AND IN PORTUGAL...

PORTUGUESE AUSTERITY PLANS PROTESTED

HERE

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/20085742;_ylt=At0_M9v59vS4O3CD5UMrakT7SpZ4

AND:

HERE

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128316&sectionid=351020605

And, see my earlier entry today just below...

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON MIDEAST and INVITATION TO TURKEY'S MILITARY

I thought I would highlight first today Franklin Templeton's new Middle East Asset Management Fund, as reported below.
For those in United Suckers and Assholes homeland, Franklin Templeton Family of Funds SHOULD be well known, an institutional group representing a pool, basket of, as usual, overlapping investment instruments.
But, for others, Templeton may not be a household name.
Templeton is NOT a small investment firm.
As you read, below, they have $35 BILLION in "Emerging Market" assets alone and have an overall $570 BILLION under their combined management.
More important to me as an expression of their inherent, intrinsic, diabolical, cynical, hypocritical, fundamental, contradictory, conflict of interest class relationship, Franklin Templeton Family of Funds represents RETIREMENT, UNION PENSION FUNDS, or, "institutional investors," to which they are commonly referred.
Templeton is connected with/to the equally infamous JOHN GALBRAITH.
I will provide at the bottom a thumbnail background link from wiki about Templeton, Galbraith, etc.:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZW20100529000073/Templeton%20Asset%20Mgmt%20Plans%20%24500M%20Mideast%20Investments%20Within%2012%20Mos

And, below is a quintessential, sanitized, cleansed, vintage version of Templeton and how it/they present or represent themselves, apparently.
The brief video speaks for itself, needing no editorial commentary of my own, which is why I use it.
Draw your own conclusions.
And one more question.
Could I, or, anyone, possibly do any better with fictional representations as that of the REAL one, below, a caricature of himself/themselves?
Nobody, to me, has ever expressed the phenomena better artistically than George Grosz's marvelous masterpieces:

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-E7ejsLEIg&feature=related

And, lastly, the wiki link about Franklin Templeton to which I refer above:

HERE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Templeton_Investments

AND AN INVITATION TO TURKEY'S MILITARY

AFTER Turkey's military destroys the PKK guerrilla militias in Northern Iraq and collapses independent Kurdistan aspirations AND the military then turns its guns, hopefully, onto Turkey's FASCIST, ISLAMIC AKP, "whose passion is to sell state enterprises," RENATIONALIZE all industry and resources privatized, I INVITE Turkey's military along with Turkey's opposition to come here and help LIBERATE United Suckers and Assholes from OUR present despotic, barbaric, uncivilized NAZI Dictatorship cabal.
They will be welcomed with opened arms, many more so than the ones SUPPOSEDLY ready to receive US and allied "liberators" of Iraq.
The ONLY practical barrier we need overcome here is language.
But, that would be a far easier problem to solve than ALL THE ABOVE COMBINED together.
I am NOT being FACETIOUS.
I am deadly serious.
United Suckers and Assholes is a demonic, mind numbing, dumbed down, lowest common denominator, NAZI OCCUPIED NATION, a backwater Banana Republic, toilet bowl, sinking in seas of toxic fumes, filth, swimming in crude oil!
This unmitigated social, natural, human degradation, disaster, catastrophe, unbridled, unlimited EXPLOITATION is an EXPORT commodity, as you can see from ALL my posts, expanded, foisted, intensified, inflicted upon the entire planet for ever insatiable, growing PROFIT needs.
If NOT reversed, halted, stopped dead, IMMEDIATELY, in its tracks, they will destroy and make mockery of what little remains of all humanities collective 5000 plus years of accumulated positive developments engendered by our shared civilizing experience.

FRENCH STRIKES, LEHMAN SUES MORGAN, OBOOMA SINKS WITH OIL, REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS AWARDED GAS

People march during a protest in Marseille, southern France, Thursday May 27, 2010. Strikes across France are slowing train traffic and disrupting flights and schools, as workers protest plans to raise the retirement age beyond 60. President Nicolas Sarkozy's government has called reforming France's over-stretched pension system his main priority this year.

