Sunday, December 14, 2008

THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL NEWS STORY OF 2008

Today, on his CNN Sunday talk show "GPS", Fareed Zakaria asked the above question... I responded to the show's web site as follows:

Dear Fareed:

Unquestionably, the most important international news story of 2008 was the Russian/US confrontation in Georgia. It was a desperately needed bucket of cold water in the face of a rapidly declining, but from a Russian perspective, extremely dangerous empire."Wake up! The world's going to hell in a hand basket and we're the only ones who can prevent this... for however long." Some might argue that Mumbai was more significant, but it was not. Only the United States and Russia can prevent India and Pakistan from a nuclear exchange. To do so they must act in concert. For several reasons there are signs that this once-scorned partnership is beginning to emerge. Not the least of these is emerging Russian/US naval cooperation regarding Somali pirates. The world is standing on the brink of economic chaos and now would be a good time to recall von Clausewitz's most famous quote, that "war is a continuation of politics by other means."

Politics are a continuation of economics by other means, Fareed; and economics are solely a product of energy. The current global meltdown; "the end of the epoch" as labelled by George Soros is -- and has always been -- about energy. Sixty per cent of all the known oil on the planet is in the Gulf. Only the U.S. and Russia can hope to preserve short-term stability there as well. I, for one, believe that for the U.S. and Russia to act by either overt or covert means to prevent a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan might be highly desirable. Wouldn't you agree?

I wrote about Russia on my own blog 24 hours before your incredible interview with Secretary Powell. For the record, he deserves great respect for his conduct over the last eight years, but most especially in the last six months. I understand the soldier's code and how he has walked to the outer edges of it. My own final piece of investigative journalism was to break the Pat Tillman cover-up. Pat's mother Mary will gladly confirm this. My first book is in the Harvard Business
School Library.

I have a new book which should be out in the Spring entitled, "A Presidential Energy Policy".

SIncerely,

Michael C. Ruppert

Author: "Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil."

http://www.mikeruppert.blogspot.com
http://www.fromthewilderness.com


--
MCR
***********************************************************************************

As wealthier countries bid for food-growing land in poorer ones, the snake has begun literally to eat its own tail:

"Egypt is investing in Sudan; Libya in Ukraine; Saudi Arabia in Thailand; China in Africa, the Philippines and Russia," says Joachim von Braun, head of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC.

The Saudi BinLaden Group Bids for Land in Indonesia
Quite a switch from the days when the Saudis required foreign companies to dye their rice red so as to distinguish it from the local brand.

Wait a second - Was that, "Saudi BinLaden Group?"
Yes; they seem to be back (or rather, still) in business tho' it's hard to tell from their distinctly unforthcoming website.

The Qatar/Kenya predation

Obama on Clean Coal
Obama Coal-to-Liquids Act
Bush Rushes to Pass Anti-Labor Law Opposed By Obama
Part of the scorched-earth, Leave-No-Intact-Area-Behind policy of the current administration.

Jenna Orkin

16 comments:

OregonSurvivor said...

Jenna, your link to Obama Clean Coal does not work.

Just re-read Globalcorp. Thanks to Mike and Jenna for all you do!

Tom

Jenna Orkin said...

thanks tom
it's fixed

blunknip2636 said...

I have to crack up at your understatement on the snake eating its own tail... I would say the snake has eaten so much of its own tail it's coming out its own sphincter...

I have gotten much value from your observations over the years Mr. Ruppert. Thanks for your return...at the right time too. You have earned my careful consideration of anything you have to say about the world...

Jeff said...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28223004
The blame seems to be falling on Al-qaida for the economic trouble,also the important economic hub of mumbai.Even quoting the great Z-big.
Such reporting really makes me wonder if they really believe themselves.

Pandabonium said...

Excellent interview on Electric Politics with Ted Nace of Coalswarm about how they are successfully stopping new coal power plants. He also discusses Obama's position.
Nace has a book which is available free at his website titled "Gangs of America" which is an eye opening history of corporations in the US.

