Tag Archives: Neocon

May 17 2022

Erdogan Will Not Accept Sweden and Finland into NATO Until He Extracts Concessions for Former Positions Against Interests of Turkey


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 16, 2022 | Sundance

Turkey as a member of NATO has always been a thorny and multi-layered geopolitical issue.  In the latest chapter of the dynamic, Turkish President Recep Erdogan, a man with visions of his own grandiose importance as the leader of the next Ottoman empire, has said Sweden and Finland do not warrant entry into NATO because they have held positions adverse to the interests of Erdogan and the Muslim Brotherhood.

As the entry point from the middle east into Europe, Erdogan has long leveraged his gatekeeper status to create an oversized influence of power.  When the EU formally declared the era of multiculturalism was failing 2012, and Islamic extremists were carrying out terrorism attacks all over the NATO alliance, Erdogan leveraged his ability to open the floodgates from Syria to gain additional financial benefits.

On one hand, when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet in northern Syria, Erdogan hid behind the skirt of NATO seeking protection from Russian retaliation.  On the other hand, when the U.S. refused to give Turkey missile defense systems, Erdogan buried the hatchet with Putin and purchased Russian missile defense systems.   President Erdogan plays all sides in advancing his interests.

In the latest development, what Joe Manchin is to the leftist agenda of Joe Biden, Erdogan is playing that role toward the globalist agenda of NATO.  The big picture behind Erdogan’s priorities is always connected to the agenda of the Brotherhood.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Swedish and Finnish delegations should not bother coming to Ankara to convince it to approve their NATO bid.

Sweden’s government has formally decided to apply for NATO membership, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Monday, a day after Finnish President Sauli Niinisto confirmed that Helsinki will also apply for membership.

Turkey surprised its NATO allies last week by saying it would not view their applications positively, mainly citing their history of hosting members of groups Ankara deems terrorists.

In a news conference on Monday, Erdogan repeated that Turkey would not approve their bids to join NATO, calling Sweden a “hatchery” for terrorist organisations, and adding it had terrorists in its parliament.

[…]  NATO and the United States said they were confident Turkey would not hold up membership of Finland and Sweden.

Diplomats said Erdogan would be under pressure to yield as Finland and Sweden would greatly strengthen NATO in the Baltic Sea.

Erdogan’s spokesman said on Saturday that Turkey has not shut the door to Sweden and Finland joining NATO but wants negotiations and a clampdown on what it sees as terrorist activities.  (read more)

Recep Erdogan can see the global cleaving underway, and he will position himself to use the geopolitical agenda of the western alliance to build out his continued quest to recreate a new Ottoman empire.  That’s his legacy agenda.

President Erdogan is sketchy and cunning…

May 17 2022

Biden Redeploys U.S. Combat Troops to Somalia, Reversing Trump Draw Down


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 16, 2022 | Sundance

Democrats love war, even when they have to go looking for one.  The New York Times is reporting that Joe Biden has signed a Defense Dept order authorizing 700 combat troops to redeploy to Somalia, reversing the Trump-era troop withdrawal.

WASHINGTON — President Biden has signed an order authorizing the military to once again deploy hundreds of Special Operations forces inside Somalia — largely reversing the decision by President Donald J. Trump to withdraw nearly all 700 ground troops who had been stationed there, according to four officials familiar with the matter.

In addition, Mr. Biden has approved a Pentagon request for standing authority to target about a dozen suspected leaders of Al Shabab, the Somali terrorist group that is affiliated with Al Qaeda, three of the officials said. Since Mr. Biden took office, airstrikes have largely been limited to those meant to defend partner forces facing an immediate threat.

Together, the decisions by Mr. Biden, described by the officials on the condition of anonymity, will revive an open-ended American counterterrorism operation that has amounted to a slow-burn war through three administrations. (read more)

May 16 2022

Inflation Crippling Low-Income Americans


Armstrong Economics Blog/Inflation Re-Posted May 16, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

We went from a booming economy to staring down the next recession. Inflation has reached 8.3%, and most Americans are troubled that they will no longer be able to afford their standard of living. According to the latest Gallup poll, 52% reported that they are fearful about maintaining their standard of living. Some may say, “So what? The rich will have to sell off one mansion and fly commercial!” The people who will feel the brunt of this economic downturn are lower-income earners.

