba, this carries out “operations of detention and interrogation in the context of the war against terrorism”; and
• The Joint Interagency Task Force South: stationed at Key West, Florida, the official task of which is to coordinate “anti-drug operations” across the whole region.

The ratcheting of SouthCom’s activity makes it clear to us that when President Trump declared on 11 August that “We have many options for Venezuela, including possibly a military option” – this was is no idle threat.

Last June, a special force of marines equipped with military helicopters was stationed in Honduras for regional operations meant to last for six months. Still under the remit of Southcom, the Tradewinds drill was carried out with forces from 20 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean participating. In July, a Unitas naval operation took place in Peru, with 18 countries participating; while Paraguay was the locus for the competition – a drill of special forces from 20 countries. From 25 July to 4 August, hundreds of officials from 20 countries have taken part in Panamax, a drill officially designed to “defend the Panama Canal”.

From 31 July to 12 August, at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (Washington), Mobility Guardian took place. This was the “biggest and most realistic drill for air mobility”. In it participated 3,000 men and 25 international partners, notably the Colombian and Brazilian air forces which were trained in day time and night time missions together with US, French and British air forces.

The “realistic scenario” involves a large-scale air operation to swiftly transport forces and arms to the zone of intervention. This is therefore proof of the military intervention in Venezuela, threatened by Trump.

The main base for this operation would be Venezuela’s neighbour, Colombia. The latter was hooked up to Nato in 2013 through a partnership agreement. “The Colombian military personnel – reports Nato – has taken part in a number of courses at the Nato academy in Oberammergau (Germany) and at the Nato Defense College at Rome, as well as participating in many high level military conferences”.

That a plan for military intervention in Venezuela in in place is confirmed by the Admiral Kurt Tidd, the Southcom Commander: at a Senate Hearing on 6 April 2017, he declared that the “escalating humanitarian crisis in Venezuela could require a regional response”.

To make good on the “military option” threatened by Trump, the same strategy actioned in Libya and Syria could be adopted, although the context would be somewhat different. What is envisaged is the infiltration of special forces and mercenaries who, with petrol, inflame Venezuela’s raw nerves, where social tensions have accumulated: an exercise to provoke armed confrontations. Then the government could be charged with massacring its own people which would open the door for “humanitarian intervention” by a coalition, with the U.S.A., the leader of the pack.

Manlio Dinucci

Translation
Anoosha Boralessa

Source
Il Manifesto (Italy)

Thierry Meyssan -- DIVERGENT INTERPRETATIONS IN THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST CAMP – PART 2

DIVERGENT INTERPRETATIONS IN THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST CAMP – PART 2

The US military project for the world

by Thierry Meyssan

While all experts agree that the events in Venezuela are following the same model as those in Syria, some writers have contested the article by Thierry Meyssan which highlights their differences from the interpretation in the anti-imperialist camp. Here, our author responds. This is not a quarrel between specialists, but an important debate about the historic change we are experiencing since 11 September 2001, and which is influencing all our lives.

VOLTAIRE NETWORK | DAMASCUS (SYRIA) | 22 AUGUST 2017 

DEUTSCH  ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΆ  FRANÇAIS  TÜRKÇE  ESPAÑOL  PORTUGUÊS 

This article is the continuation of
 « The anti-imperialist camp: splintered in thought », by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, 15 August 2017.

In the first part of this article, I pointed out the fact that currently, President Bachar el-Assad is the only personality who has adapted to the new « grand US strategy » - all the others continue to think as if the present conflicts were simply a continuation of those we have been experiencing since the end of the Second World War. They persist in interpreting these events as tentatives by the United States to hog natural ressources for themselves by organising the overthrow of the pertinent governments.

As I intend to demonstrate, I believe that they are wrong, and that their error could hasten humanity down the road to hell.

