"And that's the truth and from a reliable source "

What have you been smokin?

Syria is naturally fractious. Arab, tribal,and with an authoritarian govt set up many years back by a coup. At the time the world accepted that as legitimate because it suited them and, in truth, because it's entirely in character with the rest of the world govts, which are hardly any more "legitimate", silly-ass claims of democracy notwithstanding (the ruling elite buying politicians by buying elections by bribing the corruptible or hoodwinking the weak-minded). Get over it.

So here's the truth: The fall of the Soviet Union emboldened the neocons (militant Zionists all) to push the US into conquering the Mideast, for neocon political ascendancy, for Republican dreams of one party rule (the Republican version of the Thousand-Year Reich), for Pentagon glory(and perks, don't forget the perks), for MIC profits, for oil, for the Bankers, but mostly,...mostly,... for Israel (the neocons are right-wing Likudniks. All Israel all the time.).

So the always simmering, long suppressed political opposition in Syria gets some covert funding from the CIA and some provocative encouragement and training from the ever-present Mossad (probably posing as CIA),...and Voila! Righteous Rebellion. "Peaceful protesters" flooding the streets, clamoring for their democratic rights. The Syrian govt does as expected -- not to mention, as justified -- by a revolt fueled by foreign subversion, and then we hear the shrieking "massacre!! massacre!!" "Save us. Save us please. Give us a no fly zone, please, we're being killed by the gazillions!!!"

Sound familiar? US and Israeli opportunism, and along script lines crassly familiar.

Humanist,

I applaud your ambition. Clearly you want to engage in the conversation regarding the human condition that all adults have with all other adults. Commendable.

However, you're not yet equipped with the tools of effective analysis and commentary. Chimps and humans both have a neocortex. In fact, the "chimp brain" as you call it is virtually indistinguishable, save for size, from the human brain. It does NOT have an "additional layer".

Then there is the comment about "backward countries". This terminology is not that of a mature adult.

I do not want to be in-courteous to you, or discourage you from continuing to grow and learn and participate in the human adventure. But for now, remember to keep reading and studying and thinking. It's the only chance you have of securing a decent future for yourself, and perhaps help to change the world for the better.

Getting emotionally involved in the rivalries of the international elites, through their manipulation (propaganda) and for their benefit -- but your detriment -- is a human "hazard" which gradually destroys one's judgement and character. I'm sorry you have fallen into this trap. I'm sorry there is so much hatred in your life. I hope things get better for you.

""...imposing order the way the NATO forces figured they would."

Did they really think that, Jason? Just excise this last line.

The NATO forces killed Gaddafi, took over Libya, took their oil, took their money, and are now closing in on complete control of anything worth anything. That's what they were after, that's what they got. Mission accomplished.

And if LIbya is left a basket case in perpetual turmoil, everyone without a gun struggling just to survive, and those with guns stealing whatever they want or hiring themselves out for the biggest bribe, then Israel is very very happy. Arabs fighting themselves, oil money flowing to and through the bankers, organized revolutionary, anti-Zionist forces neutralized. Mission Accomplished.

"...profit will only arise from the employment of living human labour, and not from the use of automated machinery..."

then

"...In the long run, when his competitors catch up with him, the whole industry employs less living labour and hence generates less profit..."

I'm no Marxian scholar, so I can't say whether the above is problematic Marxian theory or niqnaq's problematic interpretation of Marx. But from the very beginning of industrialization, to today's advanced automation, ever-increasing industrial productivity decisively disposes of this flawed analysis.

"...The only cure is the destruction of capital equipment, and recommencement of competition on a lower, more labour-intensive level, as after a war."

This is closer to the truth regarding capitalism's relationship to war. When confronted with competitors who have advantages -- say, a virtually unlimited supply of cheap labor -- which challenges the monopoly profits of the once-dominant powers, those powers can destroy -- ie make war on -- the competition. It's easy to see how, in theory, removing the competition could restore broad profitability. In practice however, restoring broad profitability is neither necessary nor the actual goal.

The actual goal is for the elite class to retain power and privilege, which goal is best served by maintaining a firm grip on the National Security apparatus: cops, spooks, and military. Reducing the general populace to a state of poverty is in fact an aid to stabilizing the elite grip on power. It fractures any unity of the people, pits them one against the other in a struggle for survival, and allows the elite to more easily and cheaply bribe that group of people -- let's call them the comprador class -- who realize that the way to live well in an oligarchic tyranny is to aid the ruling class in dominating the rest.

I'm being absolutely sincere when I ask anyone out there if they can explain to me what is keeping the new Iraqi govt from "inviting" the US to close its embassy and leave. Now the easy answer is money -- gobs of it flowing into Iraq and ending up in the pockets of Iraqi politicians. But they can't bribe the Iraqi people, and I'm inclined to think that the vast majority of the Iraqi people want the US ***COMPLETELY*** gone, that the vast majority of the Iraqi people don't want US drone overflights of Iraq, don't want US troops rebranded as "trainers" on "Iraqi" air bases, don't want US military aircraft purchased with Iraqi oil money or the US "trainers" and continued (and unwanted by the Iraqi people) "partnership" (wink wink) with the US that goes with that.

Perhaps there's some international law regarding embassies, or the original "agreement" (imposed by the US occupier) has some legalism which "constrains" Iraqi sovereignty in this matter of the embassy. Anyone know anything? Anyone seen the embassy-enabling documents?

Is it just me? I hear nothing -- absolutely nothing, in the MSM or alternate media -- about the Iraqi attitude to the giant spy-central-and-mercenary-garrison-posing-as-an-embassy. Anyone hear anything? Links, anyone, to the Iraqi view of the giant "embassy"

Nathan Hasbara writes:

"Don't make war on Israel when Israel makes war on you. Make war on the US, and nearby Arab oil states instead."

Can't you at least be a ***little*** subtle?

What planet are you from, Dave? If you had a point of view, and ideology, a bias, I could understand, but this is just clueless.

Perhaps you could explain.

"consummate liar" = skilled politician

This is interesting. False flag is clearly the way to go for Israel. But false flag requires persuasive credibility, and everyone, grandmas to toddlers knows now what a false flag is, how many times Israel has employed it, how ideally suited and necessary (not to mention predictable) it is in this situation.

And every US military commander in the Gulf area must certainly be informed and on full alert re a false flag attack on their command.

You might think, under these circumstances that Israel would be hesitant to employ this tactic, but the record has shown the Israelis to actually "celebrate" their brazenness. Would they go "brazen" yet again? Would they declare a big bad "F*ck you" to the entire world yet again? Are they so very stubborn and bat-crap crazy that they will invite a Masada redux, insanely convinced that they enjoy deterrence based on the Sampson Option? Or have they simply milked to the limit the effectiveness of the "Watch out!!! We're so psycho we might do anything!" strategy?

Astonishing.