The interview is here: Ted Nace on Coal

The book: Gangs of America

John Higgs said...

IEA now accepts Peak, puts it at 2020:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/15/oil-peak-energy-iea

Unknown said...

It was and will always be about energy...indeed, indeed.
Here's an interesting bone to gnaw on for a bit.
As FTW has made so clear over the years, peak is here or near. This article makes it clear and if this is an official projection made public, imagine the real truth. The IEA is saying in 3 to 4 years that fields outside of OPEC producing regions will begin to decline in production with an overall plateauing around 2020. Do you have your paddle ready? Cuz the creek is rising and it don't smell nice.
When will the oil run out? An interview by George Monbiot with the chief economist of the IEA, Fatih Birol. Published in today's Gaurdian online.
Here's the link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/15/oil-peak-energy-iea

v said...

Good to hear your new book is coming next Spring!!! Can't wait for it.

New week and some new links:

[URL="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5338014.ece"]Gaza families eat grass as Israel locks border[/URL]
[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3643848/Gaza-doesn%27t-need-aid-it-has-a-andpound2bn-gas-field.html"]
Gaza doesn't need aid: it has a £2bn gas field[/URL]

[URL="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83477"]U.S. troops' new mission: America's 'special events'
Proposal would allow civilians to activate Army to prevent 'environmental damage'[/URL]

[URL="http://english.farsnews.net/newstext.php?nn=8709210721"]IAEA Chief Describes Iran's N. Program as "Legal" [/URL]

[URL="http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m49576&hd=&size=1&l=e"]US military prepares for Obama’s expansion of Afghan war[/URL]

[URL="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/12/2008129185813618985.html"]Who are the protesters in Greece? [/URL]
[URL="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gyAVEViI-254UnR0F9T4R48Jav8g"]
China, Russia vow to step up military ties[/URL]

read and weep!

V

Northern Storm said...

This may sound like a question "below" the level of those who have been following FTW/MCR for awhile, but I'm not sure where else I could ask these questions and receive credible answers. Here goes;

Despite my awareness of the current and potential upcoming situations, I have not made smart decisions in terms of preparation. I currently have a debt load of aprox. 85k. I don't believe I will be able to eliminate this before things get really bad - I'm one of the many who is only several paychecks away from losing our families house. The (current) equity in the house is well over a hundred k. If a fast crash is coming in '09, would it not make sense to 'remove' that equity and invest in a 'lifeboat', knowing full well that the house will be lost anyways? I appreciate your thoughts.

fusion_is_fundamental said...

There's more I found. What do you do when the oil runs out and you need to get tons of food across the country or to distant continents? Well you use a nuclear powered cargo ship or train.

Adams Atomic Engines, Inc
http://www.atomicengines.com/index.html

Seems nuclear power can solve the worlds energy problems. So if these technologies are available then why is every peak oil site so intent on expecting or even pushing the die off agenda?

--mf said...

Hi Folks!

I'm enjoying the work that is being done here. Nice job!

Hey, Jenna-- could you, please, teach Mike how to put links into html coding? Visually, the place is sort of a not-so-usable mess. I know that Blogger's interface has a Title Bar, for instance, it makes articles easier to find.

But, for that bit of bellyaching, I am glad that you all are back, healthy, and fighting the good fight.

Sincerely yours,

Monkeyfister

fusion_is_fundamental said...

Many people are saying they have a lot of debt. Can't people just apply for bankruptcy? I know it's not easy but it's not impossible especially with the economic crisis I think judges will be more lenient.

The present economic problems is probably why they changed the bankruptcy laws like they knew this was going to happen. Hmmm do you think they planned it? Maybe the current bankruptcy law and the timing of it leads right back to the perpetrators.

MCR said...

I know how to embed links. I am unable to and get that up on the blog site from my end. I don't do any upload. Never have. That's all I can say on the subject.

MCR

Jenna Orkin said...

M wrote:

David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept. May 2008
www.futurescenarios.org

The simultaneous onset of climate change and the peaking of global oil supply represent unprecedented challenges for human civilisation.

