EDITORIAL

Zepp-LaRouche: Catalyze a Great Moment Into Victory

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—The British Empire, which openly advocates the depopulation of the planet down to one billion inhabitants (of their choosing), is well aware that the global strategic situation is approaching endgame. Their trans-Atlantic financial system is on the cusp of another blowout, to the point where even the IMF is now openly warning that “large challenges loom for the global economy to prevent a second Great Depression.” The British are facing an obstinate challenge from a growing “sovereignist” faction in Europe, centered on the Italian government, that—like President Donald Trump—has had it with supranational dictatorship and related globaloney. The latest British gambit to topple the Trump administration—the Kavanaugh affair—is backfiring, as have their other similar efforts over the last two years. And there is growing clarity among the American population on the British role in everything that has gone wrong in the country over recent years.

Perhaps most important of all, is that Americans are increasingly anxious to collaborate with each other, and are saying to hell with parties and other phony divisions, to get the country back on track. Kesha Rogers’s flagship congressional campaign is playing a critical role in this process, bringing Lyndon LaRouche’s policy proposals to the fore and showing others that it can be done, and how it can be done. The endorsements for Kesha over the last 48 hours by long-time Trump adviser Roger Stone and Virginia State Senator Richard Black are reflective of the potential.

In a discussion with associates today, Helga Zepp-LaRouche presented the following strategic evaluation:

“If you really look at it, the recently released IPCC report (calling for energy, food and population cutbacks far more extreme than the Paris Climate Agreement), is the same thing as the great transformation, the decarbonization of the world economy plan called for by Commander of the British Empire John Shellnhuber, which we identified at the time as 100% a British operation. Remember that Lyndon LaRouche’s fame is based especially, if not exclusively, on the key notion which he established of the scientific correlation between energy flux density and potential relative population density of the planet. So you now have an assault, which is being massively played up by the mainstream media, attempting to set goals, limitations, for reducing CO₂ emission limits. This will be the death-blow to the already fragile German economy, to be sure. It’s also a complete declaration of war against Trump, and his announced policies of reindustrializing the United States. And for sure it’s a blast at everything which has to do with the Belt and Road Initiative, especially the effort of China and others to help overcome the underdevelopment of the developing sector.

“I would put this in the same category as the coup against Trump. Everything the British Empire comes up with—the Skripal case, the fake chemical weapons, now it’s climate change—it’s all an effort to stick to the old paradigm to prevent a new paradigm from coming into being.

“People in the U.S. are sick and tired of being pitted against each other; what that is showing is the win-win spirit, it is the New Silk Road spirit. This is going on on an international scale. This is why the Singapore model in respect to North Korea functions. This is why the new relations all around the Horn of Africa are developing. This is why there is potential for the first time between Pakistan and India. That is what Xi Jinping always talks about when he talks about the ‘community for a shared future of humanity.’

“This idea of a new paradigm of overcoming these silly, petty-minded conflicts, and really devoting yourself to the common future, is the vision of where mankind should be in 500 or 1,000 years from now, or even 10,000. Because the fate of humanity is not to act like beasts. We are the creative species. And that is what we can uniquely bring into this whole discussion. We have a great moment, and we should absolutely catalyze it into victory.”

COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM

IMF Warns that ‘A Second Great Depression’ Is Looming

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—The International Monetary Fund just warned in its annual economic outlook that “large challenges loom for the global economy to prevent a second Great Depression.” The report was issued as part of the preparations for the IMF’s annual meeting, which will be held next week in Bali.

Speaking earlier this week, the IMF’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde also sounded the alarm, noting that the total value of global public and private debt has risen by 60% since the 2008 financial crisis. She warned that the long years of quantitative easing led to huge build-up of debt in so-called emerging markets, and that rising U.S. interest “could trigger a flight of funds and destabilize their economies,” the London Guardian reported. The daily wrote that the IMF report explained that “the huge rise in borrowing by corporates and government at cheap interest rates had not shown up in higher levels of research and development or more general investment in infrastructure.” Lagarde warned: “This should serve as a wake-up call.”

The Guardian added: “With global debt levels well above those at the time of the last crash in 2008, the risk remains that unregulated parts of the financial system could trigger a global panic,” according to the IMF.

It should be noted that neither the IMF nor the Guardian mention what is an even larger explosive charge than debt, which is the derivatives bubble—now totaling over $1.5 quadrillion, or an order of magnitude greater than the debt.

The Financial Warfare Against Italy Has Started

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—The letter by EU Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis and Pierre Moscovici to the Italian government on Oct. 5 has unleashed what anyone could expect: a run on Italian bonds. The famous “spread” went over 300 points yesterday, to fall slightly under that mark today. (The spread is the difference between Italian bond yields and the benchmark German bond. Thus, 300 points means that the yield on the 10-year bond is slightly over 3%, with the German yield being close to zero. Theoretically it means that Italy will pay 3% more to roll over its debt, but this becomes a practical question, depending on when and how the debt is rolled over.)