US strategic thought

For the last 70 years, the obsession of US strategists has not been to defend their people, but to maintain their military superiority over the rest of the world. During the decade between the dissolution of the USSR and the terrorist attacks of 9/11, they searched for ways to intimidate those who resisted them.

Harlan K. Ullman developed the idea of terrorising populations by dealing them a horrifying blow to the head (Shock and awe) [1]. This was the idea behind the use of the atomic bomb against the Japanese and the bombing of Baghdad with a storm of cruise missiles.

Manlio Dinucci -- A Arte da Guerra Grandes manobras ao redor da Venezuela

A Arte da Guerra

Grandes manobras ao redor da Venezuela

Manlio Dinucci

Edição de 22.08.2017

Publicado em 21.8.2017, 23:58

Os reflectores dos meios políticos e da comunicação medática concentrados no que está a acontecer dentro da Venezuela, deixam na sombra o que está a ocorrer à volta desse país.

Na geografia do Pentágono, este quadro associa-se à área do Comando do Sul dos EUA (Southcom), um dos seis “comandos de combate unificados” em que os EUA dividem o mundo. O Southcom, que abrange 31 países e 16 territórios da América Latina e do Caribe,dispõe de forças terrestres, navais, aéreas e de um corpo de ‘marines’, às quais se juntam forças especiais e três task force (forças tarefa) específicas: a Joint Task Force Bravo, localizada na base aérea de Soto Cano, nas  Honduras, que organiza exercícios multilaterais e outras operações; a Joint Task Force Guantanamo, localizada na mesma base naval, em Cuba, que efectua “operações de detenção e interrogatório no âmbito da guerra contra o terrorismo”; a Joint Interagency Task Force South, localizada em Key West, na Flórida, com a tarefa oficial de coordenar “operações antidrogas” em toda a região.

A crescente actividade do Southcom indica que, aquilo que o presidente Trump declarou, no dia 11 de Agosto – “Temos muitas opções para a Venezuela, incluindo uma possível opção militar” - não é apenas uma simples ameaça verbal. Uma força especial de ‘marines’, equipada com helicópteros de guerra, foi implantada em Junho passado, nas Honduras, para operações regionais com uma duração prevista de seis meses. Também na esfera do Southcom, em Trinidad e Tobago, ocorreu em Junho, o exercício Tradewinds com a participação de forças de 20 países das Américas e do Caribe. Em Julho, o Exercício Naval Unitas foi realizado no Peru, com a participação de 18 países e no Paraguai, uma competição/exercício abrangendo forças especiais de 20 países.

De 25 de Julho a 4 de Agosto, centenas de oficiais de 20 países participaram do Panamax, exercício oficialmente destinado a “defender o Canal do Panamá”. De 31 de Julho a 12 de Agosto, decorreu na Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Washington), o Mobility Guardian, que é “o exercício  maior e mais objectivo de mobilidade da aviação” com a participação de 3000 homens e 25 parceiros internacionais, em particular com as Forças Aéreas  da Colômbia e do Brasil, que se exercitaram em missões diurnas e nocturnas juntamente com as Forças Aéreas americanas, francesas e britânicas.

O "cenário real" é o de uma grande operação aérea, para transportar rapidamente forças e armamentos para uma zona de intervenção. Por outras palavras, é o teste de intervenção militar na Venezuela, como Trump ameaçou. A base principal seria a vizinha Colômbia, ligada à NATO desde 2013, por um acordo de parceria. “Os militares colombianos - documenta a NATO - frequentaram vários cursos na Academia de Oberammergau (na Alemanha) e no Colégio de Defesa da NATO, em Roma, participando também, em muitas conferências militares de alto nível».

A existência de um plano de intervenção militar na Venezuela está confirmada pelo almirante Kurt Tidd, comandante do Southcom: numa audiência no Senado, em 6 de Abril de 2017, ele declarava que “a crescente crise humanitária na Venezuela poderia exigir uma resposta regional”.

