Financial Crisis

[Pakboong]

Stratfor itself is a big joke. in the late '90s i was a subscriber for several years till i found out what hair raising rubbish was published about two countries in which i lived and worked, still maintain personal connections and visit them. for the last four years i still read some Strafor excerpts (posted in another forum) in which "anytime from now... most probably next week" "the glorious IDF will deal a devastating blow to the Mullahs and turn the country into one big parking lot."

Stratfor case closed, bailiff next one!

I had a subscription for a couple of years and I came to the same conclusion as you. They have a world vision which I do not share.

Nor do I.

[churchill]

German Central Bankers Suspect French Intrigue

The European Central Bank has been buying up Greek bonds by the bucketload, even though Athens is already getting money from an EU rescue fund. German central bankers suspect a French plot behind the massive buy-up -- after all, it gives French banks the perfect opportunity to get rid of their Greek assets.

The senior members of the German central bank, the Bundesbank, regarded Axel Weber with a look of anticipation. What would Weber, the Bundesbank president, say about the serious crisis that had them all so worried, they wondered? And what did he intend to do about it?

Weber said nothing and, as some who attended the meeting report, even his facial expression was inscrutable. The Bundesbank president remained stone-faced as he acknowledged the latest figures, which indicated that by the end of last week the European Central Bank (ECB) had already spent close to €40 billion ($50 billion) on buying up government bonds from Spain, Portugal, Ireland and, in particular, Greece.

The ECB already has about €25 billion of Greece's mountain of debt on its books, and it is adding another €2 billion a day, on average. The Bundesbank, which has a 27 percent stake in the ECB, is responsible for €7 billion of the ECB's Greek government bonds.

Many Bundesbank members are wondering why the ECB is buying Greek bonds in the first place, particularly on this scale, now that the euro-zone countries' €110 billion bailout package for Greece has been approved, and the first tranche of the funds has already been disbursed.

The general €750 billion rescue fund for the remaining highly indebted countries has been approved but not yet set up. For this reason, it certainly makes sense to stabilize the prices of Spanish, Portuguese and Irish bonds. Nevertheless, some of the central bankers have a sneaking suspicion that there is a French conspiracy at work.

Bailing Out French Banks

By buying up Greek debt, the ECB keeps the prices of the bonds artificially high. French banks, in particular, benefit from this policy because it enables them to sell their Greek bonds to the ECB, as an inexpensive way of cleaning up their balance sheets. France's banks and insurance companies have a total of about €80 billion in Greek government bonds on their books.

German banks, on the other hand, are not potential sellers, because they have made a voluntary commitment to Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble to hold their Greek bonds until May 2013.

Thus, in a roundabout way, the Bundesbank, by spending €7 billion to purchase the Greek securities, has already made a substantial contribution to bailing out banks in neighboring France.

It was ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet, a Frenchman, who, in an alarming and provocative speech, initiated the extensive euro rescue package that was approved on the weekend of May 8-9. And it was Trichet who yielded to massive pressure from French President Nicolas Sarkozy and, soon afterwards, violated a long-standing ECB taboo, namely that the central bank should never buy its member states' debt. This, however, was precisely what Sarkozy had demanded of his fellow European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Clear Signal

Weber, the Bundesbank president, voted against this measure in the ECB council and criticized it the next day in an interview with the German financial newspaper Börsen-Zeitung. For a central banker, this is a very clear signal of dissatisfaction. But the Bundesbank president faces a dilemma, because he hopes to take over as ECB president when Trichet's term expires next year. The general consensus in the German government is that if he continues to fight against the purchase of the bonds, his prospects for securing the top ECB post will dwindle.

But many German central bankers expect Weber to remain steadfast and not give in. For them, the purchase of government bonds is a betrayal of the principles of the once-proud institution. By deciding to do so, they say, the ECB has lost its status as an independent central bank -- and, along with it, so has the Bundesbank. And then there is the fear of the consequences of such a purchase, which many central bankers believe could jeopardize the very existence of the ECB.

However, European central bankers do not know how long the ECB will continue to buy government bonds. That depends on how bond prices fluctuate in the euro-zone countries in question.

Managing the Crisis

Every morning, the so-called Market Operations Committee (MOC) of the ECB analyzes the situation. The committee, whose members the ECB does not identify, supports the central bank in its monetary policy affairs, foreign currency transactions and the management of currency reserves. But the MOC has also become the bridge from which the central bankers are managing the euro crisis.

