EDITORIAL

Who Is the Real Killer Threatening War?

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—A grim report published overnight by NBC News holds that outgoing President Barack Obama used the “red phone” in early October, directly to threaten a military attack on Russia over alleged e-mail “hacking” and attempts to influence the American election. Obama’s subsequent Dec. 15 NPR interview statement reserving the right to “attack, at a time and place of our choosing,” has been followed by the assassination of a diplomat crucial to Russia’s effort with Turkey to end the Syria civil war. A vacationing Obama has maintained a stony silence on the murder of the Russian ambassador in Ankara. This is both the most blatant of Obama’s numerous attempts, over years, to threaten both Russia and China; and the most dangerous. There was a coup attempt in Turkey in July in which, at least, close relatives and former colleagues of this assassin were involved. Also involved—both Russia and Turkey estimate—NATO.

The assassins’ intention was to split Russia and Turkey apart on their Syria framework agreement. It has failed.

The leading trans-Atlantic nations and their Gulf allies—all facing economic stagnation and threat of another financial crash—are grotesquely mistaken about China, India, Russia and the new economic paradigm of rapid economic and scientific progress around them.

Thus a pompous Jordanian prince, now UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee is chaired by Saudi Arabia!), has demanded that Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte be tried for murder for his war on drugs.

It is Obama whose killings demand this. For years Obama personally selected many thousands of people to be killed by drones, as many as 200 people in one strike as in Somalia in August. His Libya invasion, his arming Saudi Arabia for war on Yemen, his arming of jihadis and ultimately terrorists in Syria, have cost the lives of tens of thousands—including one head of state, and one U.S. Ambassador.

Obama’s own drugs policies in the United States have become—at least, by inaction and legalization—horribly lethal, with American drug overdose deaths tripling to over 50,000 a year in a few years of his presidency.

His actions now, threatening Russia and China directly, forebode mass killing.

“Obama,” as Lyndon LaRouche put it Dec. 16 after the President’s threatened “action” was aired and again today, “has been a killer as President. Hillary Clinton went along with it, that’s a fact. It is also the British. And it is NATO. They will kill as many as they can, to get their way. And to stop them, as President Putin now says, you will have to make them pay.”

And this killing is all to stop a new economic paradigm, initially known as the “BRICS policy,” which seeks to span the continents with new corridors of transport, power, communications, new cities; to return to the scientific frontiers of space exploration and fusion technologies we have abandoned.

The new administration must be directed not to threaten to destroy, but to join this new paradigm. This takes an international effort, and a mobilization of the American people.

• Editor’s Note: EIR Daily Alert will skip the Monday issues for Dec. 26, 2016 and Jan. 2, 2017.

STRATEGIC WAR DANGER

Obama Threatened Military Attack over Alleged Russian Cyber Hacking of U.S. Election

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—A report posted by NBC News, late yesterday, reveals that President Obama threatened Russia militarily if the Russian government continued with its alleged hacking of U.S. election systems. According to unnamed U.S. officials, the warning Obama’s senior advisors urged him to send to Russian President Vladimir Putin was this: “Mess with the vote and we will consider it an act of war.” Obama resisted at first, opting to send Putin less specific language to warn him of consequences if Russian interference didn’t stop, during the G20 summit in China, last September.

A month later, however, Obama used the so-called “red phone”—the system used for emergency communications between the White House and the Kremlin during a major crisis, particularly a nuclear crisis—to send Putin a very specific threat. “International law, including the law for armed conflict, applies to actions in cyberspace,” said part of a message sent over the Red Phone on Oct. 31, according to a senior U.S. official. “We will hold Russia to those standards.”

The NBC report indicates considerable disagreement within the administration and between the White House and the Democratic Party as to whether or not the threat worked—some officials saying that (alleged) Russian meddling stopped before Election Day, while the Democratic Party and some other intelligence officials saying it didn’t, in part, because thousands of Democratic Party official John Podesta’s emails had already been leaked and those leaks continued.