Para realizar a “opção militar”, como Trump ameaçou, poder-se-ia adoptar, embora num contexto diferente, a mesma estratégia implementada na Líbia e na Síria: infiltração de forças especiais e mercenários que jogam benzina em focos de tensão interna, provocando confrontos armados; acusar o governo de massacrar o seu próprio povo e, por conseguinte, a “intervenção humanitária” de uma coaligação liderada pelos EUA.

Il manifesto, 22 de agosto de 2017

Traduzido do italiano por 
Maria Luísa de Vasconcellos

Email:luisavasconcellos2012@gmail.com

Manlio Dinucci -- L’arte della guerra: Grandi manovre attorno al Venezuela

L’arte della guerra 

Grandi manovre attorno al Venezuela

Manlio Dinucci

EDIZIONE DEL22.08.2017

PUBBLICATO21.8.2017, 23:58

I riflettori politico-mediatici, focalizzati su ciò che accade all’interno del Venezuela, lasciano in ombra ciò che accade attorno al Venezuela.

Nella geografia del Pentagono, esso rientra nell’area dello U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), uno dei sei «comandi combattenti unificati» in cui gli Usa dividono il mondo. Il Southcom, che copre 31 paesi e 16 territori dell’America latina e Caraibi, dispone di forze terrestri, navali, aeree e del corpo dei marines, cui si aggiungono forze speciali e tre specifiche task force: la Joint Task Force Bravo, dislocata nella base aerea di Soto Cano in Honduras, che organizza esercitazioni multilaterali ed altre operazioni; la Joint Task Force Guantanamo, dislocata nell’omonima base navale a Cuba, che effettua «operazioni di detenzione e interrogatorio nel quadro della guerra al terrorismo»; la Joint Interagency Task Force South, dislocata a Key West in Florida, con il compito ufficiale di coordinare le «operazioni anti-droga» in tutta la regione.

La crescente attività del Southcom indica che quanto dichiarato dal presidente Trump l’11 agosto – «Abbiamo molte opzioni per il Venezuela, compresa una possibile opzione militare» – non è una semplice minaccia verbale. Una speciale forza dei marines, dotata di elicotteri da guerra, è stata dislocata lo scorso giugno in Honduras per operazioni regionali della durata prevista di sei mesi. Sempre nel quadro del Southcom si è svolta in giugno a Trinidad e Tobago l’esercitazione Tradewinds, con la partecipazione di forze di 20 paesi delle Americhe e dei Caraibi. In luglio si è svolta in Perú l’esercitazione navale Unitas, con la partecipazioni di 18 paesi, e, in Paraguay, la competizione-esercitazione di forze speciali di 20 paesi.

Dal 25 luglio al 4 agosto, centinaia di ufficiali di 20 paesi hanno preso parte alla Panamax, esercitazione ufficialmente destinata alla «difesa del canale di Panamá». Dal 31 luglio al 12 agosto si è svolta alla Joint Base Lewis–McChord (Washington) la Mobility Guardian, «la più grande e realistica esercitazione di mobilità aerea» con la partecipazione di 3000 uomini e 25 partner internazionali, in particolare le forze aeree colombiane e brasiliane che si sono esercitate in missioni diurne e notturne insieme a quelle statunitensi, francesi e britanniche.

Eric Zuesse -- Trump’s Fascism versus Obama’s Fascism

Trump’s Fascism versus Obama’s Fascism

August 20, 2017

by Eric Zuesse

Barack Obama was the only U.S. President who at the United Nations defended nazism — racist fascism — and Holocaust-denial. It received almost no reporting by the press at the time (or subsequently). But his successor President Donald Trump could end up being removed from office because he said that racist fascists are just the same as are people who demonstrate publicly against them. Trump’s politically stupid (not to say callous) remark became viral, and apparently the press (which had ignored Obama’s defense of nazism at the U.N.) just won’t let go of Trump’s statement unless and until he becomes replaced by his even-more-far-right Vice President, Mike Pence.

