CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M 101

Elon Musk under investigation for insider trading: report

2022/2/24 
© New York Daily News

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and his brother Kimbal, a Tesla director, are under investigation by the federal regulators on suspicion of insider trading, according to a report. - 

Saul Martinez/Getty Images North America/TNS

Elon Musk and his brother are under investigation by the federal regulators on suspicion of insider trading, according to a report.

The Securities and Exchange Commission investigation is about a tweet Musk sent in November 2021, in which he asked his followers if he should sell Tesla stock, the Wall Street Journal reported.

One day before the tweet, Musk’s brother Kimbal Musk sold 88,500 Tesla shares, according to the Journal. Musk’s followers said he should sell, and he did. Tesla’s stock tumbled after the tweet.

Kimbal Musk also sits on Tesla’s board of directors

Elon Musk has been at odds with the SEC for several years. In 2018, Musk and the federal regulators settled a fraud case, and the oddball CEO responded by flaming the SEC online.

“Just want to (say) that the Shortseller Enrichment Commission is doing incredible work,” he tweeted at the time. “And the name change is so on point!”

Madison Cawthorn unveils his 'Contract with ON America' that destroys Social Security to 'incentivize' the elderly to work

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement
February 23, 2022

Photo via Madison Cawthorn Facebook page

U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) has revealed his "New Contract with America" that's designed to destroy Social Security, one of the most successful and life-saving programs in U.S. history, to "incentivize" the elderly to return to work.

That's just one aspect of what Cawthorn describes as a 10-point plan that reads like a far right-wing dream from capitalist kingpins to return America to the days of child labor, seven-day work weeks, and no retirement for senior citizens. But it does call for the federal government to "promote and celebrate the American manufacturing and agriculture industry by incentivizing domestic production," despite the US economy being so on fire the Federal Reserve is poised to dramatically raise interest rates to cool off spending and so-called "inflation."

The youngest member of Congress, currently facing a legal battle that could ban him from keeping his seat over his role in the January 6 insurrection, explained to Fox News his "new Contract With America is really a "retort" to the Green New Deal.

"I think the Green New Deal is much less of a climate plan and much more of a Communist manifesto."

Cawthorn does not reveal who actually wrote the plan, which is in the form of a House resolution (embedded below) – so it has zero chance of passing as long as Democrats hold the chamber.

It includes "slashing government spending by a third by 2031; enacting a balanced budget amendment; and abolishing the income tax and finding a replacement flat tax or consumption tax by 2026," Fox News adds.

"The contract also calls for abolishing the Department of Education, making English the official language of the United States, banning federal funding for critical race theory teachings, and enacting school choice on the federal level so federal dollars follow the students to their school of choice, including private religious schools."

There's also a companion video that looks more like a video game than a rational political agenda.


New Contract with America by Fox News

US Trucker convoy in disarray: Ousting of 'Nazi' leads to mutual accusations of snitching to the Feds

Jordan Green, Staff Reporter
February 24, 2022

Telegram video screengrab

Ryan Sanchez, a Groyper-aligned white supremacist, has pulled out of the People’s Convoy on the second day of the group’s trek from southern California to Washington, DC after getting called out by Three Percenter leader Erik Rohde.

Sanchez has made no secret of his desire to infiltrate the anti-COVID restriction convoy effort for the purpose of mainstreaming white nationalism into the broader conservative movement. In a post on Telegram earlier this month, Sanchez cited his involvement in the Stop the Steal rallies at Huntington Beach Pier in late 2020 as an example of white nationalists joining forces with MAGA activists to push the movement to take more radical positions. One of the participants in those rallies was America First Bruins founder Christian Secor, who goes on trial in June for assaulting law enforcement, obstruction of an official proceeding and breaching the Capitol in connection with his role in the attempted insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

“I have always been up front about what I believe in,” Sanchez wrote. “I am Catholic, a nationalist, and I am pro-white. People will always respect courage and honesty, and although a few people would disagree on some issues, the vast majority of people have been nothing but friendly. This video was taken shortly after the election of 2020 in the middle of the Stop the Steal movement. After Jan 6th, even the people who I argued and bantered within this video have since closed ranks with the rest of the right. We asserted ourselves, moved the Overton window, and have a leading role in the conservative coalition.”