Among those earning under $40,000 annually, 73% said they no longer believe they can afford basic living necessities, up from 56% a year prior. About 65% of lower-income Americans worry about having enough money to pay their monthly bills, while 59% say they fear they’ll no longer be able to afford housing. In fact, more lower-income renters should be concerned about the rising cost of housing because landlords will pass their increased costs on to their tenants at a time when rental costs are already at an all-time high.

Medical bills, the leading cause of bankruptcy, are of the utmost concern. Seventy-two percent of lower-income earners said they cannot afford an emergency medical event, and 62% cannot afford basic medical care. These fears are not unfounded and we are looking at a major crisis on the horizon.

May 16 2022

European Union Pushing for Mass Surveillance


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union Re-Posted May 16, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Censorship is now normalized in the West. The European Union has concocted its own way to spy on citizens under the pretense of protecting children from predators. The “chat control” law, if passed, would permit the EU to access private, chats, emails, text messages, and calls. The program will even allow the government to view messages sent on gaming systems such as X-Box. We have reached dystopian levels of mass surveillance.

The legislation would allow the government to view communications in real-time. The European Parliament passed a similar law in July 2021 on a smaller scale. This new adoption would no longer be voluntary and will involve the entire population. There were opposing members when the initial measure passed in July, and 72% of EU citizens said they opposed mass surveillance.

German Pirate Party Member of the European Parliament Patrick Breyer called it “totalitarian logic” and warned that “our post, our smartphones or our bedrooms could also be generally monitored. Unleashing such denunciation machines on us is ineffective, illegal and irresponsible.” That day has now come as the union is requesting unlimited access to our private lives.

Edward Snowden warned that this breach of privacy would span across the globe. The government no longer needs warrants or probable cause. If you ever feel alone, remember that the government is always there with you.

May 16 2022

Switzerland Joining the Warmongering Crowd


Armstrong Economics Blog/Switzerland Re-Posted May 16, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

The propaganda machine has been working at full speed. Sweden and Finland have been convinced to join NATO and now we have reports from within Switzerland that they too are contemplating surrendering their neutrality and joining the end times for Europe. Switzerland’s defense ministry is moving closer to NATO. They have violated their neutrality already by confiscating Russian assets. So in for a penny, in for a pound as they say. Switzerland is contemplating joint military exercises with NATO and they will be joining the fun and games post-2024 as well. So you better stock up on the Swiss chocolate. They may end up extinct after 2024. Perhaps they should recall the Swiss guards they lend to the Vatican. They may come in handy.

Markets never lie. The Swiss franc has gone into a free fall ever since we heard from behind the curtain that the Swiss government is yielding to the pleas from the West to join NATO. That is surrendering their neutrality and the markets are warning that Switzerland is no longer the safe harbor for capital.

Indeed, we certainly have the worst possible crop of world leaders EVERYWHERE. There is not a single political decision that anyone can possibly even call reasonable. We even had the insanity of Boris Johnson threatening to strike Russia with nukes outside of NATO. Just one nuke from Russia will take out all of Great Britain. This pounding of chests is not going to do anything but hurl us toward war so they can do this Great Rest and default on world debt because they have run the largest Ponzi scheme in human history.

I have a lot of European friends who have asked if they can flee here to Florida and hide under my bed. Unfortunately, I don’t think my bed is big enough to meet all the requests.

As I have written before, there are NO peacemakers – only warmongers. There is a better way. We can restructure the debt as I would do for a corporation in crisis. We do not need this warmongering and Klaus Schwab’s grand plan will fail just as Marx did. The United Nations will NEVER rule the world despite their thirst for power which was even mentioned in the charter of UNESCO.

