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Spread this message with Digg, Del.icio.us, Reddit, or Stumbleupon, and subscribe to the RSS Feed to track articles Is China preparing for war with America? Is China Already At War With Us?E-mail - editor@economyincisis.org |
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Understanding History China counts its history in millennia. It has seen enemies come and go, yet one thing remains constant – China continues. Why should the Chinese expect America to be different from their enemies of yore? Chinese politicians and military officers study history. They know the writings of Sun Tzu, a legendary warrior-philosopher whose 6th century BC military treatise “The Art of War” is mandatory reading for military officers worldwide. Sun Tzu has dozens of notable quotes, but the greatest may be, “For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.”
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guest says "Reagan the jerk" on 03/24/08
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guest says "Reagan's failures" on 03/24/08
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Let's not forget Ronnald Reagan's failures. Probably the worst president before Bush II.
Thanks to Reagan's cowardice in the middle east, we now have given the keys to the terrorists to destroy us. When the Marine barracks were bombed in 1983, Reagan effectively tucked his tail between his legs and pulled out. What a coward! This not only made our marines look like sisses, it made America look like a whimp in the world and showed the terrorists exactly what they needed to do to defeat America. Suicide bombing became Jihad course 101. Reagan's unconstitutional and illegal attack of Grenada in 1983 and arming of the contras also weakened our stance in the world and turned public opinion against us in central and south america. How? It turned the central and south American countries against us because they realized that they too might be victims of American imperialism. Reagan effectively gave a win to Castro, and paved the way for Hugo Chavez. Was it Reagan who also helped support dictator Pinochet? Reagan's battle to destroy and bankrupt the Soviet union not only caused extreme hardhship to the Russian people and bitterness towards us, it also opened the floodgates to the sale of nuclear technology and proliferation worldwide. Because of Reagan's stupidity, North Korea, Pakistan, Libya, and Iran all got access to nuclear technology making the world far MORE dangerous not less dangerous. Reagan opened trade with Saddam and allowed WMD's to be sold to help Saddam fight the Iranians? Result? Gassed Kurds, less democracy, more death, more religious extremism and greater worldwide misery and suffering for humanity. All to make a quick buck for corporations. See DemocracyRising.us for list of profiting companies. Another failure of Reagan was his amnesty program for illegal aliens. Thanks to Reagan, the floodgates for the Mexican invasion have been turned on full. Result? Lower worker wages.Broken unions. Jobs shipped out of the country, illegal drugs have a freer flow and network into American, Billions wired out of the country tax free, and US sovereignty is threatened. Thank you Mr. Reagan for helping wreck a once great nation. |
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guest says "Sorry Zachary Hubbard but..." on 03/23/08
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I'm sorry Mr. Hubbard, but your argument is about 30 years too late.
The world has changed since the 70's. Low gas prices are not the be all end all of economics. Have you ever contemplated alternative energy? Europe has. Brazil does. America is at least 30 years behind thanks to conservative thinkers who were too dumb to consider the consequences of actions and when caught in a lie believe that hypocracy is acceptable if backed by bullying. The unprecedented corruption of the Reagan's failures as president, and spectacular incompetence and corruption of both Bush administrations are the proof positive that America has made probably the worst possible choices for its future and its citizens. Now we are living with the fruits of those decisions thanks to conservatives. Europe is far far better off than the USA if measured by its: democracatic representation, overall economy, life expectancy, currency strength, health care systems, self reported happiness of citizens, adherence to the rule of law, living standards, freedom from religion, public access to education, public transit systems, and wisdom to avoid America's imperial misadventurism. Europe is by no means perfect, but makes the USA look like a Rwanda style country when measured by public welfare standards. Conservatives never understand these arguments because their focus is on creating wars and enemies domestic and throughout the world. Conservatives are principally interested in a domineering relationship with others rather than living in peace, harmony, and cooperation. |
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guest says "Another article by Zachary Hubbard" on 03/23/08
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Published: March 21, 2008 09:29 am