Sanchez has made no attempt to downplay his white nationalist beliefs even while announcing his plans to tag along with the convoy. On Feb. 18, Sanchez posted a photo of himself posing with members of the now-defunct white supremacist group Rise Above Movement, expressing pride in his association with three men who are currently serving federal prison sentences for their role in perpetrating violence at the August 12, 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.

READ: 'Freedom Convoy' ends in failure -- and heads back to Pennsylvania after less than a day: report

“I am proud to have known such men as Rob Rundo, Ben Daly, Tom and Michael,” Sanchez wrote. “We must never forget our political prisoners of RAM, jailed for daring to stand against Antifa. I will never apologize for being in this picture, or knowing these men.”

RAM members Benjamin Daley, Michael Miselis and Thomas Gillen received sentences ranging from 27 to 37 months for conspiracy to riot in 2019. Characterizing RAM as a “combat-ready, militant group that represented itself as part of the new nationalist and white supremacy movement,” the Justice Department said in a press release announcing sentencing that the three defendants “collectively pushed, punched, kicked, choked, head-butted, and otherwise assaulted several individuals, resulting in a riot” a the Unite the Right rally.

In another recent post, Sanchez expressed sympathy for Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber. Kaczynski, the eco-terrorist who is serving a life sentence for a murderous bombing campaign that spanned more than two decades, has become a hero to accelerationist white supremacists who want to hasten the collapse of society to achieve their political goals. In his recent post, Sanchez reported that Kaczynski had been diagnosed with cancer, adding, “#PrayForTed.”

Since the convoy’s departure from Adelanto, Calif. on Wednesday, Sanchez has been making frequent Telegram posts with video updates, photos of supportive crowds, and upbeat reports about restaurants and gas stations providing free food, drink and fuel to the travelers.

READ: Truck convoy leader 'has no idea where he is' and is 'driving in circles' around I-495: report

The convoy organizers’ disapproval of Sanchez’s presence came to light on Wednesday night when the official Telegram channel for the campaign posted a message stating, “It has come to our attention that there [are] some people using our posts and our images as their own for their personal gain. While some people may be independent journalists riding in the convoy, The People’s Convoy does not endorse nor support the views on their page. Also, when they ask for donations, know that they are going to their pockets, not in support of the convoy.”

The post then tagged Sanchez’s Telegram account, adding, “any and all views expressed on that page are strictly denounced by the People’s Convoy.”

Criticism of Sanchez was even more pointed in the comments under the post.

“We actually can show he’s been lying to ppl claiming to be raising money n gathering items for the convoy when in fact it was only for him n 5 friends to goto dc…n he’s a nazi little prick promotes harming others…oh yes we know who n what he is,” an admin with the handle DIESELPATRIOT1 wrote. “We’ve made it clear…. This isn’t n Airport no need to announce your departure… make sure you take the rest of the garbage with you.”

READ: Right-wing protest 'convoy' in Lansing MI leads to embarrassing outcome

But it was a video posted on Thursday afternoon by Washington Three Percenters leader Erik Rohde, who described himself as a consultant with the People’s Convoy, that ultimately prompted Sanchez’s departure. Rohde was featured in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the 2020 mockumentary by Sacha Baron Cohen. As depicted in the film, Rohde and his fellow Three Percenters were enjoying an anti-lockdown event when a bluegrass band stepped on stage and its singer started singing songs with lyrics like, “Obama, what we gotta do, inject him with the Wuhan flu.”

“Some of you might have seen me before,” Rohde said in his video on Thursday. “I was unfortunately featured in the latest Borat movie where I chased his ass off my stage.”

Moving on to the business at hand, Rohde suggested that anyone who saw Sanchez along the convoy route should “make him unwelcome.”

“Why I’m talking to you today is it has come to the attention of the organizers of the People’s Convoy that there is a semi-known fringe weirdo, a little Nazi piece of trash,” Rohde said.

Rohde’s denunciation appears to have prompted a change of heart from Sanchez, who had previously posted on Telegram: “I’m tired of self-proclaimed ‘revolutionaries’ on the internet telling people that protesting and networking with the conservative base is a waste of time, it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Sharing Rohde’s video, Sanchez suggested it was evidence of “how much of a disaster this is shaping up to be.”

