The fate of ISIS is sealed

ISIS is going to be history soon with Russia and the Arab states going in for the kill. How did ISIS lasted so long, grew from strength to strength when the world’s Number One super power was ‘attacking them, bombing them’? Or was the world’s Number One super power feeding them and nursing them to strength to be the most destructive force in the Middle East, to bring down popularly elected govt? Why is it crumpling now, into bits and pieces when the Russians moved in?

The fate of ISIS is like other terrorist groups in other countries, like the Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, with the American forces there to ‘destroy’ them but never able to do so? Is this strange? The world’s Number One super power everywhere, with their best trained Special Forces and best elite units fighting them but never seem to succeed?

What is the truth? These terrorists organizations so clever that the Americans could not deal with them, could not defeat them, could not destroy them? Or is it the same story, the Americans, their Special Forces and elite units were just there to help them, train them, armed them, to be used against govts that the Americans want to overthrow, regime change?

Now Duterte has seen the truth and wanted to get rid of the American Special Forces before they turned the Abu Sayyaf into another ISIS. ISIS would be destroyed, not by their mother, the Americans, but by Russia and the other Arab govts.  Duterte can only destroy the Abu Sayyaf if he got rid of the ‘mother’ that is there to feed and nurse them, like all the terrorist organizations all over the world, seem to be undefeatable and would continue to grow in strength. Who is behind the scene supporting and growing these terrorist organizations, like ISIS?

If the Russian/Arab joint forces did not get the job done, Trump’s new team of Mike Flynn, a 3 star general fired by Obama for opposing his support for ISIS, will finish the ISIS for good. Read below how the Americans were so thick in its conspiracy with the Muslim Brotherhood to create unending wars in the Middle East and the rest of the world. This is America’s strategy to control the world through wars that many silly Asians refused to look at and in a state of denial that the Americans were the real devils behind all the troubles around the world.

‘In this article I’ll look closely at Mike Flynn, the former 3-star general who will be the all-important Trump National Security Advisor, sitting in the White House. Normally perceptive bloggers and analysts have greeted the Flynn appointment with cheers of joy. They cite his opposition to US covert support for ISIS and Islamic terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda’s Al Nusra; he is on record that the 2003 Iraq invasion was a “strategic mistake.” Moreover, Flynn is opposed to stirring up war with Russia and instead calls for waging war against ISIS and other radical terrorist organizations. In fact Obama fired Flynn as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency when Flynn opposed the Obama decision to prioritize the anti-Russia war over the anti-Jihad war, and called for cooperation with Syrian President Assad to that end.

Flynn’s position on war against ISIS and presumably also against the Muslim Brotherhood so beloved by Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration, is not one of a man of peace. Rather it is one of a cold, calculating military professional, a military professional who favors working with the Likud of Netanyahu to advance the global agenda of war.

Flynn’s statements on Assad and ISIS and Iraq must be interpreted not in a vacuum but in light of a military intelligence specialist who sees that the decades-long CIA and Pentagon policy of training Muslim Brotherhood and other fanatic Muslim-origin terrorists to wage surrogate wars of empire have backfired badly. Not only the CIA’s July 15 failed coup using networks of Turkey’s Fethullah Gülen, but rather every CIA-backed Jihad war from Secretary of State Clinton’s war against Mubarak, against Gaddafi, against most of the Islamic world to try to impose US-backed Muslim Brotherhood terror regimes loyal to Washington, has failed. The gross effect has been to drive much of the world away from Washington and their constant proxy wars.’
http://journal-neo.org/2016/11/25/the-dangerous-deception-called-the-trump-presidency/

F. William Engdahl is strategic risk consultant and lecturer, he holds a degree in politics from Princeton University and is a best-selling author on oil and geopolitics, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”

What One China policy means to China Singapore relations?

The Terrex incident could be over with China returning the vehicles according to international shipping law. No big fuss. It was a matter of documentation and proper papers. What is important is the new China Singapore relationship following the protest or representation by the Chinese Foreign Ministry following this incident, that Singapore must abide by the rule of law and the One China policy. This means that Singapore, for recognizing that there is only one China, cannot have govt to govt or official relations with Taiwan.

What does this mean to Singapore? If Singapore wants to abide by the One China policy, Singapore would henceforth have to terminate all training and official contacts with Taiwan. This is indeed 伤脑筋。It is not easy to dismantle the training facilities and equipment in Taiwan and to relocate them elsewhere if Singapore is to abide by this One China Policy requirement. Singapore has converted every bit of land into housing estates and nothing is left for the military and to conduct their training. Singapore is now beholden to countries that could offer us land for military training and to house our military hardware and soldiers.

With the land constraint, a self inflicted wound for wanting to grow the population recklessly, would Singapore play it tough and take a diplomatic U turn by not recognizing the One China policy to keep its training facilities in Taiwan? But by doing so it would have to cut diplomatic relations with China which means all official contacts and govt to govt businesses in China would be terminated except people to people or non govt businesses.

