World War 3 Has Already Begun

Back in March, 2014,  we explained that 11.7% of the world's population was at war and mapped out the key global geopolitical hotspots. However, while Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and Iraq monopolize the headlines nowadays, they are not the only groups currently at war. Serious armed conflicts are happening all over the world - we just don't hear about them.

Now just today, an article on Zerohedge loops the Pope into this "conspiracy theory"

While we doubt the pope is much of a trader, based on his latest comments, speaking during a visit to Italy's largest military cemetery, where he was commemorating the centenary of World War I and where he said that a "piecemeal" World War III may have already begun, we assume he too would join the confusion of the BIS and every other carbon-based life form, wondering how it is possible that risk assets are at all time highs which the world is not only teetering on the edge of a new global conflict but may have already in fact entered it. Oh wait, the central banks, never mind.



But back to the pope. From BBC:

A "piecemeal" World War III may have already begun with the current spate of crimes, massacres and destruction, Pope Francis has warned.

"War is madness," the Pope said at a memorial to 100,000 Italian soldiers at Redipuglia cemetery near Slovenia. The Argentine Pope has often condemned the idea of war in God's name.

Only last month, Pope Francis said the international community would be justified in using force to stop what he called "unjust aggression" by Islamic State militants, who have killed or displaced thousands of people in Iraq and Syria, including many Christians, the BBC's David Willey reports.

In Saturday's homily, standing at the altar beneath Italy's fascist-era Redipuglia memorial - where 100,000 Italian soldiers killed during WWI are buried, 60,000 of them unnamed, the Pope paid tribute to the victims of all wars.

"Humanity needs to weep, and this is the time to weep," he said. "Even today, after the second failure of another world war, perhaps one can speak of a third war, one fought piecemeal, with crimes, massacres, destruction," he said.

And don't forget S&P500 at all time highs. Because the New Normal, where apparently world war news is the best imaginable news for risk assets.
But while the Pope may be pacifism personified, his grandfather is quote familiar with the concept of world war: he fought in - and survived - Italy's offensive against the Austro-Hungarian empire, in north-east Italy in 1917 and 1918.
That said, we now fully expect futures to open limit up because there is nothing more bullsh for central bank intervention that the world waking up one morning with mushroom clouds all over the place. Just think of all the printing...


Here's a slightly outdated list of the wars happening right now...
This is a slightly older special report from StormCloudUpdates that draws similar conclusions.

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WW3? #Russia’s Nuclear Weapons Fired, #Putin Warns US of ‘Corresponding Countermeasures’ http://t.co/s8VW3S0YYk RT pic.twitter.com/Nxy1fmIUtJ
— Matteo Wyllyamz (@mouselink) September 14, 2014

#SecDef Chuck Hagel Says We Are Seeing Historic, Defining Times, A New World Order http://t.co/Udq8ibq5hC #NWO #WW3
— #RandomCoincidences (@TwistedPolitix) December 30, 2014

Ukraine's War 'is a prelude to World War III' Says Former Ukrainian U.S. Ambassador: http://t.co/41hvgGETOD @opednews pic.twitter.com/VEVTY9AvwT
— ZaRdOz420WPN (@ZaRdOz420WPN) January 3, 2015

Obama Supports Al-Qaeda. Blowback is Inevitable. Americans should be FURIOUS!

"Blowback" - invented by the CIA, refers to the unintended results of American actions abroad. Chalmers Johnson wrote a great book on it.  If you do not describe American foreign policy as "empire building" then you are a MORON.  If you blame just Obama, then you are a MORON because regime change has been in the works since before George Bush took office.  For more on that, read The Grand Chessboard by Zbigniew Brzezinski.  He's the guy who CREATED the Mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 1970's, provoking the USSR to invade, which ultimately caused their bankruptcy.  

At the very least read this passage:

Indeed, the American government has been providing arms, money and logistical support to Al Qaeda in Syria, Libya, Mali, Bosnia and other countries – and related Muslim terrorists in Chechnya, Iran, and many other countries.  So moderate Arabs all over the Middle East and North Africa are becoming furious at U.S. interventionist policies.

---From Zerohedge---

The protests in Egypt against president Mohammed Morsi were – according to the BBC – the largest in history.

The Egyptian military threw Morsi out in a coup today.

Why?

Irish Times reports:

Army concern about the way President Mohamed Morsi was governing Egypt reached tipping point when the head of state attended a rally packed with hardline fellow Islamists calling for holy war in Syria, military sources have said.

***

Mr Morsi himself called for foreign intervention in Syria against Mr Assad, leading to a veiled rebuke from the army, which issued an apparently bland but sharp-edged statement the next day stressing that its only role was guarding Egypt’s borders.

***

“The armed forces were very alarmed by the Syrian conference at a time the state was going through a major political crisis,” said one officer, whose comments reflected remarks made privately by other army staff. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk to the media.

***

For the army, the Syria rally had crossed “a national security red line” by encouraging Egyptians to fight abroad, risking creating a new generation of jihadists, said Yasser El-Shimy, analyst with the International Crisis Group.

At the heart of the military’s concern is the history of militant Islam in Egypt, homeland of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri. The military source condemned recent remarks made by “retired terrorists” allied to Mr Morsi, who has deepened his ties with the once-armed group al-Gamaa al-Islamiya.

Obama had recently sent American troops to prop up Mursi, and the protesters were furious at the U.S. for backing Islamic radicals.

(The U.S. backed Egypt's previous dictator, as well).