Then, an hour later, he announced: “My crew and I are breaking off from the People’s Convoy. We have been threatened and slandered, and I cannot justify putting my team at unnecessary risk.”

Rohde ended his video by questioning whether Sanchez is a federal informant.

“Figure out what you’re doing man,” Rohde said. “Are you a fed? Are you a Nazi? I mean, a lot of us real patriots in the country, we’ve been talking about you the last couple days, and you’re 50-50 on the board. Half of ’em think you’re a fed trying to set up other Nazis and stuff. And half of ’em think you’re just a little man crush on those Aryan dudes.”

Singed by rejection, Sanchez suggested he has reached a similar conclusion about his accusers.

“This movement, which is filled with thousands of brave and dedicated Americans, is being led into the gaping maw of the Federal government by an incompetent team of grifters and bad actors.”

Jordan Green covers right-wing extremism for Raw Story. A Kentucky native, he now lives in North Carolina, where he spent 16 years writing for alt-weeklies and freelancing for the Washington Post and other publications.

Deadly earthquakes rock Indonesia's Sumatra island

Back-to-back earthquakes in Indonesia have killed four people and injured 32, damaging buildings in Sumatra island and neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG warned people to stay away from slopes over fears of landslides at the peak of the rainy season. (AFP)

At least four people have died and 32 were injured when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia's Sumatra island, with residents shuttling loved ones to safety as buildings crumbled around them.

The local Public Health Center said in a statement on Friday that four people died, including a child.

The quake came just minutes after a less violent tremor as terrified residents had begun evacuating their houses.

Irpanda, a resident of Pasaman city, told Metro TV that he felt both the first, recorded at 5.0 by USGS, and second tremors.

"At first, the quake only lasted for a few seconds. People fled their homes and buildings nearby were swaying," he said.

"But then another quake happened and it was so strong. More people fled their houses," he said, adding patients at a local hospital were moved outside.

The quake hit the island's north at a depth of 12 kilometres (7.5 miles), about 70 kilometres from the town of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra province, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG warned people to stay away from slopes over fears of landslides at the peak of the rainy season.

The quake was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Riau and North Sumatra and as far away as Malaysia and Singapore. No tsunami warning has been issued.

Tremors felt in Singapore, Malaysia

Images shared with AFP from Pasaman city, near the quake's epicentre, showed partially collapsed houses with bricks lying on the ground and holes in the walls.

Television footage showed patients being wheeled out of a hospital in West Sumatra's provincial capital Padang.

"The mayor called and ordered all second and third floors in every building should be vacated," said Alim Bazar, head of the disaster mitigation agency of Pasaman.

Tremors were also felt in Singapore, witnesses and police said.

The police and emergency services "have received several calls from the public reporting these tremors", police added.

One Singapore resident told AFP he felt a slight shake at home which left him dizzy, while state broadcaster CNA showed a video of ceiling lamps swaying at a highrise apartment.

Malaysia's meteorological department said in a tweet that "vibrations" were felt on the peninsula's western states.

READ MORE: 

Deadly quake hits Indonesia's Java island, no tsunami warning

Deadly earthquakes rock Indonesia's Sumatra island

 

Quake rattles Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing at least 7 people
Yesterday 
© Reuters/ANTARA FOTO


JAKARTA (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake killed at least seven people and injured dozens more when it struck inland near the western coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, with tremors also felt in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, officials said.

The quake caused residents to flee buildings in some areas and triggered evacuations nearly 400km (250 miles) away in Malaysia.

"We continue to monitor and advise people to remain on alert," Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of Indonesia's geophysics agency BMKG, told MetroTV. The agency initially put the magnitude at 6.2.

The disaster mitigation agency said seven were killed and 85 were injured. Its chief said some buildings, including a government office, homes and a bank sustained damage.

A hospital was evacuated in West Pasaman, about 17 km (10.6 miles) from the epicentre, while a witness said residents in other areas panicked as the earthquake shook buildings for over a minute, rattling glass windows and furniture.