China is giving Singapore a choice, an ultimatum. Singapore would have to decide which way to go. It can’t have the cake and eat it this time unless it can come up with a legal interpretation that Singapore did not violate the One China policy by having military training facilities in Taiwan and official relations with the Taiwanese govt.  The legal expertise of Shanmugam would be very handy in this case. How about the one who interpreted that inside the centre is not within 200 metres from the centre? Or maybe can go to the Tribunal at The Hague for an interpretation that is legal and binding. If The Hague can call an island as big as Taiping a coral reef, I am sure they would know how to interpret the One China policy to favour Singapore. And once again Singapore can tell China to abide by the international ruling of the court that is UN backed and legal and binding.

Another way out is to quote the USA. The USA also recognizes the One China policy but has a defence agreement to defend Taiwan. This American fork tongue behavior is also called American Exceptionalism. Could Singapore use this exception to justify its use of training facilities in Taiwan? Can Singapore also call itself an exceptional country like the Americans and can do anything it wants?

This new development would need a Uniquely Singapore solution but not sure if it works in the context of international relations and whether China would lamely accept such an interpretation and situation.

How is Singapore going to wrangle itself out of this conundrum?  Would Vivian with the help of Shanmugam, come up on top and dismiss the Chinese protest or representation as baseless and life goes on as normal, with SAF training unaffected in Taiwan?

The bottom line, Singapore must now choose between China or Taiwan.  Take it or leave it, no buts.

China officially protests to Singapore’s relations with Taiwan

For more than 40 years, Singapore Armed Forces have been training in Taiwan under the codename Starlight. This was an open secret without any party making an issue out of it. China could have protested but chose to close an eye and over the years everyone seemed to take this unusual relationship for granted.

Today, arising from the landing of Terrex armoured vehicles in Hong Kong and now impounded for not having the proper papers, the issue has escalated. China is now making an official protest to Singapore’s relationship with Taiwan on the ground that those countries recognizing one China should not have official govt to govt relations with Taiwan. Now what?

This is the first time that China has rebuked Singapore openly demanding that Singapore observed the rule of law in its relations with China under the One China Policy. Before this, Singapore enjoyed a very special relationship with China, carefully crafted and nurtured under the skilful hands of Lee Kuan Yew. This special relationship allowed Singapore to have very close ties with the Americans, the arch enemy of China and persistently trying to contain China and creating trouble for China, and also Singapore’s nebulous military training in Taiwan. All was good when relationship was kept at an even keel.

Things started to change when the Americans took an aggressive stand towards China in the South China Sea. Working hands in gloves with Japan and instigating the Aquino govt to take China to The Hague Tribunal and to make matter worst, turning the permanent arbitration court into a kangaroo court against China.  All this got nothing to do with Singapore until Singapore started to take the side of the Americans demanding that China accept the dubious rulings of the court, that China must abide by its rulings, and kept repeating that China must obey the rule of law, abide by international law as if China was not. Many other sordid events followed suit culminating in some unnecessary remarks at the Peru APEC Summit.

Why would a little Red Dot think it is its duty and right to keep telling China what to do and think that China is hapless and would have to tolerate its demands?  Though the Chinese govt did not say anything officially, the social media and other semi official media were rife in their attacks against Singapore for being on the side of the Americans and being anti China.

The writing was on the wall. Singapore did not see it coming? With its top diplomats making unfriendly comments, claiming to be speaking in their personal capacity as ‘ordinary citizens’ and brushed aside as non events in Parliament unchastised, did not go unnoticed.

Now the climax of this saga, 9 or is it 12 Singapore made Terrex armoured vehicles landed in Hong Kong port, carried by American President Line. Why did the vehicles landed in Hong Kong when they were not supposed to be there, on transit from Taiwan to Singapore? There is absolutely no reason for the armoured vehicles to be unloaded on to Hong Kong port. How did it happen, who did it and on what purpose? What is the agenda, or is there an agenda?

The APL or its employees cannot be so stupid to do such a thing. Armoured vehicles are weapons of war, prohibited unless proper documentations are done, often with diplomatic clearance. But why, why were the armoured vehicles in Hong Kong when they were bound for Singapore? Did someone intentionally unloaded them and then tipped off the Chinese authorities to create a tiff between the two countries?

Another big question, these are military weapons. Were they secured, were there guards to protect them from mischief? Were security protocol in place to keep terrorists or trouble makers away from the armoured vehicles? It is unbelieveable and shocking that such weapons are left to commercial shippers without being accompanied by military guards and treated like scrap cars, leave them wherever also can.

What’s next? How would this strange episode be resolved now that Lee Kuan Yew is not around and Hsien Loong has not been too friendly with his comments on China?  Could Singapore punch above its weight against China? Or would the Americans and its cronies be egging the Singapore govt to stand up to China just like the Aquino govt? Would there be another Hague Tribunal, backed by the UN to rule against China and the rulings be legal and binding?

