EDITORIAL
Communist Party of China Congress Places Belt and Road in Its Constitution
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—On the concluding day of the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, the Congress placed the Belt and Road Initiative into its Constitution. The new phrase calls on the nation and the people to “pursue the Belt and Road Initiative.” It also added the words: “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” and a call to “follow the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration.”
This provides a context in which President Trump’s trip to Asia, beginning Nov. 3, can become a turning point in history. Trump will be meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing on Nov. 8. If he announces there that the U.S. will fully participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and joins the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (which Obama tried so hard to sabotage), the new paradigm given birth through Xi Jinping’s New Silk Road can become a universal reality.
If Trump then meets with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Vietnam, as the White House has indicated is a possibility, and solidifies his intention to establish a friendly, working relationship with Russia, then the British Empire division of the world through the geopolitical fraud of a “clash of civilizations” between East and West can be put to rest, hopefully forever. The increasingly transparent fraud of Robert Mueller’s attempted “Russiagate” coup against Trump can be further exposed and crushed.
Already Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose ruling coalition swept the Lower House elections on Oct. 22 with a two-thirds “supermajority,” said that he now has the mandate to proceed with a “strong foreign policy,” specifying in particular his intention to meet with Putin, Xi Jinping and Trump in the coming days. Abe and Putin have forged a strong relationship already, based on achieving a peace treaty (from World War II!) through joint development of contested territory and Japan’s full engagement in the development in Russia’s great undeveloped Far East.
In Southeast Asia, the Singapore Defense Minister announced after the ASEAN Ministerial meeting in Manila that the ten ASEAN nations and China are preparing joint naval exercises for next year in the South China Sea—another demonstration that the win-win approach is transforming history.
We now have the potential for the United States to transform itself, for U.S. science and industry to once again become engaged in nation building around the world, as part of the Belt and Road. We have the potential for China and Japan to put their own areas of expertise—and their massive U.S. debt holding—into productive investment within the U.S., helping to reverse the systemic decline in U.S. productive growth over the past 50 years. For that to happen, we must both join the New Silk Road, and replace the bankrupt Wall Street too-big-to-fail banks with Hamiltonian financial institutions capable of directing credit into building a future for our nation and for Mankind.
This is what Helga Zepp-LaRouche refers to as the common aims of Mankind, and what Xi Jinping calls “win-win,” and a “community of nations with a shared future.”
U.S. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
House To Raise Questions into Comey’s Crimes in the Hillary Clinton Email Investigation
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—“Decisions made by the Department of Justice in 2016 have led to a host of outstanding questions that must be answered,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) said today in a joint statement.
The statement said the two leaders have questions about the FBI’s decision to openly declare the Bureau’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information, while quietly investigating Trump campaign associates; why the FBI decided to formally notify Congress of the probe on two separate occasions; and why Comey at the FBI—rather than the Justice Department—announced that Hillary Clinton would not be charged.
“The Committees will review these decisions and others to better understand the reasoning behind how certain conclusions were drawn. Congress has a constitutional duty to preserve the integrity of our justice system by ensuring transparency and accountability of actions taken,” their statement continued.
Congress Sends a $36.5 Billion Disaster Aid Package to Trump; Full-Scale Infrastructure Plans Unclear
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—The Senate today passed a $36.5 billion disaster aid package, already approved by the House of Representatives, so the new aid authorization only awaits President Donald Trump’s signature. Much of the new money will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which was within days of running out of funds; and $16 billion will go to the Federal flood insurance program, which was insolvent. Aid authorizations cover FEMA and relief work of all kinds in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and mainland states.
But in recent days, there was concern by lawmakers in Texas, Florida, and in Western states, where wildfires rage, that this new package does not contain enough for the disaster relief in their states, for example, for Hurricane Irma’s destruction of orange groves in Florida, and many other such specific problems.