"People gathered outside their homes and workplaces. They were scared of the tremors. Cables were shaking," said Frans Kiky Nainggolan, a shopkeeper living in Riau province on Sumatra.

Authorities in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur received calls about tremors felt in the city, though there had been no reports of injuries or damage.

"I felt the tremors for one to two minutes...We evacuated fast and others from another floor also," said Hilfa Akmal, who lives on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore police said on Twitter they had also received calls from people reporting tremors, though there were no reports of injuries.

Indonesia suffers frequent earthquakes, straddling the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a seismically active zone where different plates of the earth's crust meet.

The fault along Sumatra island can be particularly active and dangerous. In 2004, a massive 9.1 magnitude quake and a tsunami off the northern tip of Sumatra killed 226,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and nine other countries.

(Reporting by Angie Teo, Fransiska Nangoy, Stanley Widianto, Bernadette Christina; Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur and Aradhana Aravindan in Singapore; Editing by Ed Davies and Kanupriya Kapoor)

Putin has launched an 'Age of Madness'! Will there be a Turkey-Russia war?


İbrahim Karagül
25 February 2022


1- Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, starting with the country’s east. The U.S. and Europe strutted around Ukraine for months, but have nothing to show for it. Ukraine was completely abandoned.

2- Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s launch of a military operation in Ukraine drove the U.S., Europe, and NATO into a terrible despondency. Unable to risk open conflict or putting forth a clear attitude, the U.S and Europe are attempting to show their colors through secondary means, and have no concern other than to protect their own reputation. This is their second great collapse after the fiasco that unfolded in Afghanistan, after the sudden U.S. withdrawal, after the people who put their trust in them crashed to the ground from the wings of aircraft.

The ‘Age of Madness’ starts now

3- Putin has kick-started the “Age of Madness.” He completely shattered the global realities that had become ambiguous and senseless after the Cold War. He openly declared the war, and the showdown methods of the future. This ended the West’s hypocrisy. Putin has threatened the world, but he also declared the world’s newest order.

4- The issue is not Ukraine alone. It is not limited to the country’s east, to Russian-Ukrainian demographics, or political and security issues. It was revealed, beyond the invasion of a country, that clashes between blocs, between powers, would now be conducted openly.

Empires will return

5- Empires are making a comeback. Those with an imperial history are transferring their claims to the present and to the future. A new era has begun for Russian expansionism. A new era is starting for Europe’s defense. The floodgates have been opened for the first time since World War II. It is not difficult to estimate which country will be submerged in water.

6- Russia is aware of its shortcomings. It is trying to cover these through nationalism and expansionism, to deter through threatening discourse, and push the threats directed towards it beyond its borders. Russia will risk going to war for this sake. It will act in accordance with the West and the world order’s weaknesses, and push countries to make mistakes. If it does not do this, that threat will come knocking on Russia’s borders. This means a second division for Russia. Putin is trying to repel, alleviate and thwart any threats against his country by threatening his region and the entire world.

Why did Putin threaten his allies?

7- Putin’s invasion speech was a threat to his friends as much as his foes. He made a big mistake by revealing that this op could threaten his allies. From this moment onward, East European countries, and most of all, Central Asian Turkic Republics will know that they are being threatened. Putin really will turn to other countries, to these countries, after he’s done with Ukraine.

8- Putin’s said speech is a threat to Turkey as well. The statement, “We were the ones who protected the coasts of the Black Sea in the 18th century from the Turks,” is a declaration of his intentions. It is the declaration of a political identity. It is a very dangerous statement in terms of Turkey-Russia relations, their alliance, and partnership in many fields.

Europe’s defense in shambles

9- The U.S. and Europe are in dire straits. They are withdrawing within themselves. They are no longer aiming for global hegemony and expansionism, but have shifted to defense mode. They are striving to preserve their presence. They are trying to restrain, to stop China in the Pacific. This is why they withdrew from Central Asia and turned from the Middle East to the Pacific.

10- This is the first time since World War II that Europe is facing difficulties in defense. Will Europe entrust its defense to the U.S. again—right when it’s trying to end its dependency on the States? If Europe takes shelter in the U.S. again, the European Union project will completely collapse. It will have no significance. Yet, if they do not take shelter in the U.S., the U.K., and all of Europe in general, will be driven to a new defense panic.

