News Alert!

According to a January 13, 2012 Reuters news report, Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian ambassador to NATO who has been appointed deputy prime minister in charge of Russia’s defense sector, told news reporters at a Brussels press conference that Russia would regard any military attack on Iran as a “direct threat to our security.”
Will the crazed neocon warmongers and the Washington morons listen?

About Dr. Paul Craig Roberts

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following.

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  1. avatar

    I doubt they will listen. They’re not attuned to what those “damn foreigners” say. And in any case, unfettered American unilateralism has reigned unchecked for the last two decades. Additionally, as counterpoint to not listening to other nations, there’s no real debate within the country. Liberals — who function essentially as lipstick on the pig of American militarism and imperialism — are too craven and spineless to take on the loonies; their tepid objections relate to means rather than ends. Glancing at the Washington apparatus is enough to make one believe in demons: it appears that they are collectively possessed by a demon that is inexorably pushing them into global conflagration.

    By: AA . January 14, 2012 . 9:09 am | Flag this comment

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  2. avatar

    The whole issue with American attacks against both the world and their own citizens relates to central banking. The United States will attack and destroy anyone and everyone that challenges their criminal, corrupt printing presses that are used to control, enslave, and demonize people for the sociopaths that represent the “elites”——our masters. In the end, Ben Bernanke and his criminal kleptocratic masters “decide” who gets what, when, where, why, and to what extent—–all other speculation is meaningless.

    By: ws . January 14, 2012 . 9:52 am | Flag this comment

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  3. avatar

    I think Thomas Jefferson answered this question a long time ago—–

    “The central bank is an institution of the most deadly hostility existing against the Principles and form of our Constitution. I am an Enemy to all banks discounting bills or notes for anything but Coin. If the American People allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the People of all their Property until their Children will wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered. ”

    Thomas Jefferson

    By: ws . January 14, 2012 . 9:54 am | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      Don’t get me wrong, I love that ‘quote’ – - (I even had it printed on a coffee mug with a portrait of Jefferson ), but subsequently have read articles that throw doubts on its authenticity. Its been awhile since I did the research, but anyone can do so if they want to spend the time on the internet. (Try searching ‘false quotes’, ‘Jefferson’, ‘inflation’, ‘deflation’). One of the points that came out from that research was that the terms ‘inflation’ and ‘deflation’ were not used as we understand them in regard to the economy in Jefferson’s time. Economics, and in particular Austrian School economics, was not developed to the degree they are today. Jefferson had a rudimentary understanding of economics, but he Did understand and warn about the danger of a central bank and wrote about this. He didn’t happend to speak that particular quote attributed to him. – - – Why bring this up if the alleged ‘quote’ expresses Jeffersons sentiments ? Because this is the truth. “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” (quote attributed to George Orwell, but not verified or disproved – but still very insightful today). Those who would destroy our country use lies to do so.

      http://www.monticello.org/site/blog-and-community/posts/how-to-spot-fake
      http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Talk:George_Orwell

      By: Jed Smith . January 14, 2012 . 10:58 am | Flag this comment

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      • avatar

        Jed, thanks for the comments. As you quoted, “in a time of universal deceit” it is hard to know what to believe, but I will definitely error on the side of Jefferson saying this simpy because whatever “doubts” may have been raised were probably from the corrupt ivy league elite “thought police” that have corrupted our institutions and education system with propaganda designed to further their criminal goals with central banking at the top of the list. In summary, I would not be surprised if the doubts are rooted in the halls of the corrupt ivy league elitists who use central banking to maintain their power and keep competition buried in a hole.

        Cheers!

        By: ws . January 14, 2012 . 11:38 am | Flag this comment

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        • avatar

          The false quote mis-attributed to Jefferson has been convincingly exposed by quite a few very reputable authorities. These include those who are devoted researchers who admire Jefferson. (I only listed one source, but these are easily researched by those interested in this fascinating topic.) De-bunking the quote doesn’t mean debunking Jefferson or his actual views and statements regarding a central bank.

          The Orwell quote has neither been authenticated as genuine, or refuted.

          Regards, – - -

          By: Jed Smith . January 14, 2012 . 1:26 pm | Flag this comment

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        • avatar

          The first wartime experience with inflation in U.S. history occurred during the American Revolution. Prior to the Revolution inflation did occur periodically when colonial governments issued bills of credit and permitted them to circulate as money, but these were banned by Parliament between 1751 and 1764.When war broke out, bills of credit were again circulated in large numbers. Be-cause the increase in the money supply far exceeded the growth of output during this period, the price level rose sharply.

          Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/inflation#ixzz1jqWnxWRh

          By: Gary . January 18, 2012 . 3:09 pm | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      Yes, but Jefferson also owned slaves about which he was completely wrong and immoral and he knew that for sure. Going back to coin currency with no checks, credit cards paper money is just nuts. Shall we all carry around bags of gold??? I get your the point of that quote but ….

      By: Dave . January 14, 2012 . 12:23 pm | Flag this comment

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      • avatar

        You ever play that game called “Monopoly”? At the end of the game are there really any winners?

        By: MaximusFubaris . January 18, 2012 . 2:50 pm | Flag this comment

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  4. avatar

    And for anyone still not CERTAIN that all of these wars about central banking and the corrupt U.S. printing presses that are used not only to enslave American citizens but citizens of the world as well, read this:

    Are The Middle East Wars Really About Forcing the World Into Dollars and Private Central Banking?

    http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/are-middle-east-wars-really-about-forcing-world-dollars-and-private-central-banking

    By: ws . January 14, 2012 . 9:55 am | Flag this comment

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  5. avatar

    Jefferson had a “rudimentary” understanding of economics?

    He studied the French physiocrats and owned the first copy in the U.S. of the Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Surely his intellectual outlook is not to be questioned without some references for back up.

    By: MJS . January 14, 2012 . 12:23 pm | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      I am a great admirer of Jefferson. The man was a multi-faceted genius. In my personal opinion, he was the greatest member of the Founding Generation. His knowledge of economics was rudimentary, because economics was at a rudimentary level of development at this time before Austrian economics. He, like others of his time, knew some of the dangers of central banking – - – but the deep understanding of the ‘why its so’ from an economic stand point, would not come till much later, especially with the work of Ludwig von Mises.

      Similiarly, to say that Edison had a rudimentary understanding of electricity, is not an attack on the man or his genius. It would just be an observation of the level of understanding in his time versus the present.

      An excellent work which touches on this topic, but covers the whole of his life is ‘Jefferson’ by Albert Jay Nock

      Regards, – -

      By: Jed Smith . January 14, 2012 . 1:50 pm | Flag this comment

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      • avatar

        Sorry everyone, if I took this commentary a bit off topic.

        I do think that dealing with the truth as much as we can is important however.

        I almost regreted what I found out about the false quote attributed to Jefferson. Its such
        a great statement. I still drink out of the mug with those words on it,but quite as often as
        before. Regards everyone, – - -

        By: Jed Smith . January 14, 2012 . 1:55 pm | Flag this comment

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  6. avatar

    Even a cursory study of history reveals that the complex structures of military command and control are the results of carefully crafted stratagems that often involve decades of foreign policy initiatives which, moving at an apparently glacial pace through the channels of a highly entrenched centralized bureaucracy and designed to effect the success of long standing strategic objectives can eventually yield quite unpredictable results . The present cat and mouse game being enacted on the “Grand Chessboard” according to the blueprint of Zbigniew Brzezinski involving the encirclement of Russia and China with an eye towards the sequestration of the vast untapped resources of Africa and Central Asia has reached a significant point of inflection as it proceeds along the so-called “Arc of Crisis” as outlined by Mr. Brzezinski.

    As opposed to the dismemberment of Milosevic’s Yugoslavia under the Clinton regiment into its pre-Soviet Balkan components, the similar evisceration of Iraq and the exploitation of its significant sectarian and religious divisions to achieve a de facto tri-partite state, and the recent CIA sponsored destabilization of North African regimes culminating in the destruction of Libya and the seizure of its international assets and significant holdings of gold bullion, with Iran and Syria the US/NATO juggernaut has run up against the real fire wall separating it from the hoped for hegemonic “full spectrum dominance” of Central Asia pointed out by F. W. Engdahl.

    The decades long geopolitical maneuvering, dovetailing with the engineered financial implosions of European and Anglo/American economies, seems to be reaching criticality as Russia and China and their partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization mobilize in economic and military alliances with their clients in both Iran and Syria against the exponentially increasing pressures from the West as suggested by Dr. Roberts. The presence of highly sophisticated and technologically advanced Onyx and Sunburst missiles along with elaborate Russian missile defense systems in Iran present the US/NATO/
    Israeli entente with a formidable, intractable and implacable adversary. As with WWI, the strategic military mobilizations prepared for decades seem to have set the stage for a conflagration of catastrophic proportions the brink of which the world is approaching with alarming alacrity.