With the Philippines not wanting to be the barking dog for the Americans, are the Americans looking for a replacement in Singapore to provoke China and raise tension again in the region? If so, would Singapore willingly accept this and play the role? Looks like Vivian Balakrishnan has a job cut out for him to excel. And he would pass with flying colours with his team of super talents in the MFA.

When leaders received bad counsels and cannot tell the difference, the only way to go is down.

The silence of the intelligentsia in Red Dot

Anyone notice that there is not a word coming from the intelligentsia about the issues and problems facing the little Red Dot for quite a number of years? There could be many reasons to this. Maybe there is no problem, no issue in the Red Dot. Or maybe there is no more intelligentsia left in the Red Dot. Or maybe….

These assumptions are unlikely to be true. How can there be no issue and problem in the Red Dot? The withholding of CPF savings from their rightful owners, income inequality, millions of immigrants, PMETs losing jobs, Elected Presidency and the creation of special privileges to a ‘bumiputra’ class, high cost of living, economic decline, million dollar incomes for the elite, etc etc. There are numerous problems facing the people in the little Red Dot.  Unless the above mentioned are not problems or the intelligentsia did not think so then that is another of looking at things.

Who and where is the intelligentsia? The academics, the thinkers in the universities, the thinkers and professors in the Lee Kuan Yew and Rajaratnam Schools, the professionals in the professions are the people that made up the intelligentsia. There must be many thousands of these elites out there. Why are they not saying a thing about the issues and problems the people are facing, the country is facing?

Or maybe the intelligentsia mainly comprises foreigners, foreign talents that do not care a hoot about the problems here as long as they got their jobs and good pay here, not to open their mouths and risk being thrown out of the little Red Dot. Where is Tan Khee Giap? No more Singaporean intelligentsia left? Cannot be right?

Why is the intelligentsia sealing their lips, especially the Singaporeans, so quiet?  They don’t have anything to add, to say, no views, unthinking like the masses? Isn’t this strange, the silence of the intelligentsia?

Ungrateful India booted George Yeo out of Nalanda University

George Yeo was appointed the Chancellor of the Nalanda University in July 2015, taking over from Amartya Sen. The two men were like the twin father of Nalanda. Amartya Sen was appointed the first Chancellor and George Yeo succeeded him after Amartya's disagreement with the Indian govt. On 25 Nov 2016, George wrote in his facebook that he had resigned from his Chancellorship citing lack of autonomy. The Indian govt actually set up a new board of directors, appointed their new men to take charge, all without breathing a word to George. In other words George was non existent, irrelevant. It was better for George to resign or wait for the boot.

How could Modi done such an unspeakable act behind George? Did he know how much George contributed to the success of the University, helping to raise millions from Singapore and Singaporeans to build the University. George was the key driver of the start up and had sang praises of how great this University would be and could be for the good of Indian and Asian civilisations.

And Modi better remember George's other great contribution to India when he signed the CECA to allow hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals to work in Singapore. Many of them displaced mismatched Singaporeans PMEs from their well paying jobs and ended up as security guards and taxi drivers.

George's contribution to India is anytime far greater many Indian leaders with the CECA agreements. Now they treated him like non existent. Poor George, having done so much to help India and Indians, giving many a very good life here, good jobs and good money, now treated this way.

Modi, please be grateful to George Yeo for his great contributions to India. Don't forget that. George the nice gentlemen would just take this rub in his stride. Given some lesser beans, they would tell Hsien Loong to terminate the CECA immediately. How can Modi do this to India's benefactor? Should not he be giving India's highest award to George for creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs for Indians?

DT clears the obstacles for the peaceful rise of China

What DT, Donald Trump? Not really, actually DT means Duterte and Trump. The incorrigible Americans have been very persistence in wanting to curb the rise of China by their policies of containment, building a string of military bases around China, building military alliances with China’s neighbours and trade pacts to exclude China. They even meddled and conspired with willing Asean members to be the barking and attack dogs in the South China Sea to challenge and claim China’s islands with promises of full American military support. The clownish Aquino went along with the Americans and the Japanese to fix up a kangaroo court in The Hague, destroying the neutrality of this once established private courts and its reputation, to pass foolish and nonsensical judgement against China’s territories and islands.

Then with divine precision, while the conspirators were laughing themselves to madness that they had China cornered, with several of the Asean states doing their biddings, they marched into Laos in the Asean Summit, led by Obama and Abe and the little barking dogs straddling behind. Never would they believe that the whole game was to be stalled by the divine, with the election of Duterte and the sending out of Aquino into the wilderness.

Duterte said no, the game is over, he is not going to be used as a pawn to confront China for the USA, to give trouble and pressure to China. The game ended in Laos. All the effort and scheming by the Americans and the co conspirators went up in smoke.  There was no issue, and instead, the Philippines turnaround to dump the Americans and cosied up to China, to build and improve relations with China. Without the Philippines as the point man, and with Malaysia also turning towards China, all the non claimants of SCS islands got to stuff their dicks into their own mouths. Where got issue? Who got problems with China, put up your hands? No one did.