However, President Trump called the lawmakers, with assurance that the White House will send another aid-package recommendation to Congress in November. The Texas and Florida delegations have already put their requests in writing for November, with Florida asking in the range of $27 billion; and Texas asking for some $18 billion in Federal assistance.
Meantime, the pressure is mounting for a rebuilding plan for Puerto Rico, and to deal with mainland decrepit infrastructure. Behind the scenes, many lawmakers and staff are looking anew at the Hamiltonian policies already put before them for many months, from LaRouchePAC, especially for the perspective on a national bank and credit for infrastructure, spelled out in the LaRouche “Four Laws” package.
New Reports: U.S. Life Expectancy Is Dropping, People Are Sicker, Elderly Are Working Longer
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—The rate of deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S. rose 1.2% from 2014 to 2015, according to the latest statistics released by the Society of Actuaries, which, among other things, serves the insurance and pension sectors. The last year-over-year rise was 2005, but the last rise over 1% was in 1980.
The trends of the age-adjusted mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 people per year) tracked by the Society of Actuaries, show that overall, life expectancy for persons in a pension plan have dropped since their last calculation, by 0.2 years. A 65-year-old man can be expected to live to 85.6 years; and woman, to 87.6. The pay-out expectations of pension plans are dropping accordingly.
Many other reports add to the picture of declining U.S. social condition and health. A review by Bloomberg yesterday (“Americans Are Retiring Later, Dying Sooner and Sicker In-Between”) notes that, whereas, 40 years ago, one in five Americans age 65 to 69 was still working, today, nearly one in three Americans in this bracket is working.
Health Affairs journal reports that today, people approaching 60 are measurably sicker than the same age cohort only 10 to 15 years ago. The specific criterion used by researchers at the University of Michigan, was that of activities of daily living, or ADL, which determines whether you can bathe, toilet, dress, eat, walk, etc. independently. Today, some 12.5% of people at the official retirement age of 66, have had ADL problems since their late 50s; whereas 10-15 years ago, only 8.8% did, as they approached the 65-year mark.
Similarly, measures show that the presence of dementia is increasing.
All these measures cohere with the drug plague, in a demobilized, demoralized society. Medics also report that, despite advances in treatments for specific diseases, people are sicker from conditions resulting from obesity and addiction, all associated with depression and despair.
STRATEGIC WAR DANGER
Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi Rejects Tillerson’s Criticism of Iraq-Iran Relationship
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—After making a quick, unannounced detour to Kabul, Afghanistan, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson landed in Baghdad, yesterday, where Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi rejected his criticism of Iraq’s relationship with Iran. Abadi said the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, Hashd al-Shaabi) “is part of the Iraqi institutions,” rejecting accusations that it is acting as an Iranian proxy. “Popular Mobilization fighters should be encouraged because they will be the hope of country and the region,” he said.
According to Reuters, Tillerson’s effort to drive a wedge between Baghdad and Tehran appeared to have backfired. “Nobody has the right to interfere in Iraqi affairs,” the Iraqi cabinet said in a statement, quoting a source close to al-Abadi. “The fighters of the Hashd are Iraqis who are concerned for their country and have sacrificed for its defense and for its people.”
The Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the PMF groups said to be closest to Iran, reacted to Tillerson’s comment by saying it would be Americans who will be forced to leave Iraq. “Your forces should get ready to get out of our country once the excuse of Daesh’s presence is over,” said Asaib’s leader Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, according to the group’s TV channel, al-Aahd.
Has Kurdistan Leader Barzani Been Weakened by His Failed Independence Drive from Iraq?
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—Experts consulted by AFP have come to the conclusion that Kurdistan Regional Government (K.R.G.) President Masoud Barzani has become isolated by his drive for independence from Iraq. Iraqi President Fuad Masum, who is Kurdish and is a member of the PUK, the rival of Barzani’s KDP, said the independence referendum is what triggered last week’s Iraqi government seizure of Kirkuk. Iraqi Kurdistan’s main opposition party, Goran, has called for talks with Baghdad and demanded that Barzani and his deputy Kosrat Rasul resign, saying they “no longer have any legitimacy.” “The KDP is isolated within Kurdistan itself, in Iraq, regionally and increasingly internationally,” said analyst Kirk Sowell, publisher and editor of Inside Iraqi Politics.