Europe can’t risk open war

11- The West’s rising period is long over. Its stagnation period has begun. Will it now start regressing? Global-scale, unilateral attempts to redesign the world no longer have any effect. A map of powers developed outside the West, and despite the West. They tried to prevent this but failed miserably.

12- This Russian venture will further accelerate the West’s regression. It will further increase its helplessness. No European country will risk open war during such a period. Nor will the U.S. Economic embargoes are now impacting Western economies.

13- Rather than engaging in an overt war with Russia, the U.S. and Europe are planning to form fronts on the Russian border, and occupy Russia for a long period, and thus exhaust it. They want to sustain a conflict that will wear out Russia. However, it is clear that this will not present a solution.

Ukraine crisis was provoked by the U.S., U.K., as much as by Russia

14- Strangely, the Ukraine crisis was escalated by the U.S. and U.K., as much as it was by Russia. Germany and central Europe were not eager to get involved. The U.S. and the U.K. provoked Putin to attack Ukraine. They made statements one after the other, driving him to indignation. The U.K. tried to sustain its conflict with Russia in the Baltic region to the Black Sea, to the south. In fact, it partially succeeded too.

15- All the wars in the world in the last three decades took place in the Middle East (with Afghanistan as an exception). All internal conflicts were exacerbated in this region. Ethnic and sectarian conflicts were instigated in these regions. Invasion and occupation campaigns under the name of “anti-terrorism” were all conducted here.

Which countries will be driven to war on the northern-southern front?

16- This is the first time that wars are shifting to the north. It is shifting toward Europe’s borders for the first time. Those who once used to say, “Islam’s bloody borders” could now face their own borders drenched in blood. The Ukraine crisis developed a new situation, which is turning all the countries along the northern-southern line, from the Baltics to the Aegean, into a conflict zone. All countries along that line, from Poland to Greece, will suffer its consequences. Neither Russia, nor Europe will ever clash directly. They will sustain their conflict through these countries.

Turkey normalizing relations with the Middle East

17- This situation has given the Middle East breathing room—at least for a while. Turkey normalizing its relations with the Middle East—with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Israel, and almost all countries in the region, is extremely significant. This will at least prevent new areas of conflict in the region. Regional countries need to be vigilant to prevent the U.S., Europe, or Russia from exporting a new war, a new conflict to the region.

The Black Sea War: the West wants a Turkey-Russia war

18- The Ukraine crisis will turn the Black Sea into a battleground. In a sense, it is a Black Sea crisis. If Russia attempts a full-scale invasion, the U.S. and NATO will focus on the Black Sea; and if it tries to crush Russia here, it will turn into a Black Sea war. That is when Turkey will start experiencing crises—similar to those it has been fighting for decades in the south—in the Black Sea as well.

19- This outcome is unacceptable for Turkey. The U.S. settling in the Black Sea, escalating the crisis here, will eventually ripen the conditions for a Turkey-Russia war. That is when the U.S. and Europe will achieve maximum results. It will have struck a blow to Russia through Turkey, and Turkey through Russia, ensuring Europe’s security for a lengthy period. As a result, the method the West always resorts to will pay off again. They tried attempted to stoke this war through Syria and failed. This time they will try it with Ukraine.

Turkey will never trust the West

20- Turkey has never trusted the West. Turkey knows that, despite being a NATO member, the U.S., Europe, and NATO are the origin of all the threats it has defined so far. It knows very well that these countries abandoned it in every field. Turkey knows that they established a terror army against it in northern Syria. It only recently overcame an internal attack like the 2016 coup attempt, which was also a U.S., Europe and NATO operation. Turkey will not fall into this trap unless there are very strong grounds to do so.

Turkey is not a front country. It will make plans accordingly

21- As Turkey carries on its “normalization with the Middle East,” as it continues an impactful and in-depth plan within Africa, as it implements its most effective Central Asia strategy since the fall of the Soviets, and as it consolidates a strong power leap through all these efforts, it must never allow the U.S. and U.K.’s Black Sea war to come to pass. It must not allow its partnerships with the West to proceed solely in line with Western interests, and against Turkey. Otherwise, this will cause serious instability in Turkey, and pave the way for long-term crises.