Support of Western intervention in Syria was also one of the main causes of the recent enormous protests in Turkey … which came close to toppling the Turkish leadership.

Indeed, the American government has been providing arms, money and logistical support to Al Qaeda in Syria, Libya, Mali, Bosnia and other countries – and related Muslim terrorists in Chechnya, Iran, and many other countries.  So moderate Arabs all over the Middle East and North Africa are becoming furious at U.S. interventionist policies.

Note:  The coup is a set-back for the U.S., because Egypt - unlike Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Iran - isn't on the 20-year-old list of countries targeted for regime change.

The Truth Behind NATO's Intervention in Libya And Gaddafi's Assassination

Some investigative reporters have reported that Gaddafi my have been ousted in 2011 by NATO forces not because there was a local uprising against his tyrannical rule, but because he was making progress on his ideas for a gold backed dinar that would be used to trade Libyan oil.  It would also be the single currency of a United States of Africa that Gaddafi had proposed starting in 2000, and brought up again in 2007 and 2009 at regional conferences.  Here are some of the articles that suggest there is a lot more behind the USA and NATO involvement.

The United States of Africa 

The United States of Africa is a proposed name for the concept of a federation of some or all of the 55 sovereign states of Africa.  Former Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, who was the 2009 Chairperson of the African Union (AU), advanced the idea of a United States of Africa at two regional African summits: in June 2007 in Conakry, Guinea,[4] and again in February 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.[5] Gaddafi had previously pushed for the creation of the African Union at a summit in Lomé, Togo, in 2000.[6] Having described the AU as a failure on a number of occasions, Gaddafi asserted that only a true pan-African state can provide stability and wealth to Africa.

The Gold Dinar

Muammar Gadhafi's decision to pursue gold standard and reject dollars for oil payments may have sealed his fate (June 7, 2011)
Attacking Col. Gadhafi can be understood in the context of America and Europe fighting for their survival, which an independent Africa jeopardizes.  The war raging in Libya since February is getting progressively worse as NATO forces engage in regime change and worse, an objective to kill Muammar Gadhafi to eradicate his vision of a United Africa with a single currency backed by gold.  Observers say implementing that vision would change the world power equation and threaten Western hegemony. In response, the United States and its NATO partners have determined “Gadhafi must go,” and assumed the role of judge, jury and executioner.
“That man has invested in Africa more than any other leader in the recent history of Africa's coming into political independence,” he continued. The Muslim leader said America needs access to the mineral resources in Africa to be a viable power in the 21st century.

Pre-existing Condition

During the Libyan escalation, General Wesley Clark wrote an article for the Washington Post suggesting to the world that Libya did not meet the US criteria for intervention (which is quite unusual considering that we have invaded sovereign nations over 200 times since 1800).  However what is certainly more concerning is that in 2007 on an interview on DemocracyNow, General Wesley Clark revealed plans exposed to him in the Pentagon right after 911 that suggested the US was planning to invade Libya as far back as 1998.

There are extensive reports supporting these claims.  including this RT report on YouTube. The articles and video all made the following startling and disturbing claims:

1. Just prior to the air strikes, Gaddafi had planned to introduce a new currency, the “Gold Dinar”.
2. The currency was to be supported by Libya’s massive gold reserves of 144 tonnes.
3. The gold coin was to be accepted throughout Africa and the Middle East and would have been the only currency accepted for purchases of oil.
4. This strategy would likely crush both the Dollar and the Euro, making the Dinar the dominant international currency.
5. The NATO military action is the result of a US-led plan to crush Gaddafi’s currency plans and to protect Western financial interests. The military action is supported by US oil interests, who are seeking to obtain access to Libya’s massive oil reserves.

Grounds for Impeachment

President Obama argued that the War Powers Act did not apply to the Libyan intervention because the United Nations and NATO provided him with sufficient authority to be involved.  Understand that what Obama is saying is that the President of the United States, Chief of the US Military can direct US military intervention in another sovereign nation because the UN and NATO authorize such actions.  That is very likely unconstitutional and grounds for impeachment as many have suggested.  Unfortunately for those in favor of restricting the Presidential powers, the Democratic Party and Republican Party are too "motivated" to see money being spent on a US projection of power that distracts the public from the turmoil at home.

Doing Business in Libya @chrislhayes

Not much US corporate involvement in Libya. I guess that explains why we are not pursuing regime change and bombing them into the 19th century with a budget that exceeds the educational budget of most US states.

Clipped from 247wallst.com

Companies & Funds Hit with Libya Exposure (ACM, E, EWI, OXY, RDS-A, BP, PBR, AFK, EGPT, TUR, EIS)

Another week, another North African country on fire.  As you would expect, many large American and European companies do business in these nations.  Libya has followed turmoil in Egypt and Bahrain and we wanted to see how the violence and unrest is impacting these companies now that the market is open. Libya produces around 1.5 million barrels per day, and that which is exported mostly goes to Europe.

AECOM Technology Corporation (NYSE: ACM) had what was roughly a $500 million contract over five years building Libyan infrastructure projects, much of which has apparently already been received.  Shares are down 5.6% at $28.19, so this is more heavily impacting than some might have considered. Read more at 247wallst.com

 

Libya - Like Egypt or Like Venezuela? - Must See a film by Oliver Stone

URL:  http://southoftheborderdoc.com/

 

 

South of the Border - a film by Oliver Stone - Extremely relevant documentary about Latin America. Watch the movie. Hear how South american leaders are depicted, then read this news from today.

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/01/134154387/South-Americas-Middle-Class-Consumers-Boost-Economies