Karim Bitar of the Paris-based Institute of International and Strategic Affairs, argues that a “false vision of Iraq as a mere mosaic of ethnic and sectarian identities” had been reinforced since the U.S. invasion of 2003. “There has been a common and unfortunate tendency among many analysts and policy makers to underestimate the strength of Iraqi nationalism,” he said. “To paraphrase Mark Twain, we could say that events of the past few days indicate that reports of Iraq’s death may have been greatly exaggerated.”
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov, hosting Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al Jafaari, strongly endorsed Iraqi unity and called for dialogue to resolve the dispute. “We understand the hopes of the Kurdish people to strive and strengthen their identity. … But it would be right to realize these hopes through dialogue with the Iraqi government,” Lavrov said, reports Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News, while warning that the issue should be addressed “with consideration of the need to avoid creating another source of instability in the region.
“However, we believe it is correct to realize those desires and those hopes exclusively via the Iraqi government and fully take into account the significance the Kurdish question has on a regional scale, and take into account the need to avoid additional sources of instability in the region,” he said.
Russia and Philippines Strengthen Defense Ties
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—On the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministerial meeting at Clark Airbase in the Philippines, Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu met with Philippine Defense Minister Gen. Delfin Lorenzana, signing a defense industry agreement. Shoigu told the press afterwards, according to Sputnik: “The leaders of our states have outlined the strategic priorities of bilateral cooperation. Active work is being conducted today to implement the agreements reached, including to further strengthen ties in the defense sphere.”
Russia agreed to provide RPG-7V grenade launchers to the Philippines. Russia is also providing 5,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles, which will be delivered Wednesday morning Oct. 25, onboard a Russian warship docked at Subic Bay, the former U.S. base for the war on Indochina. The U.S. had earlier contracted to sell the Philippines the rifles, desperately needed as ISIS attacked in Mindanao, but President Barack Obama held them up to obstruct President Rodrigo Duterte’s War on Drugs.
Duterte has also expressed interest in purchasing Russian helicopters, planes, and precision-guided weapons to help combat the terror threat. The two countries hope to complete further agreements by the end of the year.
China, ASEAN Will Hold Joint Naval Drills in the South China Sea
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—Singapore’s Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen told Reuters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers meeting in the Philippines today that China and Southeast Asian navies aim to hold an inaugural joint maritime exercise next year. This is certainly a dramatic shift from the Obama era, when Obama was driving ASEAN apart by demanding military and political confrontation with China.
“Singapore supports it,” Minister Ng said when asked about China’s offer to hold maritime exercises. “We will push it … for the very reason that all ASEAN and China want that. If you exercise, you at least build understanding and trust. We’ll work out the details. See the logistics … and find a suitable area where ASEAN and China navies can exercise together,” Ng said.
According to Reuters, Ng said the United States and Japan also welcomed the idea of exercises. “Secretary [of Defense] Mattis welcomed the exercises together with ASEAN countries,” he said. Ng also hoped for the early conclusion of a code of conduct in the South China Sea after a framework agreement was reached this year to reduce conflicts and misunderstanding.
Singapore is scheduled to chair ASEAN for 2018, and is the ASEAN-China dialogue relations coordinator from 2015 to 2018.
COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Convicted of Foreign Exchange Fraud, HSBC Bankers Blamed It On … the Russians
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—One former London HSBC bank official has been convicted in New York of fraudulent manipulation of a foreign exchange market, and the United States is demanding extradition for trial of another. The event throws more attention on Wells Fargo Bank’s latest probable crime—it just fired four forex traders and executives and revealed they are under Federal investigation; and also on the fact that the great majority of all foreign exchange derivatives are issued by London banks.