22- Turkey is no longer a front country. Despite all the political preparations within to ensure this, it will never again be a front country. Turkey is a new power domain, and this power domain is much vaster than estimated. Therefore, negotiations with Russia, with the U.S., and Europe will all be in accordance with this new state.

Another great war could begin

23- Turkey will not be the assassin of the U.S. and Europe, nor will it surrender to Russian expansionism. It will defend Ukraine’s integrity, uphold its views regarding Crimea, and present its own stance in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Turkey will not blindly take sides in the conflict between the U.S. and Russia. It will make its own plans, and determine its own position.

Putin’s statements on Ukraine and Russia’s invasion of the country revealed that he has similar intentions regarding Central Asian Turkic Republics. He additionally revealed that he does not consider long-term relations or normalization with Turkey.

The present situation could lead to another world war. It should not be taken lightly. An extremely dangerous, fatal period has started. We need to look beyond Ukraine. Great shocks are in store on geopolitical fault lines. This may suddenly drive dozens of countries to war.

Russian space chief says he could let International Space Station crash into US if sanctions proceed

Matthew Chapman

RAW STORY
February 24, 2022

International Space Station (Shutterstock)

On Thursday, amid new announcements of sanctions on the Russian economy by the United States and NATO in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine, Dimitry Rogozin, the chief of the Russian space corporation Roscosmos, made an eyebrow-raising threat: that if the sanctions continue, Russia could stop maintaining the orbit of the International Space Station and allow it to crash into the United States.

"If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or Europe?" tweeted Rogozin in Russian. "There is also the option of dropping a 500-ton structure on India or China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, so all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?"

Rogozin is known for making bizarre pronouncements. In 2020, he said that "we believe that Venus is a Russian planet," and last fall, he accused Ars Technica space reporter Eric Burger of war crimes for investigating his repeated invitations to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to visit his home.

Turkey’s unique influence is the worst nightmare of the religion of capitalism!

Yusuf Kaplan

14 February 2022

Mounting tensions between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine have prompted people to ask all the wrong questions: Will the Americans and the Russians clash? Will a third world war break out?

These are all misplaced questions!

When you go asking the wrong questions you shouldn’t expect to get the right answers.

The U.S. in particular, and the Western alliance in general, wants to besiege Russia from the south and west, confining it to its natural borders by making Ukraine a NATO member.

I said “besiege,” because Russia does not regard its natural borders as its real borders, and never will: Russia is more than just Russia alone.

China represents more than just China.

For Europe, it is more than just Europe.

What about Turkey?

Turkey is more than just Turkey.

This quality of being “more than” has everything to do with boasting a unique influence: The U.S., the EU, Russia, China, and, of course, Turkey are powers that carry unique weight. Actors with potential power that by far transcends their actual force.

The tragedy of Turkey's ignorance!

Here, I would like to draw attention to a vital and mind-blowing distinction that we are yet to become aware of:

Turkey’s unique influence and that of other actors couldn’t be more different.

Are we aware of Turkey's weight and singularity?

I’m afraid not.

The influence of other actors stems from their material strength. However, Turkey's influence comes from its spiritual /intangible/soft power.

The clout of other actors is quantitative; thus it's temporary, whereas Turkey’s is qualitative. Rooted, enduring, and emanating meaning and life.

It is not actually power that Turkey possesses, but a qualitative feature that its influence carries.

Turkey's intelligentsia is not even aware of this unique, qualitative influence that Turkey possesses. Isn’t it just sad! How tragicomic!

This is the chilling indication that the Turkish intelligentsia is not what it claims to be.

An intelligentsia that does not know what it represents, unaware of its "power," and does not even realize that it carries unique weight, has no value to add to this country.

It’s not a part of this country because an intelligentsia means an actor with a unique weight. It represents “more than just oneself.” It represents a world-establishing scholar, an intellectual, an intelligentsia, a language-creator, and an artist of a country who is expected to be an asset by the simple virtue of his own being and to add value to our lives due to their extraordinary characteristics.

An intelligentsia that cannot grasp the value of Turkey and its cultural, intellectual, and historical depth simply cannot be called an intelligentsia. Forget about the issue of influence, its very existence is a nuisance to the country.