http://www.tribune-democrat.com/editorials/local_story_081092906.html For America and Europe, a sticky oil situation BY ZACHARY HUBBARD Commenting on the damage to America’s international image caused by the war in Iraq, France’s foreign minister Bernard Kouchner recently told the International Herald Tribune, “It will never be as it was before.” Kouchner went on to say that for America, “the magic is over,” meaning our country will never again be widely admired around the world. Perhaps he is correct. Kouchner should be worried, however, because if the magic is really over for America, France and the rest of Europe can’t be far behind. Since the end of World War II, Europe has made a habit of letting the United States do its heavy lifting. It was U.S. generosity and leadership that, through the Marshall Plan, rebuilt war-torn Europe. Thousands of Americans gave their lives to liberate France from Germany in World War II. Many Americans lie buried on the shores of Normandy today. To show its gratitude, France withdrew from NATO’s integrated military command structure in 1966 and gave the United States one year to remove all U.S. military forces from French soil. While the first generation of German baby boomers protested in the streets against the presence of U.S. forces in West Germany, it was U.S. leadership and sacrifices that ultimately brought down the Berlin Wall and caused the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In early 2003, as the United States was planning for the Iraq invasion, a troika comprising France, Germany and Russia hurriedly maneuvered in the U.N. Security Council attempting to thwart the U.S. plan. Two years later, the world learned that many high-level political and civilian officials from the troika had been implicated in paying billions of dollars in kickbacks to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein through the now-infamous U.N. Oil for Food program. China’s Chairman Mao Zedong was right when he said, “Power proceeds from the barrel of a gun.” The world has changed a lot since Mao died in 1976. Today, power proceeds from a barrel of oil. Unfortunately, the United States and Europe alike have bet their futures on oil. This has left both in a position where any unscrupulous oil-producing nation can employ economic blackmail to impose its will on the petroleum needy. This is nothing new. The Soviet Union used energy as a tool for controlling its satellite nations. Most electric power generation plants were built in mother Russia and in dependable allies, such as Belarus and the Ukraine. Major transmission networks carried electricity to less-reliable countries such as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. If a Soviet satellite nation got out of line, the Russians could literally turn off the lights. Since the 1991 Gulf War, the United States has maintained a large military presence in the Persian Gulf. While ostensibly about liberating Kuwait from an Iraqi invasion, the war was more about keeping Hussein from seizing Saudi Arabia’s oil fields and potentially disrupting the supply to the West. When I served as a military planner, every order I saw for the Middle East included the requirement to “maintain an uninterrupted flow of oil from the Persian Gulf” as one of its objectives. In the years since the Gulf War, many European countries have sought to lessen their energy dependency on the Middle East, turning instead toward Russia. This strategy was called into question during the early days of 2006, when Russia shut off a major natural gas pipeline over a political dispute with the Ukraine. The pipeline to the Ukraine also serviced Germany and other European Union nations. In 2007, Russia temporarily cut off oil to Belarus. This again impacted many EU nations. Today, even as German Prime Minister Angela Merkel proclaims that her country must cut its dependency on Russian oil, a natural gas pipeline is being built beneath the North Sea to carry Russian natural gas from Western Siberia to Germany. From Germany, the gas will be distributed throughout the EU. As Europe’s oil and gas dependency on Russia grows, so will its susceptibility to Russia’s use of energy as a tool of foreign policy. The EU is therefore bound to grow more politically supportive of Russia and its surrogate Iran with respect to Russia’s foreign policy. Today, the United States continues to maintain a large military presence in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region, ensuring an uninterrupted supply of oil for America and the EU. Most EU nations are nonpaying beneficiaries of that U.S. presence. As an American war with Iran appears increasingly possible, Russia will continue to back Iran in order to prevent U.S. hegemony in the Middle East. Because Russia can deny oil and gas supplies to Europe, the EU nations will come under increasing pressure to support or at least remain neutral toward Russian foreign policy in the Middle East. While the United States remains stuck in the Middle East, the EU will be stuck paying tribute to Russia’s political will. In many ways, the EU position is even graver than that of the United States. Europeans have known extreme pain at the gas pumps for years. Despite EU solidarity, when push comes to shove, national interests will take precedence during an energy crisis. America has a significant Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We have at least a century’s supply of coal still in the ground. In a national emergency, the United States could resume production from domestic oil and gas wells that today are not deemed cost-effective to operate. America has more energy options than Europe. So I ask you, Monsieur Kouchner, who is the magic really over for if not the EU? Zachary Hubbard is a retired Army officer and freelance writer. He is a member of The Tribune-Democrat Readership Advisory Committee. |
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guest says "New article by the same author." on 11/23/07