    By: yardfarmer . January 14, 2012 . 3:01 pm | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      I noticed you mentoned F. William Engdahl. He is an outstanding writer & researcher. (I own all his books.) If you haven’t had the chance to do so already, check out his 2011 version of “A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order”. This book has the power to completely shift ones view of current events in the Middle East, in the U.S., and globally. It gives the historical and geo-political perspective. Regards, – -

      By: Jed Smith . January 14, 2012 . 4:19 pm | Flag this comment

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  7. avatar

    Did you mention the central bank because only three countries were not owned by the Rothschild Family are Cuba, North Korea
    and Iran?

    By: Lisel . January 14, 2012 . 3:25 pm | Flag this comment

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  8. avatar

    The more enemies the better- thats what the neo cons want- make russia the old/new enemy- the amerikan sleepwalkers remember russia as the enemy from decades ago so if they can be dragged into this all the better! rah rah rah go ussa!

    By: TOM . January 14, 2012 . 3:53 pm | Flag this comment

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  9. avatar

    It IS a threat to Russian national security. Will the neocons and morons listen? No sir, they will not. The neoconservative “unipolar world” “full spectrum dominance” dates to at least to The Project For the New American Century docs (PNAC) which clearly laid out the plans for decades of war and taking control of the “seven sisters” ME countries. Russia was the primary objective. This insane doctrine is/should be well known to all. The demise of Russian sovereignty has allways been their supposed “right” since the collapse of the Soviet Union. But Russia has maintained its nuclear capability.
    Iran and Syria are next. Whether Russia allows Assad to be overthrow remains to be seen. I don’t think they will, but Syria will be much more difficult to defend. It takes ships (or missiles). Trains can supply Iran directly. Therefore despite the sabre rattling, I believe war against Syria is next and some connectred event will be used to attack Iran this way.
    It has been made clear that the sanctions will drive oil prices up and collapse the economies of many countries. They have been rejected. Just the same, Russia will never allow the west to take control of the flow of oil to China. As you wrote the other day, China could dump its trillion dollar treasury holdings on the market and destroy the dollar. Just the same, The EU countries can easily shut the flow of gas to dependant EU countries and the result would be catastrophic. But when the EU collapses, so do the oligarchs.
    Meanwhile the SCO trade agreements have been put in place . BRICS contries trade agreements have also been well developed.
    Its time for the Washington idiots to realize they have defeated themselves….but they won’t.

    By: Dan . January 14, 2012 . 4:22 pm | Flag this comment

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  10. avatar

    In my previous post I stated “The EU countries can easily shut the flow of gas to dependant EU countries” I of course meant Russia can disrupt the flow of its natural gas to EU/Nato Countries. Kindly excuse my poor typing etc.

    By: Dan . January 14, 2012 . 4:40 pm | Flag this comment

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  11. avatar

    When they really appear insane. it is time to consider that there is more to the story.

    They milked the taxpayers for 40 years of no return war machinery payments on the same apparent looney bit. (B 36!!!!, B 57 Hustler!!) And truly genius to know that the citizens in their usual stupor would go with their 9/11. These are nuts?

    They assemble in a loading pen. Then they are herded though a chute (must submit chit), into a suffocating aluminum tube for transport. What is it? Sheep don’t need a chit.

    By: Ken Ashley . January 14, 2012 . 5:34 pm | Flag this comment

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  12. avatar

    Friends,

    The original Evil People in Nazi Germany did not listen. The present Evil People do not listen.

    Jer

    By: Jerry Aspar . January 14, 2012 . 5:56 pm | Flag this comment

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  13. avatar

    Late last year China stated that they would consider an attack on Iran as one upon themselves. Rogozin is basically saying the Russians feel the same, but in more diplomatic terms.

    By: зачем . January 14, 2012 . 10:46 pm | Flag this comment

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  14. avatar

    OF COURSE THE MORONS WILL NOT LISTEN! HUBRIS KNOWS NO BOUNDS AND THE ASS-CLOWNS THINK THEY ARE INVINCIBLE!

    By: T.HUMAN . January 14, 2012 . 11:38 pm | Flag this comment

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  15. avatar

    Mike Rivero of WhatReallyHappened.com makes note of a two-year-old Reuters article that states that Israel sent a submarine on a drill that involved attacking Iran. Rivero then aptly reminds us that Israel repeatedly attacked the USS Liberty with torpedo boats and planes in June 1967 (killing 34 and wounding 179) with the intent of blaming it on Egypt. Luckily, the Liberty refused to sink, and the surviving sailors identified Israel as the attacker; therefore, the evil plan didn’t work. The truth was, of course, covered up by the U.S. government, the U.S. military and the corporate media.