Switzerland is in serious trouble. Going into 2023 is crazy then a Panic Cycle comes into play for 2024. This is not my personal opinion. I have created a computer that has NEVER been wrong on its geopolitical forecasts. I know I cannot scream loud enough to change the cycle. All I can do is plead for the world to look and just maybe we can live with the cycles post-2032 and create a better world just for once.

As for my friend in Switzerland – sorry, you can’t hide under your beds there. And yes, I got a dog I named Napoleon because I looked at my computer and knew I will not be visiting Europe again in my lifetime. So it was time to settle down. She’s always by my side.

May 16 2022

Sweden & Finland Joining NATO


Armstrong Economics Blog/Scandinavia Re-Posted May 15, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Hi Marty, hope all is well.

All indications are that Sweden and Finland will join NATO. However, both countries refuse to allow nuclear weapons to be placed in their countries.

Russia still threatens reprisals.

Does Putin have any reasons to attack Sweden and Finland before their respective NATO applications are a fact?

If no nuclear warheads are placed in Finland nor Sweden, what do you think the Russian response will be against Sweden and Finland in the end?

Kind Regards/MS

ANSWER: We do not see any indication that Russia will attack Finland and Sweden before joining NATO that would involve a prolonged event.  However, note that the computer did have a Double Directional Change here in 2022 which reflects the political change that is unfolding. War does not appear in that region until 2027-2028.

I am working feverishly to get what I hope will be a book on the coming World War III based upon the computer projection rather than my opinion. Unclassified documents have surfaced confirming that actually Putin is correct – NATO had promised not to move one inch eastward and that Eastern Europe was to be a buffer zone of nutrality. NATO has been the agressor and they are NOT ever interested in peace because if there was really peace, then there is no need for NATO and all those people would lose jobs.

As most people know, my sources are dammed good. When the Russians were building a secret unground facility, even Margaret Thatcher asked me if I had any information since their intelligence was coming up short. Our clients are of a like mind regardless of the nation in which they reside. There are always people in every country who oppose whatever current government is in power. That is just humanity. Even during the American Revolution, there were people who supported the king and they confiscated their property to fund the war.

There is so much behind the scenes that people just do not know like why Crimea was handed to Ukraine in 1954? Nikita Khrushchev was raised in the Donbas and actually considered himself from that region being born just 7 miles from the border between Ukraine and Russia. It was Khrushchev who rebuilt Kyiv after World War II for he was in charge of that province before he rose to national power. Khrushchev also was redrawing borders elsewhere. He was removed in 1964 for his hair-brain ideas and his confrontation with the US over stuffing missiles in Cuba in 1962. What Ukraine wants to do pushing the world into war over territorial grab, the world needs to know the Truth. All of Khrushchev’s redesigning borders was reversed and that included Crimea which they ruled was an illegal act.

I am putting together the full story covering both sides. We all have a right to know. NATO wants war and this is a war to exterminate Russia. Ukraine is the proxy war as our computer forecast back in 2013 that this would be the place where it all begins. The West could care less how many Ukrainians die – civilians or otherwise. Their purpose is to weaken Russia and only then will NATO act. Next will then be China.

May 16 2022

Sunday Talks, Finland President Sauli Niinistö Indicates a Global Cleaving Behind Decision to Join NATO


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 15, 2022 | Sundance

BASELINE – Boil all international and geopolitical issues down to their common denominator and everything, E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G., every issue, every discussion, every policy, every position, everything -all of it- circles around economics. Everything is secondary to the underlying economics of every single issue. Power or weakness, famine or war, peace or conflict, master or servant, culture or crisis, growth or collapse, the entirety of everything -including the foundation of freedom- centers around the economics.  There are trillions at stake.

In this interview Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö made some very interesting remarks when asked about his decision to reverse the long-established geopolitical position of Finland and join the “western alliance,” vis-a-vis NATO.

Listen carefully [01:44] when President Niinistö explains why.  Niinistö explains he did not, and does not, consider Russia a threat; however, “what we see now, Europe, the world, is more divided. There’s not very much room for ‘non-aligned,’ in-between. So that was also what we are thinking.”  WATCH:

In March of this year CTH noted, “this intentional global cleaving, using the opportunity created by the Ukraine crisis, is going to be the major story of this year.  This global splitting can be looked at in multiple ways, but the overarching story is the ramifications of two global trade relationships.”