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This article appeared in the Tribune Democrat Newspaper on 11/23/07
http://www.tribune-democrat.com/editorials/local_story_326091707.html Published: November 22, 2007 09:17 am America’s reign as world’s economic king in peril BY ZACHARY HUBBARD The war on terror grabs headlines, but there are far greater threats to America than terrorism. Conditions are ripe for a shift in the balance of global power, perhaps in the next four to five years. When it occurs, America will no longer be the dominant economic force on the planet. As our economic power wanes, our political and military power will follow suit. The Roman philosopher Seneca said, “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” His wisdom applies to America’s economic situation today. Americans must choose a new economic destination and change course soon or we stand to lose much of our national power. If we fail to act, the world could well end up with a four-way competition among the European Union, a China-dominated Asia, a global oil cartel dominated by Russia and a nuclear-armed Iran, and a U.S.-led North American Union. Indications of America’s waning economic power are numerous. A mortgage crisis caused by foolhardy subprime lending practices has thousands of Americans at risk of losing everything. Many financial institutions caught up in the scheme are also in trouble. American consumer debt is at an all-time high and may cause the next major financial crisis. The Baltimore Sun published an article on Oct. 10 titled, “Credit card debt is ready to blow.” According to the Sun, the financial industry is preparing for major defaults on the credit card debt held by Americans today, which exceeds $500 billion. General Motors, once a global symbol of American industrial might, has suffered record losses recently and is facing financial disaster. Ford apparently has similar woes. America’s manufacturing base is shrinking, as U.S. companies continue to ship manufacturing jobs overseas. Meanwhile, China is experiencing record economic growth funded largely by American consumers and U.S. government debt. Failed energy policies could soon have Americans facing $5 per gallon gasoline. Looming energy shortages threaten manufacturing and other sectors. Every U.S. president since the Arab oil embargo of 1973-74 has failed to exhibit leadership in addressing America’s energy needs. Consequently, today we must buy oil from a rogue cartel dominated by Middle Eastern tyrants who hate us. The U.S. dollar has tanked on foreign markets. Exchange rates are at an all-time low against the Euro and even the Canadian dollar. Iran has shifted its hard currency reserves to the Euro. China is threatening to do the same. Such a move by China, which holds more than $1 trillion in U.S. debt, would be devastating to the U.S. economy. The solution to these problems rests with our elected officials on Capitol Hill. Unfortunately, all you will find there today is a do-nothing Congress that has failed to pass legislation on a single major issue this year. Pork lovers on both sides of the isle warn of looming funding crises for Social Security and Medicare, yet they continue to increase the federal debt. What you won’t find in Washington is a single leader with the integrity, knowledge and leadership ability to bring about significant change. Where is today’s John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan? Are there no statesmen remaining? The lineup of potential nominees in the upcoming presidential election appears to lack a single candidate, Republican or Democrat, with the ability to steer the nation toward a new destiny. We need a leader with the guts to tell Americans the truth about the dangers of our present course, and the resolve to do something about it. America’s economic problems can’t be solved using traditional methods. The Federal Reserve can no longer simply print more currency or manipulate interest rates to save the day. With American manufacturing shrinking, we cannot reduce our huge balance of trade deficit by increasing exports. Raising taxes enough to begin paying down the staggering national debt would stifle economic growth. There are no easy fixes. Our problems are not purely economic. They reach to the very core of America’s national identity. Many politicians talk about repairing America’s reputation, but it’s not just our reputation that is broken. The way we do business on Capitol Hill needs fixing. American voters must redefine the country economically by facing up to exploding personal and national debt, our disappearing manufacturing base and our dangerous foreign oil dependency. Only then may we hope to preserve our political and military might. If party politicians continue to skirt these problems, America may suffer the same fate as the vanished democracies that preceded it. Even the glory of Rome faded. Why should we expect our fate to be any different if we fail to tackle our problems? Zachary Hubbard is a retired Army officer and freelance writer residing in Upper Yoder Township. He is a member of The Tribune-Democrat Reader Advisory Committee. |
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guest says "Another Article by the Same Author" on 11/23/07
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http://www.tribune-democrat.com/editorials/local_story_326091707.html
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guest says "A Recession would be a godsend compared to a Depression" on 09/27/07
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As the dollar continues to slide and lose value a Recession looks more and more likely. Let's hope its not a Depression.