    It would be much harder, if not impossible, to identify a submerged Israeli submarine, firing missiles from afar at American ships off the coast of Iran. Even if it were identified, the world at large would probably never find out about it.

    Links:
    Dolphin class submarine: http://whatreallyhappened.com/node/152695

    Israeli sub sails Suez, signaling reach to Iran: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/07/03/us-israel-iran-submarine-idUSTRE5621XZ20090703

    Dead In The Water – The Sinking of the USS Liberty (BBC): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3319663041501647311

    The Loss Of Liberty (USS Liberty Cover-Up): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7384200507117357203

    By: MJW . January 15, 2012 . 11:11 am | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      Good points MJW, I agree – the historical precedent is clear (not to even mention possible links to 9/11 attacks, as well as Saudi role). This article appeared recently on PressTV site which is an Iranian outlet
      http://www.presstv.ir/detail/220979.html

      Iran also claims that the CIA murdered the scientist and Mossad/CIA/MI6 have been running ops in Iran for some time.

      Obama, for election year considerations, may well postpone the attack until just before or just after elections, depending on how events unfold. (Pepe Escobar and others claim it will be after elections).

      Prof. Chossudovsky on Globalresearch highlights the WWIII scenario that is possible with a large scale attack on Iran. The Empire cannot allow any alernative financial/currency option and will not allow an oil bourse not priced in US dollars. When worthless paper can no longer be traded for oil the Empire Inc. is finished and they know it. The Empire will engage in desperate reckless acts to maintain the vestiges of dollar hegemony at all costs. Unfortunately we will pay, innocent Iranian women and children will die and the necrophagist cowards will profit.

      By: JonnyJames . January 15, 2012 . 12:48 pm | Flag this comment

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      • avatar

        Regrettably (for the sake of the U.S. and the world), I agree with everything you wrote, Jonny, including potentially timing the attack on Iran with our upcoming elections in mind (that has been weighing on my mind a lot in recent months). I also agree with your comment regarding possible Israeli links to 9/11, as reported by the New York and New Jersey police that same day (and later by the media; although all of these reports went down the memory hole fairly quickly).

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkhMwID-IYQ&feature=player_embedded

        By: MJW . January 17, 2012 . 12:35 am | Flag this comment

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  16. avatar

    Does any rational, objective person doubt that both parties are controlled by AIPAC, Israel and the neocons? If we don’t pursue a non-interventionist foreign policy, : WW3

    By: Ken . January 15, 2012 . 12:01 pm | Flag this comment

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  17. avatar

    I must correct one part of my above comment: The attacking Israeli planes had no identifying marks on them. The men on the Liberty had no idea who was attacking them at that point. This is very important, as you will learn about 12 minutes into the second video (fourth link in my previous comment). According to that second video, the Israeli torpedo boats, which arrived shortly after the planes left, may have had identifying marks, although this is not stated explicitly. It is stated explicitly that an Israeli helicopter with Israeli markings, and with machine guns at the ready, arrived after the boats left, but they had to leave when they learned that U.S. planes had been dispatched from a carrier.

    By: MJW . January 15, 2012 . 12:38 pm | Flag this comment

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  18. avatar

    I consider Israel/AIPAC and the rest of the pro-Israel lobby as part of the US Military/Security complex, however they are by no means the only component. There are other very powerful interests behind a decision to attack Iran: banking/finance; weapons manufacturers and the rapidly growing private contractors who are subsidized by the US taxpayer and of course Big Oil. These interests have mutual aims, but also subtely different ones at the same time.

    For instance, the attack on Iran will be delayed until after the elections (domestic electoral charades trump the immediate demands of Israel and other interests.) No matter, I believe that an attack will indeed occur, just a matter of time. As other great comments here have pointed out, China, Russia pipelines, strategic command of resources and geography also play a role in this, as well as the prevention of any country opening financing and oil bourse that by-passes the US dollar.

    In my opinion, the latter reason may be one of the most important in the Empire’s desperation in attacking Iran. Iran opened a non-USD oil bourse and has secured bilateral agreements with Russia and other countries to trade in non-USD local currencies. This cannot be allowed or the very existence of the Empire is in jeopardy. When the US is unable to trade worthless paper for oil/gas and other goods, the jig is up. The Empire will likely engage in further reckless and destructive behavior to prserve the status quo. Unfortunately many innocents will suffer.