The Bundesbank's representative on the MOC is Joachim Nagel, head of the central bank's markets department. In closed-door sessions, he and his fellow committee members determine when and for what amounts the ECB and the euro-zone central banks, in concerted actions, buy up the government bonds of highly indebted euro countries to support their prices and thus maintain yields at a tolerable level.

The central bankers have informally agreed on what constitutes this tolerable level. The MOC's goal is to manipulate the markets in such a way that bond prices level off at the values that were in place on April 9, before investors, fearing that the governments could default on their bonds, launched into a massive sell-off of the securities.

continued .. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe...,697680,00.html

[churchill]

Are there any optimists out there ? A few positive thoughts would help !

Not from Roubini

The World's Going To hel_l In A Handbasket -- Here's What We Need To Do

The largest financial crisis in history is spreading from private to sovereign entities. At best, Europe’s recovery will suffer as the collapsing euro subtracts from growth in its key trading partners. At worst, a disintegration of the single currency or a wave of disorderly defaults could unhinge the financial system and precipitate a double-dip recession...

[G]overnments everywhere are releveraging to socialise private losses. But public debt is ultimately a private burden: governments subsist by taxing private income and wealth, or through the ultimate capital levy of inflation or outright default. Eventually governments must deleverage too, or else public debt will explode, precipitating further, deeper public and private-sector crises. This is already happening in the front-line of the crisis, eurozone sovereign debt. Greece is first over the edge; Ireland, Portugal and Spain trail close behind. Italy, while not yet illiquid, faces solvency risks. Even France and Germany have rising deficits. UK budget cuts are starting. Eventually the US will have to cut too.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-...5#ixzz0pazNzf46

Edited June 1, 2010 by churchill

[sokal]

According to my sources, that is bullsh*t.

let's rather say your sources are bullshit.

George Friedman is chief executive of STRATFOR, a private global intelligence firm he founded in 1996. Prior to joining the private sector, Friedman spent almost twenty years in academia, teaching political science at Dickinson College. During this time, he also regularly briefed senior commanders in the armed services as well as the Office of Net Assessments, SHAPE Technical Center, the U.S. Army War College, National Defense University and the RAND Corporation, on security and national defense matters.

Friedman's childhood was shaped directly by international conflict. He was born in Hungary to Holocaust survivors. His family fled Hungary when he was a child to escape the communist regime, settling first in a camp for displaced persons in Austria and then immigrating to the United States. Friedman, who attended public schools in New York City, describes his family's story as "a very classic story of refugees making a new life in America." Friedman was an early designer of computerized war games. The Center was the only non-governmental organization that was at that time granted access to Joint Theater Level Simulation by the Joint Warfighting Center.

I didn't know that being opposed to Nazism permanently destroys ones reputation. I just get the freebies from Stratfor BTW.

I didn't include the part where he accuses Israelis for doing the same thing before. The fact remains, this was a propaganda move by the Pallies.

There was in fact a ship called Exodus, who used an amalgam of incidents to display the propaganda war waged by the Jews. Those carrying out this war had two goals. The first was to create sympathy in Britain and throughout the world for Jews who, just a couple of years after German concentration camps, were now being held in British camps. Second, they sought to portray their struggle as being against the British. The British were portrayed as continuing Nazi policies toward the Jews in order to maintain their empire. The Jews were portrayed as anti-imperialists, fighting the British much as the Americans had.

Edited June 1, 2010 by sokal

[Naam]

I didn't know that being opposed to Nazism permanently destroys ones reputation. I just get the freebies from Stratfor BTW.

that is definitely not what Midas meant [quote: "Hardly an unbiased opinion" ] and i support Midas' opinion because from personal experience with close jewish friends i know that most of them are not able to think rationally and unbiased when the topic Israel/Palestine is discussed.

that a number of Stratfor opinions and forecasts are biased is a fact but i don't blame that necessarily on the background/ethnicity of its founder and CEO. being pro-Israel and anti-Falastini is based (for obvious reasons) on a long tradition in the Greatest Nation on Earth™.

[flying]

Well Naam what do you think about today's events ? " Those who cannot be named " have really shown their true

colours today........ not that i needed convincing otherwise anyway

But i can't believe the silly buggers chose to attack the Turkish boat

You know I did not quite understand what you meant midas by " those that cannot be named"

Now I know what you mean & find it very surprising........... I also didn't realize this all took place in International waters.