What can we do to help? Protect yourself first: Immediately pull your money out of stocks and bonds and convert your assetts into bullion. Paper money has no real worth. This is what the wealthy are doing as the dollar conintues to decline. Halt all purchases from China and reduce spending except on bare essentials until you've built up your emergency cash supply. Buy only American and European goods whenever possible. Tell the government to stop funding the Iraq Occupation! $12 billion a month is an obscene sum to continue this occupation which is unwanted by both the American public and the Iraqis themselves! Demand a refund. The American public is entitled to a refund for the overbilling and overselling from Donald Rumsfeld and the Bush administration, overpricing of gasoline and military equipment, incompetetent workmanship/construction of rebuilt and new Iraq infrastructure, and overpaid contractors who are working in Iraq. We, the American people must insist on this. We were lied to. We were cheated. We are rightly owed a full refund for this predictable disaster. There shoul be a Recapture and Return bill to legally go after those who have misspent, mismanaged and been overpaid for their work in Iraq. This should include the complete seizure of all personal savings, property, and wealth from any individual in an official or business capacity who actively promoted and encouraged this war. There must be economic Justice to attone for the squandering and theft of public funds that is destroying our economy. To allow these sins to go unpunished will pave the way for the next war, and sacrifice of blood and treasure. Citizens must get back control if there is ever to be a change of foreign policy in our country. Maximum yearly salary for any contractor/manager in Iraq should be capped at $50,000. A more than generous amount considering how badly our country is being bled to death not only in agony, national shame and worldwide reutation, but also by the obscene monetary cost of this occupation ($12 billion monthly). |
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guest says "Check the label before you buy a product" on 09/27/07
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He/She that might still think that the USA is a world power needs to wake up fast. We have been loosing ground at great speed! Since we can't count on our govermental officials we must stand together and start making a change. We must support our Economy, we must support our Country. Refuse to buy "Made in China" products. Educate your friends and families!!!!!
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guest says "China, US and the world" on 09/26/07
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Policies of either of the two (China and US) should not be aimed at seeking leadership in the world. The cardinal rule for a leader is to have those he/she leads achieve their, not the leader's, interests. Whichever of the two (China or US) abides by this cardinal rule automatically gains the status of the leader of the world.
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guest says "Defective Chinese Imports?" on 09/25/07
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Really... this is more likely a scheme coming from the U.S. to help debilitate the trade. I don't see China gaining by destroying its export sales. The U.S. has a bigger reason to posture "bad imports" (Seriously, did Barbie all of a sudden get a new coat of lead paint -this would have been going on for years - we are acting politically to raise the awareness to serve our agenda.)
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guest says "Soviet Repeat?" on 09/24/07
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How did the Soviet Union Fall? It fell through bankruptcy by competing in an arms race with the USA that it could not out do in addition to inept and mean leaders, corruption and a black market that undermined the communist system.