Turkey is a pioneer that will become aware of its deep influence, which is capable of shedding light on the future of humanity, will present it to mankind, draw on its spirit, and pave the way for us. It will be incapable of launching a great breakthrough that will make history unless it builds this next generation that is capable of doing so.

First of all, we need an intelligentsia and a leading generation that will bring to light both their own and this country’s unique influence.

Russia, China, and Japan: New Apostles of Capitalism

Now let's take a look at the field again.

The world is living or dying around capitalism.

Capitalism is the religion of the world, that's for sure.

The East has also adopted this secular, pagan religion.

Mounting tensions are a struggle for power/hegemony between the U.S., which established the church of the religion of capitalism, and the newly converted Russia, which has just entered the religion of capitalism. Nothing more.

If it is possible to talk of something more, it could be that they are attempting to stop Turkey in its tracks; for this reason, we can talk about the siege of Turkey from the Black Sea. At the moment, this strategic target is not visible; it seems blurry and vague.

But I can say the following: The conflict between the U.S., Russia, and China has now turned into a conflict within the system. It is as if the answer to the question of who will be “king” in this capitalist world is sought.

This is not the East-West conflict it’s being portrayed as. The East is no longer the old East. The converts of the East are the new recruits of the religion of capitalism or the new slaves of capitalism.

The East does not represent an axis, a pole, or a summit with a unique spiritual weight. It has melted into the capitalist West, and it continues to do so…

The new apostles of capitalism, China, Russia, India, and Japan, as well as the U.S. and the EU, may struggle for hegemony within the capitalist world, but they will not engage in a devastating great war—except, of course, in very compelling exceptional circumstances.

What will the great war be waged for?

They will wage a devastating war against Turkey in the medium and long term. Only Turkey is resisting becoming an apostle of capitalism: While Japan was trying to be the apostle of capitalism with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the Ottoman Empire risked being physically destroyed (de facto removed from history) by capitalism, but resisted it spiritually.

Although Turkey carries out its economic transactions through capitalist mechanisms, it has not yet fully embraced the religion of capitalism.

It will not accept it. It will break through and be equipped with a spirit that will challenge capitalism…

Is this mere fantasy?

No.

At the very least, the fact that we are taking all our strategic steps in the light of our historical depth, with the awareness that we are the "last island of humanity," the soul of the world, the hope of the oppressed, and the nightmare of the tyrants should be sufficient to show everyone that we have the potential to challenge capitalism.

Turkey is the soul of the world, the conscience of humanity. The fact that aid organizations such as IHH, which help the world's orphans and destitute without expecting anything in return, are the children of this country, is a small but important indicator. The influence of IHH is indeed great because of the moral and spiritual responsibility it boasts and carries.

When the pioneering generations, who will discover and activate Turkey's spiritual and historical influence, finally arrive, a new era will be ushered in, and we will change the course of history again.

 UH OH

Nearly Three-Quarters of South Koreans Support Nuclear Weapons Development

Mitch Shin

COMMENTARIES AND OP-EDS February, 2022

READ FULL TEXT 

 
 

Introduction

Since South Korean President Moon Jae-in reactivated his progressive predecessors’ peace process on the Korean Peninsula, an arms build-up has been off Moon’s table. However, nuclear talks and inter-Korean dialogues have not made substantive progress, having stalled since the failed Hanoi summit in 2019. As a result, South Koreans now support developing the country’s own nuclear weapons amid North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile capabilities.

According to a poll released by the Chicago Council on Monday, 71 percent of respondents are in favor of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons while 56 percent support deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons to the South’s soil. However, the poll made clear that the responders “overwhelmingly prefer an independent arsenal (67%) over US deployment (9%)” when asked to choose between the two options. This implies that South Koreans want their country to beef up its self-defense capabilities and be more independent from the U.S. military assets.

South Koreans still have confidence in the military alliance with the United States, but former U.S. President Donald Trump showed the vulnerable position of the South by mentioning reducing the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea during the negotiations for the Special Measures Agreement in 2020. With that in mind, South Koreans believe the country should invest more resources and money to develop its own powerful weapons.