Edited June 2, 2010 by flying

[Pakboong]

Well Naam what do you think about today's events ? " Those who cannot be named " have really shown their true

colours today........ not that i needed convincing otherwise anyway

But i can't believe the silly buggers chose to attack the Turkish boat

You know I did not quite understand what you meant midas by " those that cannot be named"

Now I know what you mean & find it very surprising........... I also didn't realize this all took place in International waters.

Turkey is preparing to send another flotilla with a serious Navy escort.

The bigger problem is that Turkey and Israel are the closest US allies in the region and the US is faced with having to choose between right and wrong, not between Israel and Turkey. The US will waffle as they already have and insist the Israelis are capable of conducting their own investigation into this matter. How rediculous is it to expect an unbiased investigation from the perpetrator.

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

Big problem with this also is, Turkey has a very powerful conventional military and one that will likely steam roll Israel into using nuclear weapons that they claim they do not have. We could see WW3 on this one and we are all affected to a huge degree.

[flying]

Turkey is preparing to send another flotilla with a serious Navy escort.

The bigger problem is that Turkey and Israel are the closest US allies in the region and the US is faced with having to choose between right and wrong, not between Israel and Turkey. The US will waffle as they already have and insist the Israelis are capable of conducting their own investigation into this matter. How rediculous is it to expect an unbiased investigation from the perpetrator.

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

Big problem with this also is, Turkey has a very powerful conventional military and one that will likely steam roll Israel into using nuclear weapons that they claim they do not have. We could see WW3 on this one and we are all affected to a huge degree.

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become?

Strange days indeed.

[badge]

[...]

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

[...]

Perhaps thats due to its people being the victims, for millennia?

Theres no doubt unnecessary lives taken this weekend, and that Israels previous stance need renegotiating.

Theres also no doubt innocent Israeli lives are frequently taken, by its terrorist neighbours.

I think Canadas ex-foreign secretary, Peter McKay, explains a common diplomatic view:

"Its not a difficult choice between siding with a democracy that's being attacked by terrorists and a group of cold-blooded killers."

As for the facts, Im convinced no one posting on this forum has all of the facts, it would be impossible to believe they did, and thus no one on this forum is really in a position to make any firm opinion?

If I needed to fix a car, I certainly wouldnt expect to be able to watch the news for stories about cars, then cast an opinion on how to fix it and what went wrong, based on that 'reporting'.

If I had lived for a significant period in Gaza and Tel Aviv, then perhaps I would at least have a ground-level understanding, and would perhaps be able to form a personal opinion.

But as I have neither hard facts nor personal experience, Im really not in a position to pass any judgement, beyond the obvious; the whole area is, and has been, a ghastly wanton mess for far too long

[badge]

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become?

Strange days indeed.

An implication of blackmail?

Theres no reasoning with a man whos made up his mind

[Pakboong]

[...]

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

[...]

Perhaps thats due to its people being the victims, for millennia?

Theres no doubt unnecessary lives taken this weekend, and that Israels previous stance need renegotiating.

Theres also no doubt innocent Israeli lives are frequently taken, by its terrorist neighbours.

I think Canadas ex-foreign secretary, Peter McKay, explains a common diplomatic view:

"Its not a difficult choice between siding with a democracy that's being attacked by terrorists and a group of cold-blooded killers."

As for the facts, Im convinced no one posting on this forum has all of the facts, it would be impossible to believe they did, and thus no one on this forum is really in a position to make any firm opinion?

If I needed to fix a car, I certainly wouldnt expect to be able to watch the news for stories about cars, then cast an opinion on how to fix it and what went wrong, based on that 'reporting'.

If I had lived for a significant period in Gaza and Tel Aviv, then perhaps I would at least have a ground-level understanding, and would perhaps be able to form a personal opinion.

But as I have neither hard facts nor personal experience, Im really not in a position to pass any judgement, beyond the obvious; the whole area is, and has been, a ghastly wanton mess for far too long

Israel's vicitim status may be the only constant.

[Gambles]

As for his ('housing prices will not decline') because 'The U.S. housing market has never declined' comment it is clearly not made by any intelligent economist or investor. I do believe he has privately admitted that he was taking a lot of prescription drugs at the time and had just been on an all night bender with Dennis Hopper.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/sp...015/default.htm

that would only partially explain it - you'd still have to be pretty removed from reality in the first place.....