Global oil peak has the potential to shake if not destroy the foundations of global industrial economy and culture. Climate change has the potential to rearrange the biosphere more radically than the last ice age. Each limits the effective options for responses to the other.

The strategies for mitigating the adverse effects and/or adapting to the consequences of Climate Change have mostly been considered and discussed in isolation from those relevant to Peak Oil. While awareness of Peak Oil, or at least energy crisis, is increasing, understanding of how these two problems might interact to generate quite different futures, is still at an early state.

FutureScenarios.org presents an integrated approach to understanding the potential interaction between Climate Change and Peak Oil using a scenario planning model. In the process I introduce permaculture as a design system specifically evolved over the last 30 years to creatively respond to futures that involve progressively less and less available energy.

agape wins said...

12-15-2008
It's, all about the Forest, not the tree of Energy!

fusion_is_fundamental said...

Seems nuclear power can solve the worlds energy problems. So if these technologies are available then why is every peak oil site so intent on expecting or even pushing the die off agenda?

4:05 PM

Address these Trees:

All Chemical Fertilizers come from OIL, & GAS, Where is our replacement? Say DO DO!

DO DO, all natural Fertilizers come from living things, where is the room to raise do do producers,
along with the existing 6B. humans?

Human waste? As Fertilizer? Presently Too dangerous, crops are already being contaminated!

Potable Water? The die off started years ago in some places, from lack of, & contamination of!

Arable land to feed 6B.? Come on, People are starving right now!

Drugs, most conventional drugs start with OIL, who is working to change this? Lead time?

Land to house the 6B., in livable conditions, & climate, after removing the pavement, & structures
from all the Arable Land?

Employment for the 6B., with the ability to access housing, food, clothing, entertainment, &
Health care (Money, or it's replacement)?

Human Nature; the Selfishness, Greed, Laziness? The meanness when crowded, or confined?

Mass production of Billions of reactors, that work correctly, & are never Trashed?

Removal of the old Oil mentality of use it and discard it?

The DIE OFF has been going on for years, only you have been looking the other way!
Read your history, I will not do your homework for you, how many people have died, or been Killed in the last 500 years, from plague, starvation, poor sanitation, Genocide,
War, Natural, &man made Disasters? We have postponed the Peak of the DIEOFF
through the use of Oil. If Oil was endless, where would we go, past 10 Billion, 20!
Transport to the Moon, ,Mar's, get real!
You just want to postpone the Future WE as Humans have created for ourselves.

We have to think outside the box, continued growth, More people, more money, MORE, just to throw something away, does not work anymore!
There is now a Die Off, it can be planned for, and Controlled!
We have to get past our selfishness, give up more for ME, plan for more for those who have nothing, those who are dieing this minute; will die in the next year.

How many do you expect will die before your first "safe reactor" is on line?
How many die before they reach the people starving in the Third World?
You want the Cars, Trains, Boats, Power plants here, right?
Why not start in Bangladesh , where the die off goes on, we have possibly a year or two before it reaches Your neighborhood?

Amae, The emotion of Feeling (for others, not Oneself), Dependency,
We all Depend on one another, We can no longer survive behind Walls!

I'm not highly Educated, am emotional, & tired ( it's almost midnight), but I think you must admit Oil is not the only thing "Peaking"!

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm...I just saw George Soros' name, and my ears pricked up. I have a news alert set up for Maurice Strong, and George's name keeps popping up alongside his.

Maurice's wife, Hanne, came along and bought up a whole bunch of land in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, then (without bothering to consult the people who already lived there, of course) turned around and sold it to a bunch of spiritual centers so they could build their little pieces of Heaven.

I also keep seeing Maurice's name pop up in conjunction with the North American SuperCorridor, although not on any "official" websites.

I'm probably just seeing big money throwing its weight around like it always does; a "hmmmmm" factor, and nothing more. But it IS interesting seeing Soro's name pop up here.

Good quote.