This morning, the IMF joined in the charge by downgrading growth estimates for Italy this year and next year. “We have seen the spread increase and this has helped the downgrading,” said IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld.

The stock market plunged Monday, Oct. 8, as banks’ stocks suffered fears that a coming downgrading of the Italian sovereign debt will unleash a bank crisis.

Such a downgrading by rating agencies is what European Central Bank President Mario Draghi warned about (threatened) in his secret meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella last week. Italian bonds are two notches above “non-investment grade” (junk). A downgrading means that European elites are willing to play with fire. Since Italy is too big to bail out, a banking crisis will probably bring the end of the euro and might trigger the event waiting to happen, namely the global financial collapse.

Italian government leaders have exposed the so-called “market reaction” as a political operation. Everybody could see that it was the Moscovici-Dombrovskis action that unleashed the run on the bonds. Those Eurocrats are going to be voted out next spring, and this was quite ironically shown when Dombrovskis’ party in Latvia got crushed in the general elections on Sunday, Oct. 7, going from 19.9% to 6.7% (the pro-Russian party “Harmony” won). In France, where Moscovici was finance minister, his Socialist Party (PS) has almost disappeared from the political landscape.

U.S. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC

Global Times Runs Kiracofe Op-Ed: Pence’s Anti-China Speech Was Contrary to Trump’s China Policy

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—The Chinese media have been full of angry denunciations of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s anti-China speech at the Hudson Institute on Oct. 4, but one stands out because of its differentiated—and accurate—reading of what is happening inside the Trump Administration. Cliff Kiracofe, a former Senate Committee senior staffer, wrote an op-ed on Oct. 7 with the headline: “Vice President Speech Shows U.S. Can’t Learn From History.” In it, he focused in on how Trump has been “hamstrung” by “the establishment’s ‘Deep State’ ” in his efforts to have “better relations with China and Russia.” Kiracofe wrote:

“U.S. President Donald Trump, during his campaign and early after taking office, said he wanted better relations with China and Russia. The U.S. establishment had other ideas as Vice President Mike Pence’s recent speech against China demonstrates. Trump early on suggested a new approach for U.S. foreign policy. He appeared to want to move away from U.S. hegemonism and Cold War thinking. It was thought that he had a sense of an emerging multipolar world with which the U.S. needed to come to terms….

“Many of his supporters today in the U.S. are scratching their heads wondering what happened to Trump. But Pence’s speech at the Hudson Institute comes as no surprise to those who closely follow U.S. politics…. The establishment’s ‘Deep State’ simply rolls right along as usual while Trump is hamstrung by various investigations. Congressional Republicans for the most part do not support him effectively.”

Kiracofe continues: “Pence’s speech pointedly reflects U.S. policy and is an escalation of the administration’s anti-China campaign which, in fact, parallels its anti-Russia campaign….

“But Pence’s speech now raises the hawkish and confrontational line to the vice presidential level. It is interesting that he weighs in so stridently and prominently. His speech had a big advance buildup as a ‘major foreign policy speech.’

“It is no secret that Pence is ambitious and would like to be President. From the beginning of the Trump Administration, he has traveled around the world developing his knowledge, contacts and image.

Kiracofe concludes with a warning: “Pence’s rant is more than just another election time speech. Given the political quagmire into which Trump has fallen, U.S. observers must keep a close eye on Pence.”

China Daily Blasts Pence, But Cautiously Optimistic About Different Tone of Pompeo’s Visit

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—A China Daily editorial published Oct. 8 looked with cautious optimism to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Beijing yesterday as an alternative policy to that expressed last week by Vice President Pence: “Trade frictions aside, days before Pompeo’s trip to Asia, U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence opened fire on China in a blustering speech that scatter shot groundless accusations against China, and depicted it as an evil empire seeking to contest the geopolitical advantages of the U.S. and change the international order….

“It was heartening therefore after Pence’s rant, that Pompeo said that the U.S. does not oppose China’s development, has no intention of blocking China, nor does it have a comprehensive policy to contain China.”

Pence’s speech, the editorial continued, “seemed intended to mark a confrontational policy shift toward China by the Donald Trump Administration.

“Which meant Pompeo’s Beijing visit came at a timely moment, as it may serve as yet another chance to find ways to prevent the already fast-sinking relations from going into free fall. At times of uncertainties, it is imperative the two sides remain sober-minded and keep the door to constructive communications open.”