Isn't the USA doing the same thing by acting as Policeman to the world? According to the Treaty of Westphalia, the USA has no rightful role to play in any nonhostile foreign country without the express permission of that country inviting us to enter. Wasting billions in dollar and thousands of men on unnessary and unwinnable occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan endangers America from its real enemies who are many and gathering thanks to America's now depleted public image in the world. Weren't the Soviets worn down and depleted by the Afghan war/occupation just 20 years ago? Folks, we have have no business there and never have.Just as we have no business (or ability) to ever protect Taiwan. Anyone with military training and 6th grade geography lesson would see the absurdity of that promise. The Chinese are more than happy to see the USA destroy itself economically and militarily in discretionary wars.They are lending us the economic noose to hang ourselves. I'm sure they are smiling at American stupidity as they watch and wait the predictable outcome. Meanwhile our business leaders hailed as heros for their obscene salaries and anti-union tactics eviscerate our nation through the importation of illegal aliens and selling out our manufacturing base to the world's worst offenders of labor rights, fair taxes and environmental protection laws. Something needs to change in a hurry if the USA is to survive. We see now in the markets the dollar hits a new low against the EURO. 1.41 dollar=1 EURO. Send your thanks to Greenspan spent 2 decades creating a false economy of supply side economics that has driven inflation 41% since 2001. America must return to a pre WW II isolationist stance-still allowing some trade- but not being involved with global empire building or military adventurism that has produced spectacular failures since the Korean War. |
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guest says "Taiwan is indefendable" on 09/23/07
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The US should not be in any contract with Taiwan to protect the island against a Chinese take over.
Taiwanese are essentially Chinese heritage people and share a history with China unrelated to the USA. Additionally Taiwan is not in the American region of influence and the land mass rightly belongs to China as Block Island or Nantucket Island belong to the USA. America should get off of its short sighted selling out to China and become totally self dependent again as much as is possible. Otherwise the Chinese will beat us economically without even firing a shot. Financial power in the modern world is at least as important as military power, and China can more effectively undermine the USA financially rather than militarily at this point. If world dominance is their goal, they can have it. The USA has no right, duty, obligation or responsibility to interfere in the sovereign affairs of other nations who have not declared hostility towards us nor have implored our help for aid. America should promote and protect its own people and industry first and foremost without reliance on any foreign government or entity. |
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guest says "Is China Already At War With Us?" on 09/22/07
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The answer is yes. Every day the research arm of the US Air Force at WPAFB in Dayton is hit wave after wave with cyber attacks into it mainframe. This is happening at the Pentagon and on every military base in the US.
It is a Mao philosophy to conquer your enemy at it's core before striking physically. The PRC has struck us financially. After the 08 Olympic games the PLA will come to blows with the US military over Taiwan. There is a genius to how the Chinese operate. They put out a statement, typically released on FT.com, it is available for a day, then the story disappears forever. They have been giving us warnings over the past ten years but most folks have dismissed the Chinese as a credible threat. For those folks I would highly recommend reading "The China Threat" by Bill Gertz. Our own military has refused to acknowledge the threat the Chinese are to our nation. Terrorism is child's play compared to the threat from the world's largest army (300 million and growing) and the world's largest navy. They have become so advanced in their stealth capabilities they were able to sneak up on one of our carrier groups (in a diesel sub mind you) and not be recognized until it surfaced 400 yards behind it. They are cranking out subs a an alarming rate. Our own CIA is being trumped when these subs are launched and commercial satellites are the first to spot them in open waters. And who is it that is supplying nuclear technologies to Iran, North Korea and whoever else the Bush Administration is worried about? China. People always ask me what does China have to gain from destroying the USA? World domination. Think of it. The world already buys it's goods from China. China buys it's materials from Europe, South America, Central America, Africa, Russia, Canada, Australia. What are we providing the Chinese? Purchases on credit? After the cold war the DOD issued a decree that our military would no longer be threatened by nuclear war so all of the anti-EMP technology was scrapped on our planes, tanks, vessels etc. Our military is Satellite based almost 100% now. The Chinese hold the key technology in anti-satellite lasers and missile and EMP warheads for ICBM's. Technically they could launch and attack on the US and not even have to move an inch. Then that massive army and navy could pull a Pearl Harbor on mainland USA. |
Tax breaks for the wealthy only make the nation poor and ultimately cost the nation much more because of borrowing and interest on that borrowing. Why?
Because un and underfunded projects must borrow money to to keep roads, bridges, schools and hospitals functioning. That borrowed money come at the price PLUS interest. Therefore, when it cannot be paid for and needs to be done, you end up getting less for more. A ripoff for our nation.
A 25 year retroactive tax to recover lost assetts must be instituted to save our nation from bankruptcy. Additionally, a $1 million salary cap on ceos should be enacted immediately.
Millionaires and Billionaires are the last people to need any tax break. These people just sit on the money or invest in China. Why should the wealthy be paid to further injure our nation?