China’s problem with the Americans did not go away with the lowering of tension in the SCS. There is still this TPP to strangle China, to isolate China. Ash Carter arrogantly warned China that it would be isolated at the Shangri La Defence Ministers Conference. The TPP, a transpacific trade pact did not include the biggest country and the world’s biggest trading nation, China, sitting on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, dwarfing all the nations on its side. Can you believe it? And the Americans with their expressionless face declared that it was not to contain China. The truth is far from it. They are adamant and persistent in wanting to lock in China. The noose is tightening and would have strangled China if the TPP is to go through.

The divine said no, no dirty politics. The scheming and bullying of the Americans have to be stopped. Donald Trump was sent in to stop the evil scheme of those in the White House and their conspirators. Trump has singlehandedly killed the TPP and release the noose on China’s neck.

The path for China to rise is cleared of two main obstacles. And Trump is going to do more. He is going to relook at all the hundreds of military bases all over the world, including those encircling China, and very likely he is going to dismantle some of them. The USA cannot afford to pay for all the bases and American soldiers all over the world. It is broke. Trump’s policy is not to start wars and create mischiefs all over the world.

Trump is turning isolationist, to build America from within, to be great but not by making other countries poor and in a mess through regime change and wars and supporting terrorist organizations. Trump is going to build the American economy, doing the brick and mortar way, to strengthen America, to build its own economy, to make the lives of Americans better, not to make a mess of the lives of people in other countries.

With his policy of non interference, not meddling with other countries’ domestic politics, every country would be safe and can proceed to develop their economies peacefully. China would have more breathing space to build the world, roads, rails, sea ports, infrastructures, to better the lives of the people of the world through economic prosperity, not wars. The rise of China will be through economic means, through trade and developments, which in a way complements Donald Trump’s thinking of building America great by creating jobs for the American people by bringing back factories home. Not wars and wars everywhere.

The era of American international responsibilities or irresponsibilities, depending on whether one is the beneficiary or victim, is coming to an end. There is divine intervention of sort, with many Americans praying for the insanity and evilness of the American regime to be replaced and a new regime that does not breed terrorist organizations and incite wars and conduct wars, to take its place. The prayer has been answered. Trump would be a more peaceful president than his predecessors, all warmongers, indulging in wars, terrorism, mass murderers and selling arms.  Can’t imagine Obama was given a Nobel Peace Prize. The act degrades the very organization that gave him the award, becoming a joke on both parties, the giver and the recipient.

With Obama busy enjoying his last few days in the White House and Trump preparing for his inauguration, the world is enjoying a few moment of peace and tranquility. Without the Americans agitating in the SCS and provoking North Korea, life goes on peacefully in Asia. Without the Americans protecting ISIS, ISIS would soon be history and the scourge of terror and destruction in the Middle East would soon be canned.

The DT combination of Duterte and Trump is a Godsend reprieve for the victims of American irresponsibilities around the world. Amen.

Planet X caught on camera?

I  was trying to capture the super moon on the next day, 15 Nov, as the day earlier was too cloudy and no moon was seen in the Singapore sky. And one of the shots that I took came out like this, with a mysterious planet beside the moon. My first thought is that it must be due to some reflection of sort. And I still think it is some optical distortion. I would not want to believe that this is really another planet in the sky.

If this is indeed another planet, it appears to be in front of the moon as it was very dark and did caught a little light from the moon. But it is impossible for a planet to be between the moon and earth.

So, could this planet be very far away behind the moon and not reflecting much light from the sun.

The top image has been brightened quite a lot to be able to see this dark planet. The original pic below with a bright moon shows a very dark sky and the planet could hardly be seen. I only saw a faint image through the backlight of my camera screen.

I brighten up the pic through digital processing and the planet came out quite clearly with a part being hidden by the roof of a flat.

What is this? Planet X, Nibiru or another planet in our solar system, Venus, Mercury?

I am still puzzled. Perhaps it is just what it is, a reflection from some where.

There is also another lighted object below the moon, at about 5.30 position.

Why Trump has to say it in a video clip? No TPP

‘I am going to issue our notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country.’ Donald Trump

Trump released a video on 22 Nov, 2 months from his inauguration as the next President of the USA, to say the above. Why the urgency, why the need to make such a horrendous statement of intent that would make some world leaders very unhappy? This is not a statement in the passing, like a casual remark, like he was saying something and then said it as a passing remark. He made the video just to say this point. 

Can anyone read the anger and temper behind this statement? Who do you think he intended this statement to be heard?

One or two days after his election victory, Abe made a special trip to Washington to meet up with Trump and with one clear message, the TPP is very good and very good to the USA and the Americans. Trump must continue to support the TPP for the good of the American people.

A few days back in Peru, there were several leaders stressing how important and how good the TPP was for the American people again and was like telling Trump that he was stupid to turn away from this trade pact that many leaders had worked so hard for it.