[badge]

Israel's vicitim status may be the only constant.

Perhaps. Confusion is common too.

[...]

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

[...]

Anti-semitism is a prejudice against jewish people, whereas the previous comment was quoted within an Israeli context.

Israel is a nation, its peopel are largely jewish.

But all jews are not Israeli, and all Israelis are not jews.

To disagree with Israels actions and harbour a prejudice against jewish people, would be equivalent to disagreeing with the Irish and holding a prejudice againt Mexican people(catholicism being the constant).

There are plenty of jewish people throughout the world that are prejudice against Israel Im sure.

[Gambles]

Stratfor itself is a big joke. in the late '90s i was a subscriber for several years till i found out what hair raising rubbish was published about two countries in which i lived and worked, still maintain personal connections and visit them. for the last four years i still read some Strafor excerpts (posted in another forum) in which "anytime from now... most probably next week" "the glorious IDF will deal a devastating blow to the Mullahs and turn the country into one big parking lot."

Stratfor case closed, bailiff next one!

I had a subscription for a couple of years and I came to the same conclusion as you. They have a world vision which I do not share.

Nor do I.

and hopefully, presumably a lot less people do now.

I stopped reading them a couple of years back when an article purportedly about the challenges to the State of The Union in America basically said in line one not to worry USA was fine but,a propos nothing at all, let's look at China instead. It then concluded that China's break-up and demise was inevitable. It wasn't the research or the conclusions that annoyed me so much as what a poorly disguised propaganda exercise the whole piece was.Like with The Economist, I took the view that henceforth I'd only use them as a datasource and not even look at their opinions (I enjoy reading dissenting opinions but my life's too short to read deliberately written propaganda)

Edited June 2, 2010 by Gambles

[lannarebirth]

Stratfor itself is a big joke. in the late '90s i was a subscriber for several years till i found out what hair raising rubbish was published about two countries in which i lived and worked, still maintain personal connections and visit them. for the last four years i still read some Strafor excerpts (posted in another forum) in which "anytime from now... most probably next week" "the glorious IDF will deal a devastating blow to the Mullahs and turn the country into one big parking lot."

Stratfor case closed, bailiff next one!

I had a subscription for a couple of years and I came to the same conclusion as you. They have a world vision which I do not share.

Nor do I.

and hopefully, presumably a lot less people do now.

I stopped reading them a couple of years back when an article purportedly about the challenges to the State of The Union in America basically said in line one not to worry USA was fine but,a propos nothing at all, let's look at China instead. It then concluded that China's break-up and demise was inevitable. It wasn't the research or the conclusions that annoyed me so much as what a poorly disguised propaganda exercise the whole piece was.Like with The Economist, I took the view that henceforth I'd only use them as a datasource and not even look at their opinions (I enjoy reading dissenting opinions but my life's too short to read deliberately written propaganda)

Good observation Paul. Both Stratfor and the Economist read like mouthpieces for various "think tanks", all with an agenda.

[Gambles]

Well Naam what do you think about today's events ? " Those who cannot be named " have really shown their true

colours today........ not that i needed convincing otherwise anyway

But i can't believe the silly buggers chose to attack the Turkish boat

You know I did not quite understand what you meant midas by " those that cannot be named"

Now I know what you mean & find it very surprising........... I also didn't realize this all took place in International waters.

Turkey is preparing to send another flotilla with a serious Navy escort.

The bigger problem is that Turkey and Israel are the closest US allies in the region and the US is faced with having to choose between right and wrong, not between Israel and Turkey. The US will waffle as they already have and insist the Israelis are capable of conducting their own investigation into this matter. How rediculous is it to expect an unbiased investigation from the perpetrator.

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

Big problem with this also is, Turkey has a very powerful conventional military and one that will likely steam roll Israel into using nuclear weapons that they claim they do not have. We could see WW3 on this one and we are all affected to a huge degree.

Maybe this could be the powderkeg? I still don't think so yet - While Israel's subsequent actions remain provocative, Turkey alone seems propelled by righteous indignation to act. Cool heads seem still likely to prevail but I don't rule out the tension ratcheting up either but as Badge said, we keyboard diplomats have no idea what's going on behind the scenes but hopefully it's all leading to a peaceful solution that also results in a softening of hard line stances, more aid to Gaza and a greater all round respect for human life.