FRANCE

I did a number of posts about BACKGROUND French issues, namely, PRIVATIZATION, France's CGT union and previous covert attempts to undermine Mitterand's Government.
A giant battle ensued not long ago over privatization of Gaz de France, which, as usual, nobody here or elsewhere, it seems, deemed noteworthy.
So, two previous reminders, posts, about underlying French issues, aside from or, in addition to, recent Club Med or Invest in Med entries and one article about Gaz de France:

HERE

http://karlmarxwasright2.blogspot.com/2008/11/dubai-deutsche-bank-and-french-edf-cgt.html

AND:

HERE

http://karlmarxwasright2.blogspot.com/2009/12/1999-mitterand-mystery.html

And, here's a snapshot reminder, article, NOT a post, about French GDF, Gaz de France, PRIVATIZATION and GDF merger with Suez:

HERE

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL0257250120070902

LEHMAN SUES JP MORGAN

Although I no longer read the WSJ since purchased by NAZI cabal family member, Rupert Murdoch, like our toilet tissue NY Times, the following about a Lehman versus Morgan lawsuit reported so widely it makes no difference which source I utilize.
Finally, one piece of GOOD news from the NAZI Homeland!
Obviously, this does NOT bring the entire system down with it, YET, but, it does/will make a LARGE dent, potentially opening floodgates of damage.
SOMEBODY finally challenges JP Morgan of impeccable NAZI lineage and fame since NOBODY else here does a damned, fucking thing.
I sincerely hope Morgan is smashed beyond recognition to smithereens in court and their pieces tossed to the wind.
As always in a lawsuit, INFORMATION otherwise not revealed, available, becomes subject to public knowledge, scrutiny, testimony, sunshine, daylight.
So, timing is perfect:

HERE

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704032704575268843657457202.html?
mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTWhatsNews

OBOOMA SINKING WITH OIL

The Morgan lawsuit comes the same time that NAZI Citigroup/Exxon/Morgan Obooma's Titanic Ship of State sinks along with BP's Oil pipe gusher and environmental disaster.
I did warn everyone AT THE BEGINNING, at inception, in a previous post, stopping BP's Gulf crude oil flow is a race against the calender, namely, our Atlantic Hurricane Season, bearing down upon us beginning now through the Fall.
Consequently, chaos reigneth here in NAZI Oboomaland as a result of a horrific, UNCONTROLLED, UNCOORDINATED Atlantic Gulf crude oil disaster, the economic and ecological ramifications and dislocation it caused MILLIONS SO FAR AND more disruption forthcoming ADDITIONAL TO DEVASTATING ECONOMIC DISLOCATION FROM A CONTINUED NAZI CABAL DICTATORSHIP, war, etc.
Obooma's Administration is FINISHED.
Done. Dead. Kaput.
Revolt, despair, disgust spreads and ripples through the land like the gushing crude from the shores of the Southern Gulf states to northern Alaska to most everywhere else in between as United Suckers and Assholes spins apart so OBVIOUSLY out of ANY control, running amok on automatic pilot in ALL areas of life with a dithering idiot steering at the helm.
NAZI CITIGROUP/EXXON/MORGAN OBOOMA DICTATORSHIP WILL AND MUST GO DOWN QUICKLY, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, before no country exists except our Banana Republic and an entirely different national policy, AGENDA, PROGRAM, DIRECTION replaces it.
Below is a sample BROAD BASED, UNIFIED, PRINCIPLED AGENDA, PROGRAM from which one can embark with details and specifics to be further developed and an IMMEDIATE, coordinated, NATIONAL response to our present Gulf disaster contained within:

HERE

http://karlmarxwasright2.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-we-will-and-will-not-get.html

REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS AWARDED IRANIAN GAS FIELD DEVELOPMENT

Not to be outdone, in case you remain blind, stupid, deaf and dumb as to WHOM, WHAT, WHICH interests NAZI Ahmadimoron/Sistani and their Baghdad Oil Minister Shahristani represent, they/he awarded THEMSELVES development of Iranian Pars gas fields to their OWN Revolutionary Guards.
Of course, this comes on the heels of a tightening international economic and military noose.
The sanction battle royal continues between/with Hillary Clinton, the UN, everyone else, Turkish and Brazilian investment in/with Iran, divvying up Iraq, and the rest of the world combined:

HERE

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100528/wl_mideast_afp/iranenergygaspars_20100528164505

POSTSCRIPT TO YESTERDAY'S ENTRY BELOW and CLUB MED

In my previous post, yesterday, JUST BELOW, I mentioned ballot question #4 in Pennsylvania's past May 18 primary elections authorizing the City of Philadelphia to BORROW money directly from private financial lending institutions.