Retired Adm. James Stavridis is among those who say that Obama’s response was not sufficient to stop the meddling. But he also said the word “war” has to be deployed “extremely carefully.” “I think declaring something an act of war, let’s face it, is the ultimate red line,” he said.

Russia, Turkey, Iran New Eight-Point Policy Defending Syrian Sovereignty

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—The Foreign Ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran, meeting in Moscow, today, issued an eight-point joint statement on settling the crisis in Syria.

The first point, according to the text of the document published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, declares that the three governments “reiterate their full respect for sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic as multi-ethnic, multi-religious, non-sectarian, democratic and secular state.”

Other points include recognition of the role of the United Nations under Security Council resolution 2254, passed in November 2015; welcoming the efforts in evacuation of civilians from the former militant-held pocket in eastern Aleppo as well as the four villages that are also part of the evacuation deal and a commitment to insuring “the completion of the process without interruption and in a safe and secure manner.”

The three governments further express their willingness to be guarantors of the prospective agreement between the Syrian government and the opposition to be negotiated in Astana, Kazakhstan and invite other countries with influence on the ground to do the same; and, the three governments “will be instrumental to create the necessary momentum for the resumption of the political process in Syria in accordance with the UNSC resolution 2254.”

U.S. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC

Obama Silent on Assassination of Russian Ambassador in Ankara; Trump Speaks Out

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—President-elect Donald Trump, quite in contrast to President Obama, made several strong responses to the assassination of Russian ambassador Sergei Karlov and the murderous terror attack in Berlin on Monday. Over Twitter, Trump said “Today there were terror attacks in Turkey, Switzerland and Germany—and it is only getting worse. The civilized world must change thinking!”

He then issued a second statement to German daily Die Welt: “What happened in Berlin was a terrible terror attack. Innocent civilians were murdered on the street when they were just about to celebrate the Christmas holidays. The Islamic State and other Islamic terrorists regularly slaughter Christians in their communities. These terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the Earth, a mission which we will carry out jointly with all partners who are liberty loving.”

Finally in a formal statement, Trump said: “Today we offer our condolences to the family and loved ones of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov, who was assassinated by a radical Islamic terrorist. The murder of an ambassador is a violation of all rules of civilized order and must be universally condemned.”

Barack Obama, apparently with clear intent, said nothing about either the assassination in Ankara or the terrorist attack in Berlin. The White House reported that Obama, vacationing in Hawaii, “was briefed” on the assassination, and requested “updates as necessary”; he then golfed Tuesday and took his family to an exclusive Hawaii restaurant. He had found time Monday, roughly as the assassination took place, to pardon another 78 drug offenders in prison, and commute the sentences of more than 800 others.

Secretary of State Kerry, and National Security Council spokesman, and Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein all did make statements expressing condemnation and condolences. But Obama did not say a word about the potential Sarajevo taking shape under his hand.

THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER

‘Get on the Silk Road,’ Malaysian Businesses Told

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—That is the advice in yesterday’s issue of The Star in Malaysia, warning small and medium-size businesses (SMEs) that they had better get prepared to be involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, or “they risk being left out in the cold.” There are great opportunities for Malaysian small companies, in transport, tourism, trade, ports, education, and industrial development, it states, but says they have to get ready for the opportunities. Most are focused on the Malaysian market, and are not ready for the export market.

Malaysia is well placed to become integrated into many of the Belt and Road projects, not least because 23% of the population, or about 6.6 million people, are ethnic Chinese. The article reports on the signing of the “Malaysian Chinese Belt and Road Declaration,” by 48 Chinese business guilds and associations, as evidence of the importance of cooperation and strengthening friendly Malaysia-China ties.

It also mentions the recent opening of the Xiamen University Malaysia, which is the first overseas expansion for the university, which has targeted a student body of 10,000.