There were pressures for Trump to abide by the wisdom of other leaders to go along with the goodness of the TPP. Trump is stupid if he goes against the wishes of other wise leaders. And these leaders expect Trump to be convinced by their wisdom and be turned around to support the TPP.

Trump must be furious. Who are these leaders to think they know what is good for the American people? Are they saying Donald Trump does not know what is good or bad for the American people? Are they saying Donald Trump is dumb? Trump would have nothing of it. I am Donald Trump, the self made billionaire, and I won the Presidential Election my way, and going to be the most powerful man in the world. Do I need to listen to nitwits to tell me what is good for me and the American people? Who the hell are these people to tell me, Donald Trump, what to do and me, Donald Trump must listen to them. To hell with them. Donald Trump will think for himself and will do what is right and good for the American people.

This is the background to Trump’s outburst and he just have to tell the nitwits to stop harassing him. Trump is the man, the thinking man and will do as he thinks fit. And to him, the TPP is a disaster for the USA! How can these nitwits tell him otherwise? They think Trump is stupid?

So he came out with the video to say it in no uncertain terms, unequivocally, that the TPP is shit, is dead. And doesn’t anyone miss the message and want to talk sense or nonsense to him that the TPP is good for the USA.

Anyone still not getting the message and still thinking and hoping Trump will turn around to his point of view? After saying what he has said about the TPP, Trump would look like a bigger fool if he goes back to the TPP in whatever forms. Donald Trump has spoken. Period.

Trump dumped Abe. Anyone who thinks he is smarter than Trump and want to talk him not to kill the TPP must prepare for a KO punch in his face from Trump.

Kishore’s change of heart

It has been a while since Kishore last expounded his ideas on the pages of the Straits Times and it is refreshing to hear him again. The doyen of the Lee Kuan Yew School has returned and speaking again after a heart problem put him out of action for a while. What I thought would be another enlightening essay turned out to be a bit of a letdown. Maybe he had a change of heart, or a heart change, or was it a bypass?  This is not the Kishore of the past. His article in the ST on 22 Nov titled ‘Asean still the critical catalyst for China’s future’ was like he was out of touch of sort.  The Asean of today is passé, still a bunch of young punks trying to grow up, no longer the neutral Asean that could talk in one voice and with common interest and agenda, but turning into a barking dog of superpowers, dabbling in big power politics like it was some great player in the world stage and wanting to punch above its weight.

The whole of Kishore’s article can be described as someone looking into a glass bowl but forgot to look back at himself, that it was all about the object forgetting the subject and the subjective bias of self and introspection. It is like someone blinded to his own deeds or misdeeds and blaming on the whole world.

He pointed rightly that China used to have very good relations with Asean, China was generous towards Asean and Asean reciprocated.  He quoted many initiatives of China that favoured Asean and its members’ interests. Then he put the blame on China for the failing relations with Asean. It was all China’s fault for the disunity in Asean vis a vis the South China Sea. In his displeasure over China, he forgot that there was a bigger devil behind all the troubles in the SCS, in what Asean was doing, scheming against China and challenging China. He forgot that Asean was already divided by the bigger devil to take on China with all the fake claims of a UN backed Tribunal in The Hague when it was anything but UN backed and anything but an international court whose rulings are binding, like international law, but a kangaroo court in all counts. This ruse is today confirmed when all the pretentious western media that used to sing in chorus that The Hague Tribunal was ‘UN backed’ have now dropped this pretence. No more would they unashamingly tagged the label ‘UN backed’ to The Hague Tribunal to mislead the readers and to discredit themselves. Yes, they have dropped the pretence that The Hague Tribunal was a UN backed international court whose rulings are legal and binding even when the counter party refused to participate.

Kishore was puzzled by China’s action since Asean is still to him a critical catalyst to China’s rise as if China still needs Asean for its rise.  While Asean is still struggling to grow up, China is now the new super power sharing the same table as the Americans. And China needs to recalculate it’s actions in the SCS to improve relations with Asean? In reality it is Asean that needs to recalculate its actions, its collusion with the devil to corner China and to want to push China out of the SCS.  Kishore even quoted Deng Xiaoping’s advice to China to ‘hide and bide’ and ‘to swallow bitter humiliation’ as the thing to do.  For saying these, he contradicted himself without knowing it.

China has risen, the Number Two superpower, the Number One trading power since 2014 according to him, unless he is thinking of China being the Number One superpower and the world hegemon or else China has not arrived. China does not need that and does not want to be the new hegemon. Being the Number Two superpower, China has bided its time and no long has to swallow bitter humiliation, not at the hands of little puny states. This is how out of touch Kishore has been after being away for a few months.