Two world groupings.  One group, oil-based energy (traditional, grey on map below), and one group GREEN energy (the build back better plan, yellow on map).  It is not accidental these two groups hold similar internal geopolitical views and perspectives, hence, their alignment or lack thereof with the sanctions against Russia.

The important part to watch is if this cleaving continues, there are going to be two sets of nations with two structurally different economies.  An oil based energy group and a group chasing the Build Back Better, Green New Deal, human population control mechanisms under the ruse of climate change.

Behind the G7 and NATO, we know the multinational corporations assembled in the World Economic Forum are ultimately the driver of political policy. The central bankers, finance ministers and politicians all operate under the guidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organization (WTO).

Together the WEF, IMF, WB, WTO, EU central banks and U.S. federal reserve, collectively represent what we call the globalists.  And the globalists are pushing the climate change agenda hard {WEF LINK}.

It is important to remember the ultimate goal of the ‘climate change’ promotors (World Economic Forum) is not an energy system that changes the global climate. The goal of the ‘climate change’ group is to create a carbon trading system; a new financial mechanism (a global tax program) to control human activity on a world-wide basis.  This system also needs a digital identity in order to work {hint-hint}.

As a consequence, when we look at the fracturing of the global energy marketplace, it is worth viewing the divided group through the prism of the globalist carbon trading scheme.

The oil-based energy group is going to have a strong strategic advantage in production costs.  They will continue using oil, coal and gas (economic fuels), which are abundant, cheap and the infrastructure is already in place.

The western alliance group is going to be at a strong disadvantage – at least for a generation or two, as costs associated with the production of goods and new energy systems are going to be much more expensive to operate.  This disadvantage will continue while the transition into Build Back Better sustainable or renewable energy takes place.

It’s not just energy products at stake, it’s also very important outcroppings from energy products like food.

In the macro view, stuff from one group is going to be cheap and plentiful, the exact same stuff from the western alliance group is going to be more expensive and scarce.  There is going to be a geopolitical battle in the middle of this.

A battle based on ideology, economics and powerful interests.

The values of western democracy will change; heck, they are changing just look at what the same western democracies did with COVID.  In the western alliance government will get bigger, more oppressive, more controlling and ultimately the people will have less freedom.   We are feeling the outer bands of this shifting hurricane right now.

A great cleaving is underway, and Finland just signed-up for a team….

.

It’s as if the WEF crew wanted to provoke Russia to act in order to get the party started.

Wait, wha….

May 15 2022

Starving American Babies


Armstrong Economics Blog/Corruption Re-Posted May 14, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

May 15 2022

India Reverses Prior Position and Will Now Block Further Wheat Exports, Triggering G7 Concerns


Posted originally on the conservative tree house May 14, 2022 | Sundance 

In April India said it was hoping to expand its wheat exports from 7 million tons to 10 million.  However, as precarious winter wheat harvests reflect lower outputs, they are reversing position and will now block any wheat exports in order to ensure their own supply.

INDIA – […] The announcement drew sharp criticism from the Group of Seven industrialized nations’ agriculture ministers meeting in Germany, who said that such measures “would worsen the crisis” of rising commodity prices.

“If everyone starts to impose export restrictions or to close markets, that would worsen the crisis,” German Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir said at a press conference in Stuttgart.

Global wheat prices have soared on supply fears following Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine, which previously accounted for 12% of global exports.

The spike in prices, exacerbated by fertilizer shortages and poor harvests, has fueled inflation globally and raised fears of famine and social unrest in poorer countries.

It has also led to concerns about growing protectionism following Indonesia’s halting of palm oil exports and India putting the brakes on exports of wheat.

India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer, said that factors including lower production and sharply higher global prices meant it worried about the food security of its own 1.4 billion people.

Export deals agreed to before the directive issued Friday could still be honored, but future shipments need government approval, it said. (read more)

Don’t look now, but there’s an ideological alignment in the background of these decisions.