But perhaps the most notable irony in the case of Mark Johnson (just convicted) and Stuart Scott (fled New York to London to avoid arrest two years ago), is that they tried to blame the manipulation of the value of the pound sterling which they carried out—when victimized firms realized their losses—on a “Russian buyer.”
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney last week warned that precisely foreign exchange derivatives trades could be at risk of becoming legally invalid by the tens of trillions of dollars in nominal value, due to “Brexit.” It was noted at the time by financial experts that 85% of foreign exchange derivatives originate with London banks of which HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp.) is the largest. The bank has been caught in crimes from aiding drug cartels and money launderers, to working with terror-financiers in Saudi Arabia, to facilitating massive tax evasion in cooperation with UBS and Credit Suisse banks in Switzerland.
It would be prudent to break these three banks up, along with the megabanks on Wall Street, by an enactment of new Glass-Steagall laws in the United States and across Europe. Glass-Steagall has come close to passage in recent years in both the British and Swiss parliaments, and is in both U.S. Houses of Congress and both political party platforms.
THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER
Corbyn Convenes Group of Experts To Prepare for Governing
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the British Labour Party, appears to be confident that the next general election will be held much sooner than the official date of 2022. He has now put together a group of advisors to help prepare the party for running the government if they win the next elections. It was reported in the Sunday Telegraphthat Lord Kerslake, who was the head of the civil service from 2012 to 2015 said he has been appointed to advise Labour on how to prepare for government. Kerslake said he was leading a group of advisors but did not mention other names.
“They are doing the right thing to take these steps to prepare for government. It is what oppositions should do,” Kerslake told the Telegraph. “They are serious about preparing for government and therefore how they might implement what they want to do. In the context of U.K. politics, it is quite radical. It is not unusual for some of the things they want to have run by the state being run by the state in other parts of Europe. The comparison is quite illuminating. What might seem to some ‘blimey that looks completely outlandish’ is already happening in other places.”
When asked if he thought Corbyn could become Prime Minister, he replied, “Of course…. Why wouldn’t you see it as a possibility if they have received that level of votes and support?”
Corbyn has also appointed Labour MP Jon Trickett to lead the shadow cabinet’s work on preparation for government. Corbyn told LabourList website: “Labour is no longer just an opposition but a government in waiting. We must be ready to serve our country in the event of an early election. That is why the entire shadow cabinet is stepping up our preparations for government and I have asked Jon Trickett to take the lead in this work.” Trickett has been an early supporter of Corbyn and stands on the left of the party.
OTHER
BBC Continues To Rant against Xi Jinping’s ‘Great Purge’
Oct. 24 (EIRNS)—As the CPC National Congress concludes today, while the new Central Committee and Standing Committee will be announced tomorrow, BBC continued its defamation of General Secretary Xi Jinping. While providing an interesting quantification of the seriousness of Xi’s crackdown on corruption, rather than praising Xi for cleaning up the notorious corruption, BBC lies, calling it a purge of political opponents, even comparing it to the Cultural Revolution horror under Mao and the Gang of Four.
BBC says it did a study, finding that “more than 170 ministers and deputy minister-level officials have been sacked and many jailed under Mr. Xi, accused of charges such as corruption, misconduct and violation of party discipline…. In the last five years, 35 members (full and alternate) of the Chinese Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee have been disciplined. That is as many as in all the years between 1949 and 2012…. Based on official data, a staggering 1.34 million officials at high and low levels—the so-called ‘tigers and flies’—have been brought down by corruption and disciplinary charges during President Xi’s first five years in office.”
This clearly demonstrates both courage by Xi, and deep support within the Party and the population. Five years ago BBC (and all the Western press) talked constantly about the horrible state of corruption in China—now they are defending the corrupt ones!