He admitted that ‘China is one of the more rational geopolitical actors today, unlike the US and Russia. China’s geopolitical actions are not commonly driven by emotional paroxysms.’ Exactly!  How would he expect China to continue to swallow bitter humiliations from little states fronting up for the USA and wanting to seize Chinese islands? No? This is what Kishore said in the beginning of his article though he claimed he was puzzled by China’s seemingly irrational or emotional reactions to the Asean states. ‘It was inevitable that China would eventually lose its patience and lash out against perceived maritime provocations by Japan and Asean.’ Was’nt this exactly what was going on in the SCS contention and The Hague Tribunal?  The kangaroo court rulings and the provocations by naval gunboats sailing into Chinese islands were not provocations serious enough for China to act and risked being driven out by little states climbing on the shoulders of the Americans?

And the big question, who is the culprit in the breakup of Asean, in the disunity in Asean? China? In the whole article it was all China’s fault, including the disunity in Asean. Not a word was mentioned about the devil that was behind the whole fiasco.  The Asean that China worked closely together, giving favours to, was in the past. The Asean today is a broken house full of conspiracies and conspirators. And it rightly deserved to be broken up as it is now. No, not true, Asean is the little innocent angel of the past, neutral, principled? Pass him the magnifying glass please.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Hsien Loong on collision course with Trump

Hsien Loong is pushing ahead with the ratification of the TPP and it was reported in the ST that the legislation will be amended to bring TPP into effect next year, with or without the USA, with or with lesser members in the pact.  Hsien Loong’s position is very clear and very principled. The TPP is the magic to save Singapore’s economy and the world. It is about globalization, about free trade, free flow of immigrants, three principles that his govt stood for and will fight for.

On the contrary, Trump is against the TPP and vowed to kill it if elected. He said it yesterday that he would kill it on his first day in office. Trump is also against globalization, against free trade, against free flow of immigrants. The opposing principles of Hsien Loong and Trump are intractable. Both are very strong men with very strong heads and would not bend or make U turns when their minds are set. These are the stuff strong leaders are made off. Even if they make mistakes, they would stick to them and persevere.

We are going to see a contest of ideas between two great leaders of our time in Hsien Loong versus Trump. It is nothing personal, just about ideas, policies and principles.  Hsien Loong finally has a huge battle to fight and this will be a testing time for Singapore, if it can really punch above its weight, to show the Americans, or at least Trump, that Singapore’s ideas of free trade, globalization and freedom of immigration are more superior than that of Trump.

Who would triumph in this contest would be decided by latest when either leadesrship ends and whether TPP is still alive, with the Americans in it or dead without the Americans in it. A draw would be when the TPP is alive without the Americans in it, with Trump unable to kill it but keeping the US out of it while Hsien Loong successfully carries the baby with the remaining TPP members in it. In a way this is a battle of leadership, who is the better leader to carry this baby and the rest of the members along. Singapore could rise as the new leader in the Asia Pacific region with Trump continuing with the isolation of the USA.

Just hope this will be just a contest of ideas and does not turn personal and ugly between Trump and Hsien Loong.  If so, Hsien Loong would be at the losing end as Trump would be quite free with his flowery language while a decent Hsien Loong with his Cambridge root of aristocracy unable to match him. It is possible for Trump to show Hsien Loong his middle finger for that is what Trump is all about. But it is unlikely for Hsien Loong to return the rude gesture. It is just unacceptable in squeaky clean and correct Singapore culture for its god like leaders to do such a darn thing.

Maybe we will see Singapore sending a team of its best super talents to Trump’s office to explain to him how good the TPP is for the Americans and change Trump’s thinking that it is a disaster for the Americans. How could such a good scheme like the TPP be seen as so bad by Trump and so good for the Americans by Hsien Loong? Maybe they are looking at different sides of a coin or there are too many secret clauses that are not disclosed and Trump is still in the dark, and looking like an ignorant one.

Watch how this TPP show get its full run and how it will end with one of the two contestants turning out as the hero and the other a duck. This is a great opportunity for Hsien Loong to prove that he is a worthy successor to the Oracle and for Singapore to prosper to SG100.

F1 in doubt, Singapore ungrateful

This is as much as one could make out from the comments of Bernie Ecclestone. Singapore is not thinking of continuing to fund the F1 race here the F1 boss is unhappy, claiming that Singapore was just an airport before F1 and F1 has put Singapore into the world map of a ‘happening city’.  To quote him, ‘Singapore was suddenly more than just an airport to fly to or from somewhere. Now they believe they have reached their goal and they do not want a Grand Prix anymore.’

Are these the words of an unhappy man? A James Walton from Deloitte Singapore has this to say, ‘To turn around and suggest Singapore is ungrateful, that’s a no negotiation tactic, that’s a jilted person. To me this tactic is burning bridges.’

Ecclestone admitted that Singapore has spent a lot of money on the F1 and benefitted from it. But Singapore has had enough of F1 and not willing to throw hardearned public money on such luxury. How many countries in the world have so much easy money to throw, to waste, for a bit of publicity, for image?  Obviously there are not many silly countries willing to throw away so much money and the F1 boss is worried.  This proves another point that I had earlier put forward, who needs who more?  If it is F1 that needs Singapore more, then it is F1 that is getting the better return than Singapore and should be paying for the right to host in this ‘airport’ city that no one knows.