The poll found that 40 percent of South Koreans oppose the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons, while just 26 percent oppose building a domestic nuclear arsenal.

Meanwhile, 82 percent believe North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, implying South Koreans are looking to develop nuclear weapons for self-defense against the North’s growing nuclear and missile capabilities.

The full article is available on The Diplomat’s website.

NIGERIA

Investigation Shows Links Between Boko Haram, Bandits And Some Military, Police Officers, Says Governor El-Rufai

He, however, added that there was still a lot of work to be done to have concrete evidence to support the report.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS,

 NEW YORK

FEB 25, 2022

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has disclosed that investigation revealed some serving police and military officers have links with bandits terrorising the state and others.

El-Rufai spoke on Thursday during the weekly briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Media Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He, however, added that there was still a lot of work to be done to have concrete evidence to support the report of the investigation, Daily Post reports.

He said, “We’re concerned and it’s not impossible to have infiltrators.

“As I alluded to when I was answering this question, the preliminary report of (investigation into) Boko Haram financing also showed some links to bandits and pointed to some police and military officers in service as having some communication or connection with the bandits.

“So, there’s always that risks, in any system you have traitors and we are concerned about that. But till date, we don’t have any firm evidence of that. I think a lot more work needs to be done.”

The governor said there is an urgent need for the government to block the financing and logistics chain of the bandits, saying the criminal gangs are making enough money to destabilise Nigeria.

Myanmar Air Force Launches More Air Strikes in Kayah State


The air assaults, which displaced thousands of civilians, reflect the unusually robust nature of the resistance in the eastern state.

By Sebastian Strangio
February 25, 2022

Credit: Depositphotos

With the world’s attention distracted by the unfolding Russian assaults on Ukraine, Myanmar’s military junta have once against launched air strikes on rebel forces in the country’s east. According to a report yesterday from Reuters, the Myanmar armed forces on February 23 bombarded areas close to Nan Mae Khon village in Kayah State, in response to resistance from the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), a civilian militia opposed to army rule.

The Free Burma Rangers, a group that provides relief across eastern Myanmar, posted on Twitter footage taken on February 23 of a house ablaze in Nan Mae Khon. It reported “2 villagers are dead & 3 wounded in one of the strikes” and stated that “thousands” of people had been displaced by the attacks.

Since last February’s coup, Kayah State has been one of the main targets of air strikes by the Myanmar air force, due in large part to the unusually stubborn resistance that has emerged there. Last year, the KNDF formed as a merger of the scattered militias and People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) that mushroomed up in Kayah State to oppose junta rule, and has resisted attempts by the junta’s forces to quash its resistance.

The attacks follow similar strikes last month, when the Tatmadaw launched air strikes on Loikaw, the capital of Kayah State, forcing thousands of local residents to flee their homes. According to The Irrawaddy, more than half of Kayah State’s population of 300,000 population have already been displaced by fighting since the coup. Last May, the Myanmar air force also bombed areas of Kayah’s Demoso Township in order to root out civilian resistance fighters.

The junta’s increased reliance on air power, and its horrific human costs, earlier this month prompted the advocacy group Burma Campaign UK to call for the United Kingdom and other countries “to impose sanctions to try to stop aviation fuel reaching the Burmese military.”

Noting that the majority of the more than 400,000 people, who have been displaced from their homes since last February’s coup, have fled because of airstrikes or the threat of airstrikes, and the fact that Myanmar is reliant on imports of aviation fuel, the group called for two rounds of sanctions: one on Myanmar companies involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the military and another on foreign companies involved in “any aspect of the supply of aviation fuel to Burma, including insurance and accreditation and certification services.”

Whether or not these sanctions are implemented – and the Ukraine crisis will likely suck up much Western attention in the coming weeks – the use of air power could well prove counterproductive. In an article this week, the veteran Myanmar watcher Bertil Lintner argued that the sharp increase in air strikes, including in Kayah State, marked “a change in traditional counterinsurgency tactics that points more to military weakness than strength” and raised “hard new questions about the fighting ability of its increasingly stretched ground forces.”

The increasing resort to air power, Lintner wrote, would “cause more human suffering and dislocation among an already angry and disenfranchised population” and ensure “more popular support for fast-rising anti-coup forces.”