The editorial further stated: “China’s response toward the U.S. has always remained measured and well-reasoned, not only in face of U.S. imposing hefty tariffs on increasing amounts of Chinese goods, but also when constantly provoked on Taiwan or in the South China Sea. For it still believes that their common interests far outweigh their differences, and there are many reasons to make the relationship better, and not a single one to make it worse.

“But friendship is not one-sided and goodwill must be reciprocated.”

In a very similar manner, today’s lead editorial in Global Times, published by the Communist Party, is headlined: “China, U.S. Will Inevitably Come To Third Alternative.” It also denounced Pence’s speech, while welcoming the visit by Pompeo. “It is believed the U.S. does not want to confront China,” the editorial said. “Perhaps a few political elites would like to do so as it could help consolidate their interests, but the public may not want to follow suit.”

Virginia State Senator Richard Black Endorses Kesha Rogers for Congress in Texas

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—Virginia State Senator Richard Black has endorsed Kesha Rogers for Congress in the 9th Congressional District of Texas. Rogers, an Independent, who is running the flagship campaign in LaRouche PAC’s Campaign To Secure the Future, is running against Al Green, who fashions himself as leading the coup against Donald Trump and the campaign to impeach him. Senator Black is a fearless campaigner against America’s regime change and perpetual warfare operations, particularly as directed by the British and their friends in the United States foreign policy “consensus” against Syria.

In his endorsement, Senator Black said:

“In a largely Democratic district, Kesha has taken on the responsibility of running against one of the Congressional leaders of the coup against President Donald Trump. Congressman Al Green has publicly stated that President Trump should be impeached, even if no impeachable offense has been committed. Kesha Rogers, in addition to putting forward economic policies designed to rebuild her district and our nation, has made this unconstitutional pronouncement of Green’s a leading campaign and national issue. For these reasons, I endorse her campaign and urge others in both parties to support her.”

Robert Mueller’s Gathering Storm: Thieves Fall Out

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—There have been significant developments in the counter-coup in Washington over the past few days. The Congressional testimony last week of former FBI General Counsel James Baker has proved to be a font of new leads in the coup against the President:

Baker testified that he personally met with Michael Sussman, the lawyer for Hillary Clinton and the DNC, to receive their British intelligence-generated dirty dossier on Donald Trump, and other materials on Russiagate, and then, as FBI general counsel, shepherded through a FISA warrant on Carter Page, which never told the court that this was the FBI acting on behalf of the Clinton campaign to spy on a U.S. citizen and a rival presidential campaign.  While this aspect of Baker’s testimony has been widely reported, it is important to add that this spying was on behalf of the British and the Obama White House, in addition to the Clinton campaign.

Baker also testified, according to accounts provided both by Sara Carter on Fox and by John Solomon in The Hill, that Andrew McCabe and Lisa Page came to him shortly after the May 2017 meeting reported in the New York Times and stated that Rod Rosenstein was talking seriously about wearing a wire to record conversations with the President, and that he was working with cabinet level officials to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the President.  Rosenstein has denied the Times’ report of this meeting and, clearly, Baker is pushing back on behalf of the fired Deputy Director of the FBI McCabe, and his former attorney, Page.  According to Sara Carter, Baker testified that he told McCabe and Page that he saw nothing unethical about doing this.

Rosenstein, who rode with the President to Florida on Air Force One on Monday, received the President’s endorsement, as least temporarily.  It is unclear what Rosenstein told the President about these May 2017 meetings in the wake of Comey’s firing.  Rosenstein is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door session on Oct. 11.  The Andrew McCabe Memos which document McCabe’s account of these meetings have been subpoenaed by the House, but not turned over. It is unclear whether their release to the House is being blocked by Special Counsel Robert Mueller who has copies of the McCabe memos.

Nikki Haley Announces Her Departure from the Trump Administration

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—After a brief meeting this morning, President Donald Trump invited the news media to join him and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office.  While praising Haley throughout the ensuing 20-minute discussion, Trump announced that Haley had resigned her post, effective the end of this year. No reason was given for the resignation except that Haley said that she thought after dealing with crises as Governor of South Carolina for six years and UN Ambassador for two, “It’s time.”

Throughout her term as Ambassador, Haley has insisted on her independence from the President and has told the public that, despite her total lack of experience in foreign affairs, she made the right to serve on the cabinet and the National Security Council and to express her own views, conditions for accepting the position.  On many occasions, she spoke against the policies of the administration and these almost always involved seeking harsher treatment, rather than closer collaboration, with other nations.

She thanked President Trump and the nation for having had the opportunity to serve in her post and explained how proud she was of the sanctions and other actions she had participated in imposing on other nations.

THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER

Paolo Savona Might Be the ‘Sovereignist’ Candidate To Replace Juncker as EU Commission President

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—According to Lega sources in the European Parliament, quoted by Adnkronos, Italy’s European Affairs Minister Paolo Savona could become the candidate of the European sovereignist front to become EU Commission president, if the “populists” win the European Parliament elections next April.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini “is now recognized as head of the alliance at European level,” said Adnkronos’ source after a meeting yesterday in Rome between Salvini and Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s Front National. “The meeting with Le Pen, who flew to Rome, is the best demonstration of it.” This is the acknowledgment that “he is now the European point of reference, as many in Brussels also recognize.” This means that “the idea is ripe to pull out a European name for a ‘sovereignist’ candidate” on the EU Commission. “The name of Paolo Savona, a current minister in the Italian yellow-green government, could be marketable if the polls determine a clear shift in a populist direction.”

Spanish Leftists Break with EU, Defend Italian Government, Sovereign Nation-States

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—Three leaders from within the Spanish left movement set off a storm within that movement with a Sept. 5 article opposing the label of “fascist” thrown at the Salvini-Di Maio government in Italy, and defending its first steps towards protecting labor. “Like it or not, its ‘Dignity Decree’ is a notable effort to defend the Italian people from the lords of finance and offshoring,” they wrote in Cuarto Poder (“Fascism in Italy? Dignity Decree”).

For that, the three—76-year-old historic Communist Party and United Left (IU) leader Julio Anguita, Valencia University Philosophy Prof. Hector Illueca, and IU Deputy Manuel Monereo—were attacked as Stalinists, anti-immigrant, and whitewashers of fascism. The three escalated in response, in three follow-up articles published since then, which make clear they have set out to create a new “sovereignist” movement in Spain, favoring the “reindustrialization” of Spain through government intervention in the economy, against the European Union and against the “broad and consistent agreement between the extreme left and the apostles of neo-liberalism,” which rejects the nation-state and ignores the “terrorist dictatorship of monopoly capital.”

“Italy is a people under fire, singled out by the EU and assaulted by the markets…. Does this have any significance for our critics?” they countered. Why are our critics silent about this attack? “The EU is not only against social justice and any sane economic policy; the EU is the enemy of democracy…. What emerged from the March 4 elections [in Italy] is an authentic popular rebellion against the EU, similar to what happened in Great Britain with Brexit,” they wrote on Sept. 14. We have no sympathy for Matteo Salvini, but the rise of Salvini and similar figures in other European countries is “a reflection of the failure of the left … a left which became neo-liberal and is unable to understand its people. The time of ingenuous and evanescent Europeanism is over. The time of ‘more Europe’ is over.”

The content of the platform remains to be seen; the authors cite authorities from very different perspectives in their articles, from Rousseau’s “popular sovereignty” to “the great German economist Friedrich List.” They make no mention of the New Silk Road. But as they concluded on Oct. 2 in “Sovereignty, Democracy and Socialism”: “One thing is sure: The future of the peoples will be built upon the ashes of this European Union.”

STRATEGIC WAR DANGER

Vitrenko Letter to UN, OSCE, Euro Parliament: ‘Stop Terrorism and Repressions! Defend Democracy in Ukraine!’

Oct. 9 (EIRNS)—Natalia Vitrenko, Chairman of Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, wrote a letter on Oct. 3 to leading international institutions demanding that the Ukrainian government investigate and otherwise be held accountable for violence and repression against the PSPU and other political groupings in Ukraine. Vitrenko is a tireless and courageous fighter against fascism in her country and internationally, and has frequently campaigned along with Helga Zepp-LaRouche in favor of a New Bretton Woods to replace the current bankrupt financial system. Vitrenko’s letter, addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the European Parliament, was written after the PSPU held its extraordinary 32nd Congress, whose delegates authorized her to issue the appeal on their behalf, given that there are elections upcoming in Ukraine in 2019, for both the Presidency and the Supreme Rada, and the current regime is acting to make it impossible for the PSPU to run candidates. The letter begins:

“The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has blocked the activity of our party (an opposition party!) by illegally failing to acknowledge (i.e., to register) the resolutions of three Congresses, so far, of the PSPU, which took place in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In compliance with the requirements of new Ukrainian laws, these Congresses amended the Charter and Program of the party and the membership of its leading bodies. Thus, since 2015 the PSPU has been deprived of the possibility of taking part in elections….

“What is being carried out is political, moral, psychological, physical, and informational terrorism against opposition political parties and public organizations. Taking part in this terrorism are agencies of the state, as well as Nazi fighters who enjoy protection from Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.”

“We are counting on you. We are counting on you to read our Appeal, study the facts stated here, and others, and make public your evaluation of them. Political rights are inalienable for every person, every citizen. Without respect for them, life will not change for the better.”