I hope Singapore organizers wise up and charge F1 for the right to hold such an event here, in this ‘airport’ city that turned out to be the crown jewel of F1 tour instead of paying what they demanded.  It is time F1 knows the value of this ‘airport’ city and pay to get the privilege to run their toys on our roads and enjoy the quality of our hospitality and strategic environment and the security and convenience of this handsome city.

What do you think? Should Singapore continue to throw away hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money on such an intangible and wasteful indulgence or should Singapore demand to be paid for the right of F1 to hold its races here?

The above was written yesterday. Today Ecclestone has moderated his tone by saying, ‘F1’s stand is to hopefully continue in Singapore. Everybody is happy to be in Singapore and (we) don’t want to lose Singapore.’ Malaysia has also announced that it is not going to waste more money on F1. So, should our boys grow up and say we don’t need to play with expensive toys anymore and no need to throw away hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money to make F1 organisers happy and very rich? If it is their grandfathers’ money then by all means, spend all they want, but when it is OPM, better be more careful and prudent.

No peace in this world so long as the hegemons and Neo-Cons rule America

No peace in this world so long as the Neo-Cons and hegemons rule America

Whether it is the Democrats or the Republicans in power they are all the same evil.. Both are aggressive hegemons and warmongers. The white Americans have been creating choas, instability and wars in every corner of the earth since the end of the Second World War.

It is necessary to know the psyche of their aggression and hawkish behaviour. They have been behaving like this since before and after their independence from Britain.They persecuted the Native Americans to almost extinction and took over their land to form USA. They invaded Mexico and Latin America and annexed almost eighty percent of Mexican land. By the end of the 19th Century they invaded and occupied Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam and other island kingdoms in the Pacific Ocean.

The psyche of American bellicosity is based on several gingoistic doctrines such as the Doctrine of Christian Discovery, the Doctrine of American Manifest Destiny, the Doctrine of American Exceptionalism plus the modern Neo-Conservatives doctrines of hegemony especially propounded by Paul Wolfowitz, one of the most aggressiive, millitants and and extreme Neo-Con proponents and exponents of the doctrines.

I had written about the first three doctrines in my previous articles. I will now focus on the Neo-Cons hawkish principles and policy. which consist of a number of articles each emphasizing on a specific or fundamental objective.

Article 1 : To prevent the emergence of a rival that poses a threat to USA dominance - power. Thus USA is trying to destroy Russia and China.

Article  2 :  To prevent any hostile power from dominating a region whose resources would under consolidated control be sufficient to generate global power.  USA destroyed Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Gaddafi of Libya to preserve US power in the Middle-East.

Article  3 :  USA fundamental goal is to deter or defeat attack from whatever source.

Articlle  4 :  To strengthen and extend the system of defense arrangements with other democratic nations together in common defense against aggression. A collective response to preclude threats and to deal with them as a key feature of USA regional defense strategy. USA tries to ease out China from the East China Sea and the South China Sea and Russia from the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea to preserve US power and hegemony in both Asia and Europe respectively.

Article  5 :  USA must convince potential competitors that they need not aspire to a greater role or pursue  more aggressive posture to protect their legitimate interests. This is utter impudence and arrogance of power. USA interest and security matters others do not .

Article 6 :  In non-defense areas USA discourage other industrial nations from challenging USA leadership or seeking to overturn the established political and economic order. USA must maintain the mechanism for deterring potential competitors from even aspiring to a larger regional or global role.

Article 7 :  Unilateralism.  The doctrine downplays the value of international coalitions. USA will maintain that the world order is ultimately backed by USA which will be an important stabilizing factor.

Article  8 :  Pre-emptive Intervention .

The doctrine stated USA right to intervene where it is believed to be necessary to address those wrongs which threaten USA interest or those of its friends or allies.  USA has been intervening and conducting regime change in many countries in Middle East ,Asia , Africa , Central and South America resulting in endless suffering and disaster to the countries concerned.

Article 9 :  The Russian Threat

The doctrine highlighted the possible threat posed by a resurgent Russia. Russia remains the strongest military power in Eurasia and the only power in the world with the capability of destroying United States.

Article 10 :  Middle-East and South West Asia.

USA must remain the prominent outside power in the region and preserve US western access to the region's oil. USA must prevent a hegemon or alignmment of powers from dominating the region. USA must continue to play a role through enhanced deterrence and improved cooperative security.

Article 11 :  USA is committed to the security of Israel and must maintain qualitative edge that is critical to Israel security. USA-Israel strategic cooperation contributes to the stability of the entire region.

The above doctrines must be carefully studied and analysed in relation to USA politics and foreign policies and their implications for peace or war in this world..