    By: JonnyJames . January 15, 2012 . 1:22 pm | Flag this comment

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  19. avatar

    I remember comments made twenty years ago when the Soviet Union collapsed, some were concerned about what would happen when the Neocon Hawks in the U.S. found themselves without an equal counterveiling enemy to fight after forty years. The spector of uncontrolled empire building was frequently mentioned. Twenty years later and these predictions have come to pass but no one would have ever thought that the economic collapse of our republic would be the price. As a former boss of mine use to say, “When a mad dog can’t find any one else to bite, they will always bite themselves”.

    By: Richard Townsend . January 15, 2012 . 8:30 pm | Flag this comment

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  20. avatar

    Much ado about nothing. The truth is that the Russian conventional military at the present time is so weak that Russia would not be able to respond with force. They will not start a nuclear war over Iran or Syria. Moreover, it might be in their interests to see the US further entangled in the Middle East. Whatever the US is doing there at a great expense, it is not winning any friends and creates lots of enemies, not only amongst the common people, but amongst the local elites as well. The best way to achieve the American undoing is to let the US to waste its dwindling economic resources for imperialist politics. The collapse of the American empire will be sudden and catastrophic.

    By: Greg Steshenko . January 15, 2012 . 9:55 pm | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      On the contrary, I think a collapse of the American empire will be political and slow; as there is no need to resort to weapons of mass destruction if Americans slowly concede their rights.

      “This is the way the world ends
      Not with a bang but a whimper.”
      -TS Elliot

      By: KAS . January 17, 2012 . 6:30 am | Flag this comment

      Reply
  21. avatar

    No less so than Stalin, modern Russian leaders are conscious of this latter day “capitalist encirclement” emanating from the West. One might well consider anew the thrust of Stalin’s post war complaints about Western intentions.

    By: AndreiVyshinski . January 16, 2012 . 12:24 pm | Flag this comment

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  22. avatar

    Hello Paul,

    You are absolutely right, Anglo-America wants to start new wold war. This is so obvious. I live in Israel and we are at the center of this future war. Not much will remain from Israel after this war. I hope I will survive. This war was foretold in Bible. Book of Daniel chapter 8 predicted that there will be king of fierce countinance. This king will be destroyed in war Armageddon. Armageddon is not what many think. This is not WW3 , WW3 is great tribulation as Jesus fortold. Armageddon is war of God against human goverments. WW3 will be short war , but very destructive. After this war to the power will come the now weak and powerless UN organization. UN will completely change its nature. It will be fearce king that will rule for 42 months. (Revelation 13:5). After this will be Armageddon war wich will destroy all human governments. (Daniel 2:44). Then and only then peace will come on Earth.

    By: yuri . January 16, 2012 . 12:33 pm | Flag this comment

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  23. avatar

    Ron Paul is a Laissez-Faire Capitalist, and so in that respect he is no different from any of the candidates. None of them offer us an alternative to Neoliberalism. So be happy to elect someone who is correct on some issues, but remember he is completely part of the larger problem: the Rich call the shots. He too must go in turn. He will never endorse Socialism, not even where it is indicated by Economic Theory, as in Socialized Medicine = Single Payer Health Care. So elect him to get rid of the Israel Lobby, a worthy thing to do; and when he’s done that, elect Bernie Sanders to clean up the real problem threatening the world: that the Rich control it for their exclusive interests. The Rich include Ron Paul. Don’t be blind to that fact.

    By: Arthur Tera . January 17, 2012 . 4:31 am | Flag this comment

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    • avatar

      Having read the entire article, I have to say: Dear Paul Craig Roberts, by your own logic you are asking us to vote for someone who cannot be elected and who if elected could do nothing. Therefore you are left to defend why that “nobody” should be Ron Paul. It makes no sense to ask us to sell ourselves out even further to someone hostile to Social Welfare in exchange for what you admit would be no advance in security, but just a “message” to our elites and the world that we’re worried about the fledging totalitarianism in the USA. The genuine solution by your own logic should be that we all write in Ralph Nader, or Bernie Sanders – people who score 100% on all the issues including Social Welfare, after all; and perhaps in the limit, even Daffy Duck.

      By: Arthur Tera . January 17, 2012 . 4:51 am | Flag this comment

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  24. avatar

    “When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion.” (African saying) Let’s get on it.

    By: old grandma . January 20, 2012 . 11:10 am | Flag this comment

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