Why is there this intense press-coverage of Trump’s support of racist fascism, when there wasn’t of Obama’s (which was actually far more meaningful)? The answer comes closer if we ponder first a different question: How could the Republican Party, which is right-wing at its core, condemn a Democratic Party President who goes out of his way at the U.N. to protect today’s nazis? That wouldn’t be politically practical for Republican politicians to complain about (a Democrat’s being too far to the right); so, they didn’t do it. Similarly, no Democrat will criticize a Republican for being too leftist. There may be a few exceptions, but that’s the general rule: Successful politicians don’t offend their base.

But that still doesn’t fully answer why the press ignored it when Obama defended nazism at the U.N. The rest of the answer comes when we recognize that America’s press gets its cues from the two political Parties. If the ‘opposition’ (and not just the President’s own Party) is hiding something egregious that a President is doing or has done (such as happened there with Obama, and with many other conservative policies that Obama executed), then the press will hide it, too. Republicans weren’t calling attention to Obama’s defense of nazism, because they’d then be offending some of their own supporters. (Democrats weren’t calling attention to it, because a Democrat was doing this, which didn’t fit the ‘progressive’ storyline.) And, if the ‘opposition’ isn’t pointing it out, then neither will the press. The matter will then just be ignored — which is what happened. This was thus bipartisan non-reporting, of what Obama did. There was a lot of that while Obama was President.

In other words: America’s press are tools of, and are led by, the same people who actually, deep down, control both of America’s political Parties — the billionaires. They control both politics, and also the press. Numerous social-science studies have shown that the wealthier a person is, the likelier that person is to be politically conservative — at least to the extent that political conservatism doesn’t threaten his or her particular business and financial interests. As America’s billionaires have come to control America’s politics, this country has been moving farther and farther to the right, except on the relatively few issues (such as immigration, gay rights, etc.) where their own economic interests are served better by a progressive position (or, at least, by a position that seems to most people to be progressive).

Russia pays last Soviet debt

Payment of $152 million to Bosnia clears all outstanding Soviet debt

by 

ALEXANDER MERCOURIS

August 21, 2017, 22:42

This article was first published by RussiaFeed

An aspect of the events surrounding the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 which rarely gets discussed is that Russia took on itself the entire burden of paying the whole of the foreign debt owed by the USSR at the time of its collapse.

By contrast the other fourteen Soviet republics – now all of them independent states – were not required to pay any of this debt when the USSR collapsed.

The result was that from the moment it came into existence Russia found itself liable for the entire burden of the USSR’s debt – estimated to be around $70 billion – with just a few billion dollars held in the Russian Central Bank’s gold and foreign currency reserves to cover it.

By contrast the other republics of the USSR when they became independent found themselves entirely debt free.

Needless to say any comparison of the relative economic performance of Russia and of the other former Soviet republics since 1991 ought to take this fact into account.  Needless to say it never is.

In the event Russia has successfully discharged the whole of this huge Soviet debt burden it took on itself, steadily paying off all the USSR’s debt ever since Vladimir Putin became Russia’s President in 2000.

US President Trump decreases US Debt by more than $100 Billion

This will not be shared by CNN, the Failing NYT or the Washington Post.

by ALEX CHRISTOFOROUAugust 21, 2017, 12:04760 Views

WASHINGTON, D.C. - FEBRUARY 22: (AFP-OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump discusses the federal budget in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on February 22, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

For all the bad press (and fake news) heaped on US President Trump by the liberal left mainstream media, important fiscal discipline is starting to seep through the massive spending made from deep within the DC swamp.

President Trump has cut more US Federal debt for a longer period of time than any US President in history.

Via The Gateway Pundit…

When President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017 the amount of US Federal Debt owed both externally and internally was over $19 Trillion at $19,947,304,555,212.

As of August 17th the amount of US Debt had decreased by more than $100 Billion to $19,845,188,460,167.

No President in US history has ever cut the amount of US Debt by this amount and no President has resided over a debt cut like this ever.