The Neo-Cons consist of scores of hot headed hawkish politicians including the Jewish cabal the Zionist Rothschild Illuminati group entrenched in US centres of power in Washington, CIA, Pentagon, the financial big banks  and Wall Street. The Jewish cabal members include Paul Wolfowitz, Bill Kristol, Richard Perle Elliot Brahms, Norman Podhoretz Dick Cheney, Carl Gershman. Jeane Kirkpatrick, John Bolton, Paul Bremer and many more others.

The main characteristics of the Neo-Cons is their tendency to see the world in terms of good and evil. America and democracy is good but communist and socialists are evil. They also have a low tolerance for diplomacy and are ever ready to use military force. They lay a strong emphasis on US unilateral action.





Southernglory1

Monday, 21st November,2016

Rogue govt, poor leader and bad ideas

Singaporeans have been warned of the potential of a rogue govt in the future. And very likely it will come in a package, rogue govt plus poor leader and bad ideas.  This is a standard package proven many times in history. The big big question is when will Singapore get its share of this package? It has to come, sooner or later, no country or civilization has been spared this fate. When is the delivery date?

So when will Singapore have to pay its due? Actually there is another point to consider. Historically, the people of the day, the leaders of the day, did not know that they had a rogue govt, a poor leader and bad ideas or policies. The govt of the day would think they are the best, of the best talents, led by the best and most clever leader, and the people believed so, and in the case of a democracy, elected them to be the rogue govt. A good example is the USA.  Oops, the US is a bit different. This time they knew they are going to choose between the devil or the deep blue sea, but because of the system they are picking the best of the worse.

The crux of the matter is that no one knows that there is rogue govt in charge, or the people did not know they had a rogue govt.  Oops, there are many angles to look at this point. It could be that the people knew but afraid to say so, and have no better choice to replace the rogue govt.  Or in the case of a dictator, the people just have no choice unless they could successfully remove the dictator.

Then there is the illusion or delusion spun around the rogue govt and poor leader and bad ideas. It is in another way like the story of the Golden Calf. The poor leader could push out a golden calf and called it God, or the best thing to have, the best idea or best policy. And the ignorant masses, without knowing a thing, just pray to the Golden Calf. And the poor leader is helped by the conspiracy of the elite who either knew that the Golden Calf was a fake, only gold plated, but went along, willing to compromise their integrity and honesty and intelligence to go along with bad ideas, praising the gold plated Calf as the real thing. When a poor leader is surrounded by sycophants or so feared that no one dared to oppose him or his stupid ideas, then everything goes, good idea, bad idea, silly idea, all will be carried through as best ideas. No one is wiser. No one will know that they already had a rogue govt, with poor leader and bad ideas.

When would Singapore be fated to meet this dreadful day of a rogue govt, poor leader and bad ideas? Thank God we are still having the most brilliant and talented men and women in the govt, with good leaders and good ideas. Pray that this will go on a bit longer or forever. Pray that Singapore will not suffer the fate of the forces of history, that a rogue govt is in place, a poor leader is leading the pack, and the ideas and policies are bad for the people and the people are able to stop this from happening.

Very likely, like the fall of Empires, things will change gradually, like boiling the frog and no one will be wiser, to know what is happening and Singapore will be history… one day. This is the inevitable truth of history, unavoidable, just when.

Causeway politics – a strategic choke point

The Causeway is like the aorta in our blood circulatory system. A block or choking the Causeway/aorta could immobilized the heart and leading to death. Keeping this Causeway open is critical to both countries. But at some point in time, there are factors that would favour one side and gave the idea that keeping it close, choking it, would be a good thing to do. At this point in time, many of the good things are on the side of Singapore, economics, security, social etc, would favour Singapore even if traffic flow at the Causeway is not optimum, or slow. It seems that choking the Causeway is more favourable to Singapore than Malaysia at this point in time.
 
The Malaysians want to raise Causeway toll fees, why should Singapore allow the Malaysians to profit from higher toll fees and not Singapore. They jump, we jump, they raise, we raise. This seems to be the mantra of the day.
 
A decade or two forward, when the Iskandar Economic Zone took off with massive Chinese investment and infrastructural development, when Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang became more efficient, just to service the factories and their goods in Johore, when KL becomes the land transportation hub for rail and roads to China and Europe, when the Isthmus of Kra is cut and ULCC by passed Tuas Port, what would be the effect of choking the Causeway?
 
What would happen when the faster, cheaper and more efficient HSR takes over as the preferred mode of transportation to Europe and China, replacing the ships and the sea routes? What would happen when goods from Singapore got held up at the Causeway and unable to catch the land road to Europe and China? When the Iskandar becomes a boom town, like Shenzhen to Hongkong, the poultry and farm produce from Malaysia may not find it necessary to travel further south than the IEZ?
 
When economic activities shifted to Malaysia, like the factories of Europe and America shifted to China, the Causeway could become a lifeline for Singapore to access Malaysia and the land road up north. Choking the Causeway could cause a heart failure and total and permanent disability for the whole body system. Keep the Causeway free flowing then could mean a life and death situation to the Singapore economy. It be would Malaysia's turn to want to choke the Causeway to its advantage.