As a POSTSCRIPT to yesterday's entry, below, I returned to it to see IF I could find something more substantial to add, since I asserted I was sure ballot question #4 was supported by all unions, Democrats, so-called "progressives" and/or fake Left combined, one and the same.
So, I found a nice illustration.
It is not necessary to continue ad infinitum.
Just extrapolate from one illustration.

The journal below OBVIOUSLY distinguishes, categorizes, self-identifies as representing supposed, nominally "black" interests.
Notice in the SECOND paragraph of the excerpt following a twisted logic, sophistry, a CLASSICAL SYLLOGISM, JARGON, SUPPOSITION, ASSERTION, ASSUMPTION utilized, TOTALLY, COMPLETELY unfounded, having nothing whatsoever to do with the reality of the underlying economic motivation.
In fact, THE OPPOSITE actually is true, but, employing a FALSE, inverted premise in the second paragraph, an incorrect conclusion drawn exhorts people to go and vote YES on #4 AGAINST their OWN ECONOMIC SELF-INTERESTS!
Additionally, by the way, the phrase "economic and community development" tacked conveniently onto #4 at the end certainly may be construed as a loose, undefined, all encompassing term, meaning just about anything to anyone.
A blank check or page?
Is it not possible to laugh?

"...Ballot Question #4 asks voter support for the City to borrow $65, 525,000 for transit, streets, sanitation, parks, recreation, museums and economic and community development.

Here, again, the "fat cats" on the Committee of 70 take “no position,” which probably means they believe this will provide a greater benefit for the predominantly black and minority base of City residents than to people like themselves, so they don’t care if it ever happens.

This should be all the info you need to realize that you should run right out and vote “yes” on question #4..."

FROM:

HERE

http://theblackissue.blogspot.com/2010/05/dont-sleep-pennsylvania-governors-race.html

For good measure, I will add a link from a parallel, but, related, BLATANT, IN YOUR FACE scenario on the opposite side of the globe, namely, the "MENASA Emerging Markets."
Here's a nice one I thought about EFG-HERMES Private Equity reaffirming their "key" role in this reactionary global enterprise, as if I/we did not already know it AND CLUB MED:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100526111731/EFG%20Hermes%20Private%20Equity%20Will%20Play%
20a%20Key%20Role%20in%20MENA%27s%20Largest%
20Infrastructure%20Fund/

And, then, my post below to which I refer above...

SUBLIME, RIDICULOUS and SCHIZOPHRENIC POLICY

I thought I would introduce today's post on a sublime rather than ridiculous, preposterous, absurd note.
More from whence the following musical interlude came on the right hand sidebar.
A nice mood change, cocooning, refreshing, reminding and blunting the absurd, insane, ridiculous, SCHIZOPHRENIC atmosphere and policies surrounding me everywhere:

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeuMzu3G_HQ

And, then, I will NOT destroy the sublime by showing you the face of a terrifying apparition, monster, ghost, cadaver, risen from the dead, whom I saw on C-Span testifying before Congress the other day.
It was NAZI German General and US Plans Officer Fritz Kraemer's protege and ubiquitous merchant of death, HENRY KISSINGER!

As I have explained in previous posts, I have LONG given up on anything remotely resembling sanity in United Suckers and Assholes NAZI homeland DICTATORSHIP.

WITH MY BLESSINGS and encouragement, the heathen barbarians can and will go down on the sinking, stinking NAZI Titanic Ship of State, surrounded by worldly ferment and perhaps crude oil as well about which they have not a clue or remain in suspended animation, playing with their rosary beads while praying to our Lady of Perpetual Denial.
That is the definition of insanity, is it not?
One repeats stupid, self-destructive behaviour over and over, learning nothing?
So, in that vein, the following.

Against a backdrop of uncontrolled PRIVATELY OWNED BP crude oil pouring into the Atlantic Gulf, where are we now, collectively speaking?