[badge]

Perhaps Im not paranoid enough?

Been an Economist subscriber for years. I do have a soft spot for British tory papers though

[Pakboong]

Israel's vicitim status may be the only constant.

Perhaps. Confusion is common too.

[...]

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

[...]

Anti-semitism is a prejudice against jewish people, whereas the previous comment was quoted within an Israeli context.

Israel is a nation, its peopel are largely jewish.

But all jews are not Israeli, and all Israelis are not jews.

To disagree with Israels actions and harbour a prejudice against jewish people, would be equivalent to disagreeing with the Irish and holding a prejudice againt Mexican people(catholicism being the constant).

There are plenty of jewish people throughout the world that are prejudice against Israel Im sure.

Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews but Israel is considered to be the Jewish state by the vast majority of the world. Their national policies affect all Jews accordingly.

[flying]

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become?

Strange days indeed.

An implication of blackmail?

Theres no reasoning with a man whos made up his mind

No not at all.......Where did you ever see a puppet extort its master for pay?

You assume too much.

I am watching as always & wondering thats all. Dont even start to imagine out loud that this is a first.

This alliance has been obvious in many sectors of the US for as long as I can remember.

As for your other comment ....

Perhaps thats due to its people being the victims, for millennia?

Who's mind is made up now?

I agree but probably not as you think. Could be cause & effect ...action & reaction...Karma....

Who knows eh?

All I do know is not every wrongful action has to be shielded by a race/religion card.

Wrong is wrong........Piracy on the open sea is just that. Who died & made them the police of international waters?

Edited June 2, 2010 by flying

[sokal]

Israel's vicitim status may be the only constant.

Your falling for a propaganda stunt. The Israelis let tons of aid into Gaza all the time.

[sokal]

Turkey is preparing to send another flotilla with a serious Navy escort.

The bigger problem is that Turkey and Israel are the closest US allies in the region and the US is faced with having to choose between right and wrong, not between Israel and Turkey. The US will waffle as they already have and insist the Israelis are capable of conducting their own investigation into this matter. How rediculous is it to expect an unbiased investigation from the perpetrator.

Israel insists they are the victims here. They are always the victims so no surprise. No matter the facts, they are the victims and it is this position that encourages anti-semetism around the world.

Big problem with this also is, Turkey has a very powerful conventional military and one that will likely steam roll Israel into using nuclear weapons that they claim they do not have. We could see WW3 on this one and we are all affected to a huge degree.

haha, who told you that ?

The higher ups in the Turkish govt probably told them to dock the next ship in the regular spot like we have done a million other times when delivering aid to Gaza.

This is not the first ship to deliver supplies to Gaza.

[sokal]

Maybe this could be the powderkeg? I still don't think so yet - While Israel's subsequent actions remain provocative, Turkey alone seems propelled by righteous indignation to act. Cool heads seem still likely to prevail but I don't rule out the tension ratcheting up either but as Badge said, we keyboard diplomats have no idea what's going on behind the scenes but hopefully it's all leading to a peaceful solution that also results in a softening of hard line stances, more aid to Gaza and a greater all round respect for human life.

Look at the age of the men involved in this. 32 of them where Americans and one of them was a Canadian from my home city of Vancouver. These are your typical anti Israeli terrorists that put on a political stunt for the Palestinian authority and everyone on this forum has fallen for it.

Al-Jazeera TV Report from "Freedom Flotilla" Before Its Departure for Gaza: Activists On Board Chant Intifada Songs and Praise Martyrdom – May 28, 2010

Reporter: "Despite the Israeli threats and some unexpected obstacles, the arrival of the ships at the rendezvous, in preparation to set sail to Gaza, has kindled the emotions and enthusiasm of the participants."

Crowd chanting: "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return."

Reporter: "Through songs about the Palestinian Intifada, the participants expressed their longing to reach Gaza."

Participant 1: "The brothers here are shouting and are full of enthusiasm. They are waiting to leave soon, with the ships around us in the sea. Allah willing, we will make our way to Gaza."

Participant 2: "We are now waiting for one of two good things – either to achieve martyrdom, or to reach Gaza."

Edited June 2, 2010 by sokal

[Gambles]

Perhaps Im not paranoid enough?