Romania Should Join the ‘Space Silk Road,’ Say Think Tank and Cosmonaut

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—Describing China’s Belt and Road as “the project of the century,” Liviu Muresan, president of Bucharest-based think tank EURISC, prodded Romania to deepen its cooperation with China, and apply its expertise to this great project, including in space technology, Canadian online journal Geopolitical Monitor reported yesterday. The article outlines the potential investments that exist for Romania in energy and critical infrastructure, and adds that “the peaceful use of outer space” also has a role. “Space is a key enabler for critical infrastructure,” says the article, in that it “coordinates systems on Earth,” which would include communications, navigation, and other space applications.

A major promoter of closer cooperation with China, Muresan has introduced critical infrastructure investment in the Belt and Road Initiative during discussions he has had with Chinese partners, think-tanks, and the China National Petroleum Corp.

On the “Space Silk Road,” it points specifically to former Romanian cosmonaut, Dumitru-Dorn Prunariu, who is very active in international astronaut activities, in UN space organizations, and is a frequent participant at international space conferences. He is also very publicly active in Romania. The article reports on the Memorandum of Understanding between China National Space Administration and the Romanian Space Agency signed last month, for bilateral cooperation in the exploration of space, as a place to start.

COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM

Big Bank Bail-Outs Are Back—But Big Enough?

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—An indication that trans-Atlantic financial crash is again approaching, is that big bail-outs of banks still too big to fail, are being planned and carried out. Though now supposed to included “bail-ins” of bondholders as part of the package, there is no question that big bail-outs are back.

Italy’s “new” government on Dec. 19 asked Parliament to raise its debt ceiling by €20 billion, so that the Treasury could borrow that sum and create a fund to be ready to bail-out the Italian banking system. Though the government only floated the request last week, the amount has already jumped by €5 billion, indicating the new government of Paolo Gentiloni sees the bank crisis developing.

Bank stocks naturally rose Tuesday in response; but Moody’s Ratings Service, on that day downgraded the whole banking sector to a negative watch. It said its stress tests, taking into account the ongoing sharp rise in interest rates, found Italy’s big banks even weaker than those of Spain, Portugal, or Greece. As already reported, a few financial managers in the United States have forecast that several large Italian banks, including Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Unicredit, are heading for collapse.

Also Monday, Ukraine took over and bailed out its largest bank, the Privatbank of right-wing oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, with a $5.5 billion infusion of capital. The IMF told Kiev this was a condition of any further assistance. The bail-out/bail-in combined amount is very large by standards of Ukraine’s economy—the central bank’s total reserves are just $15 billion. A bail-in of some bondholders is included, and if they are European institutions there will be a legal fight.

Obama Leaving a Legacy of Drug Deaths Spiraling Out of Control

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—While the overdose epidemic among America’s estimated 21 million or more addicts has become the crisis issue for states across the country, a September Washington Post series demonstrated that the Obama Administration has effectively taken no action against it. Federal civil prosecutions against the huge “middleman pill companies” like McKesson were ordered stopped; a “new strategy” to take away doctors’ and pharmacists’ licenses had less than no effect. Legalization focusing on marijuana became both the policy and the “tone” of the Administration through Attorney General Eric Holder.

Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on Dec. 16, has released a shocking report on the consequences. Death rates from synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, increased by 72.2% from 2014 to 2015. They reached 33,091 in 2015. USA Today reported, “The new report confirms the dramatic increase in opioid overdoses that first responders have been seeing as they respond to overdose calls.” This death toll combines prescription and illegal forms of the painkillers that can also send users into a state of euphoria.

In the same year, deaths from heroin/opiate overdoses rose 20.6% from 2014 to 2015, reaching 14,500. Thus deaths from overdosing on opioids and opiates combined went from 15,500 in 2008, before Obama took office, to 47,500 in 2015—tripling, and rising faster than ever as he leaves office.

No one is immune to the crisis, USA Today reported. The increasing death rates were seen in men and women of all ethnicities and across all age groups, starting at age 15.

SCIENCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

South Africa Kicks Off Process To Choose Foreign Partners for Its Nuclear Build

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—South Africa today kicked off the contracting process for its planned fleet of new nuclear power stations. The British-driven establishment strove mightily to prevent this moment from arriving, but faced some determined resistance that included LaRouche South Africa, led by Ramasimong Phillip Tsokolibane. The battle far from over.

The South African state-owned company for energy production, ESKOM, today released the Request for Information (RFI) that asks potential foreign partners to provide information that will enable ESKOM to choose one or more these foreign specialist suppliers to work with the South African team. The new nuclear power stations will produce 9.6 GWe.

The RFI forms the non-financial part of the overall Request for Proposals (RFP). The financial part requires the Treasury’s sign off, and is supposed to be released in the first half of 2017.

OTHER

Berlin Terror Attack Hits Merkel; ISIS Claims Strike

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—German Chancellor Angela Merkel cited a “likely terrorist attack” this morning after a large truck was driven into a crowd of Christmas market shoppers in Berlin Dec. 19, killing at least 12 persons and wounding 48. Merkel said that it would be “particularly painful” if the perpetrator were a refugee or asylum seeker in Germany. That is not known as of this writing, but the resumption of such terrorist attacks—this is the first one which has caused fatalities in Germany—places pressure on Merkel and it is not clear what steps she will take.

As of 18:00 CET (17:00 UTC) in Berlin, Police Chief Klaus Kandt was stating that the driver, a Pakistani refugee, was immediately arrested, but was in fact not the perpetrator of the attack, who the police now believe is still at large and dangerous, and may not be alone. Following that, in an unusual move for the ISIS terrorist “news service,” ISIS claimed the truck attack was by “a soldier of the Islamic State.”

What is unusual in that the perpetrator or perpetrators remain at large. Only today, according to CNN, another terrorist, whose attack last year was stopped by passengers on a French high-speed train, “confessed” his allegiance to ISIS after his association with leading terrorists had been proven. ISIS had never claimed that attack.

UN Calls for Murder Charges against Duterte, Not Obama

Dec. 20 (EIRNS)—President Barack Obama has openly bragged of his weekly “kill list,” preparing a list of targets to be killed by drone or otherwise each week—none of them, whether U.S. citizens or not, having been charged with a crime or given due process before a judge, but simply considered terrorists worthy of death, along with whoever else happens to be in the vicinity of the drone strike.  Obama signs off on every kill.

Nonetheless, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, who has never called for murder charges to be brought against Obama, has called for a murder investigation against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Hussein said in a statement that “The Philippine judicial authorities must demonstrate their commitment to upholding the rule of law and their independence from the executive by launching a murder investigation” against Duterte. This is based on a statement entirely, and intentionally, misinterpreted by the Western press as an “admission” by Duterte that he had ridden his motorcycle around Davao as Mayor looking for people to kill. Duterte has in fact repeated many, many times that only those criminals who resist arrest and threaten the lives of the police are subject to being shot.

The UNHRC Hussein, showing his ignorance and his prejudice, said: “The killings committed by Mr. Duterte, by his own admission, at a time when he was a mayor, clearly constitute murder.”

Duterte is particularly incensed that the Obama administration has threatened to cut an annual $400 million anti-poverty aid program from the Millennium Challenge Corp., pending an “investigation” into human rights violations in Duterte’s war on drugs. Speaking at a forum of businessmen at the presidential palace today, which included the new U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim (whom Duterte has met and described as a “good ambassador”), Duterte said: “To hear them say, ‘We will cut your aid if these things happen again’—go on, shut up, shut up. I do not need your assistance. Millennium Challenge, $400 million? China is going to release to me $50 billion. Go home, I do not need your aid…. If you are dealing with Asians—with due respect to the Ambassador of the United States—be careful of your language.”

On Dec. 16, Duterte warned that the continued slanders and threats against him and his country could lead to the repeal or abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which allows U.S. troops to hold military exercises in the Philippines.