Turkey and Egypt will be receiving wheat export from India, both nations are aligned against the western position toward Russian sanctions.  Turkey said a few days ago they would not approve of Finland joining NATO (the irony of Turkey in NATO not withstanding).

We need to watch carefully, but there are indications in the geopolitical decision making of nationalist-minded countries, that seem to align with the previously discussed energy alliance cleaving.   The food alliance per se’, is lining up in similar fashion to the energy sector oil alliance.

If this geopolitical and ideological alignment of food imports/exports continues, what we will see is Europe become even more dependent on the U.S. for food exports.  That type of reality has the potential to play well for Biden’s pressure and blackmail campaign forcing NATO to stay committed to the war in Ukraine.

Due to sanctions, Western European allies have already become more dependent on the U.S. for energy products including heavy oil, and liquified natural gas (LNG) which is being exported from the U.S. at the highest rate in history; unfortunately, driving up the prices we pay.

Now we can overlay food exports as another angle for Biden to keep blackmailing NATO to support his proxy war in Ukraine.

Americans are already paying more for energy because we are subsidizing Europe.  Now Americans will pay more for food products because we are subsidizing Europe.   That my friends, is a hot mess.

This sanctions map starts to take on a new dimension beyond energy.  The western team in yellow trading energy and foodstuffs between themselves based on common ideology and outlook.  The team in grey trading energy and foodstuff based on common ideology and outlook.

Overlay that map with the countries who became totalitarian with COVID mandates, and you will discover a commonality.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden speaks about the worrisome rise of “autocracy.”?

BIG PICTURE – How we traditionally defined “freedom” is shifting away from the yellow zones and into the grey zones.

Why?  Because traditional western democracy has been infected with the far-left politics of socialism and communism, just like the democrat party.

Keep watching.

May 14 2022

The Cryptocurrency Crisis


Armstrong Economics Blog/Cryptocurrency Re-Posted May 12, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Mr. Armstrong, I just wanted to express my thanks. You were the only one who called the high in Bitcoin. You saved my marriage, my home, and my future. I tried to tell a friend who went and took an equity loan to invest in Bitcoin. He may lose his home now. I tried to tell him you warned markets crash when everyone has bought. He would not listen. Your principle applies to everything. Thank you so much. Your WEC saved my life.

See you in Orlando.

OA

REPLY: I know, The NY Post has published how people are losing everything and some are contemplating suicide. This is the normal Boom-Bust Cycle that governs. I know a lot of analysts disagreed with me. All I can say if they did not see this coming, then they were too biased and caught up in the trade for themselves.

As I have said, cryptocurrencies are an asset – not money. They are by no means a safe harbor against “fiat currency” and will NEVER be a store of value because NOTHING ever is. Gold rises and falls. Even during the 19th century, there was inflation and deflation. Guess what? When you are on a gold standard, the value of gold rises and falls just as the dollar does right now.

There are people who REFUSE to ever listen and keep preaching that a return to the gold standard somehow mysteriously will solve all the problems. I think they are smoking their marijuana way too much. I do not know how to explain it any simpler. There is a cycle to absolutely EVERYTHING!. There is NO standard that will EVER work because of the business cycle. Here is a chart of the Gold/Silver Ratio. If there was this fictional world where somehow money never appreciates nor declines, you have crossed the line into Marxist Theory and Communism. That was the whole reason behind Marx – to create the perfect world and end recessions and depressions.

Paul Volcker in 1978 express the harsh reality that nobody listened to. He called it the Rediscovery of the Business Cycle because it always defeated these people who tried to eliminate the business cycle and create the perfect world.

Arthur Burns, who was the Fed Chairman at the time of the collapse of Bretton Woods. He too acknowledged that the business cycle always wins. I’m sorry, but this is reality. Market crashes because EVERYONE who ever thought of buying has bought. Something happens and they try to sell. The market crashes because there I a lack of fresh buying. To survive your own investment decisions, this is lesson #1 – When everyone is talking about that investment as the next exception to reach new heights, it’s time to exit.