Been an Economist subscriber for years. I do have a soft spot for British tory papers though

I stopped my Economist subscription when I realized that I could write much better articles about Thailand myself and that Asia Times, FEER etc wrote much, muc, much better articles about Thailand. FT seems to be the only place where data isn't too tarnished with propaganda...

[Gambles]

Israel's vicitim status may be the only constant.

Your falling for a propaganda stunt. The Israelis let tons of aid into Gaza all the time.

I believe that the international agencies say that only around 25% of the neccessary aid is allowed to reach Gaza but the most valid point on this thread is that none of us really know the full facts. Making outlandish definitive statements in support or criticism of one side or another from our keyboards at this stage probably just highlights our own gullibility or our own prejudices and therefore is as much a waste of time (just like some of the threads on here during the recent Bkk troubles when pro-reds posted pro-red posts and anti-reds posted anti-red posts).

This is a very serious issue and one on which everyone's obviously entitled to express an opinion and a strong opinion at that but as in most things if you assume that it's all black or all white you might well be missing some of the story and if you post your opinion as though it's fact then you're misleading everyone including yourself. We're all guilty, myself included and the tendency is greater the more emotive the issue.....

[Naam]

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become? Strange days indeed.

am i right to assume that your question is a rhetoric one Flying and you want to spell out others why a certain group of people have the White House and the U.S. by the balls?

[Pakboong]

Maybe this could be the powderkeg? I still don't think so yet - While Israel's subsequent actions remain provocative, Turkey alone seems propelled by righteous indignation to act. Cool heads seem still likely to prevail but I don't rule out the tension ratcheting up either but as Badge said, we keyboard diplomats have no idea what's going on behind the scenes but hopefully it's all leading to a peaceful solution that also results in a softening of hard line stances, more aid to Gaza and a greater all round respect for human life.

Look at the age of the men involved in this. 32 of them where Americans and one of them was a Canadian from my home city of Vancouver. These are your typical anti Israeli terrorists that put on a political stunt for the Palestinian authority and everyone on this forum has fallen for it.

Al-Jazeera TV Report from "Freedom Flotilla" Before Its Departure for Gaza: Activists On Board Chant Intifada Songs and Praise Martyrdom – May 28, 2010

Reporter: "Despite the Israeli threats and some unexpected obstacles, the arrival of the ships at the rendezvous, in preparation to set sail to Gaza, has kindled the emotions and enthusiasm of the participants."

Crowd chanting: "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return."

Reporter: "Through songs about the Palestinian Intifada, the participants expressed their longing to reach Gaza."

Participant 1: "The brothers here are shouting and are full of enthusiasm. They are waiting to leave soon, with the ships around us in the sea. Allah willing, we will make our way to Gaza."

Participant 2: "We are now waiting for one of two good things – either to achieve martyrdom, or to reach Gaza."

All of this is a very good reason to not take the bait and just let them proceed without incident. Nothing to be gained by falling for such a simplistic tactic for international support for Gaza. The Israeli intelligence agencies are among the best in the world and clearly were aware of such an attempt. In fact this kind of propaganda is assumed. Nothing out of the ordinary here, so why the unusual response? I don't know what happened as others have mentioned. But there are oddities about this one. These kinds of international events don't just happen due to a whim of the guy in the lead boat.

[Naam]

Both Stratfor and the Economist read like mouthpieces for various "think tanks", all with an agenda.

=bull's eye!

[badge]

Perhaps Im not paranoid enough?

Been an Economist subscriber for years. I do have a soft spot for British tory papers though

I stopped my Economist subscription when I realized that I could write much better articles about Thailand myself and that Asia Times, FEER etc wrote much, muc, much better articles about Thailand. FT seems to be the only place where data isn't too tarnished with propaganda...

Ah, this is perhaps where we differ; I dont read it for its articles on Thailand.

[badge]

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become? Strange days indeed.

am i right to assume that your question is a rhetoric one Flying and you want to spell out others why a certain group of people have the White House and the U.S. by the balls?

Meritocracy?

....Or let me guess, a conspiracy?

[Naam]

Amazing isn't it? What in the world do they have on the US to work them like the puppet they have become? Strange days indeed.

am i right to assume that your question is a rhetoric one Flying and you want to spell out others why a certain group of people have the White House and the U.S. by the balls?

Meritocracy? ....Or let me guess, a conspiracy?

no need for question marks or guessing Badge as i consider you an intelligent and informed person correct me if i am wrong