FIRST DOMESTIC SCHIZOPHRENIA

I picked out this one local example NOT because it is an anomaly, but, the opposite.
It is representative.
Although well reported in our May 18 Pennsylvania primary elections, Congressman Joe Sestak defeated 40 plus year incumbent Kennedy Assassination Single Bullet Senator Arlen Specter, in spite of, or, perhaps, because Specter was supported by ALL organized labor AND their Obooma Administration.
But, ALSO, a referendum question was on Philadelphia's ballot completely ignored by the press, media and just about everybody, authorizing Philadelphia to BORROW funds to finance public roads, schools, etc.
A similar question appears periodically on referendum ballots everywhere, not just Philadelphia.
Now, in Philadelphia, the referendum passed by an approximate 2-1 majority.
I am totally and completely sure our unions supported it wholeheartedly.
NOT ONE WORD WAS UTTERED BEFOREHAND ABOUT THIS REFERENDUM QUESTION.
Nor afterwards.
But, it is CRUCIAL.
Once again, PRIVATE funds are BORROWED by City and/or State governments, of course, at a profit, thus, MORTGAGING, indebting State and/or City governments to private financial institutions AND subsidizing those same PRIVATE financial institutions with taxpayer funds.
Furthermore, these "public" institutions contract out to PRIVATE developers and firms.
And, then, in turn, our State and/or City governments return a wee bit later and say they are bankrupt and have no taxpayer money to finance public institutions due to debt and they must either SELL OFF MORE PUBLIC ASSETS AND/OR cut wages, pensions, jobs, completing a self-defeating, self-destructive, inherently pathological and vicious circle.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ARE TO BE FUNDED DIRECTLY FROM TAXPAYER APPROPRIATIONS, INCOME and REVENUE ALLOCATIONS, NOT PRIVATE DEBT AND BORROWING!
Then comes the famous conundrum in this giant ponzi scheme, public funding sources, taxes, etc.
That gets a bit more complex.
But, suffice it to say everybody knows the tax burden everywhere resides disproportionally skewed in favor of TAX SUBSIDIES for ALL PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS.
And, then, simply the larger, largest solution, OWNING, NATIONALIZING, APPROPRIATING, SOCIALIZING our vast resources and industries outright. The question of tax funding and dichotomy between private and public becomes moot.
So, that's just ONE EXAMPLE of continued SELF-DESTRUCTIVE, self-defeating, INSANE, SCHIZOPHRENIC behavior from which you can extrapolate further.
Similarly, another ongoing labor battle exists in California between SEIU, a criminal labor front, and NUHW.
SEIU is a bunch of intimidating, threatening mafia thugs masquerading as a union.
An article BELOW entitled "SEIU to Create WWIII to Drive NUHW Out of Hospitals" reports on California's intensifying labor turf battle.
The publication below, however, as you can see at a glance from other articles and subject matter, perpetuates similar delusional SCHIZOPHRENIC denial regarding DEMOCRATIC PARTY and labor policies as those I report above and labor's Pension Fund Investments in my previous posts.
Furthermore, STILL, ABSOLUTELY NO recognition, acknowledgment, SOLIDARITY and SUPPORT for the CRITICAL, fundamental, momentous, heroic Greek/European labor struggle out of ANY ORGANIZED, INSTITUTIONAL mouths HERE, except, of course, individuals such as myself:

HERE

http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=8139

Considering events in the Atlantic Gulf, it should be noted, additionally, SEIU was the most vociferous in our PREVIOUS Presidential election campaign AGAINST Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin.
EVERYBODY STILL refuses to DISCUSS WHY Sarah Palin was elected overwhelming in Alaska and the SUBSTANTIAL, complex energy ISSUES involved, her negotiations with major energy corporations, Exxon, Transcanada, etc.
She has YET to be interviewed as to DETAILS of what happened.
So, the SCHIZOPHRENIC, insane, destructive beat goes on and on with no end in sight except ultimate systemic collapse, implosion, mass annihilation, destruction, extinction, through short-sighted, self-serving man made GREED and/or natural disaster and/or a combination of both.

AND THEN ABROAD.

The more NAZI plans fall apart, like an unanticipated, militant Greek opposition, resistance (another Greek General Strike planned for June 5) and our Atlantic Gulf BP crude oil fiasco, the more desperate becomes our international NAZI cartel and the urgency for an immediate, quick, resolution to remaining troublesome hot spots on the globe.
They can't procrastinate much longer.
Money and time is running short.
They need to COMPLETE THE FINANCIAL CIRCLE, speculative bubble, income flow generated from those "emerging markets" in order to prop up their defunct, decaying, barbaric, irrational system.
War and escalating militarism ALWAYS become the final, last, desperate solution for DESPOTISM and ROYALTY at home and abroad.
Anyway, our NAZI Iran/Iraq regime change scenario gains momentum. The pace quickens.
Reports exist leaked or planted just about everywhere regarding covert, military "special operations" throughout the Middle East, etc.:

HERE

http://www.armedforces-int.com/news/us_military_intelligence_missions_increase.html

Meanwhile Turkey's military openly bombs Northern Iraq, Kurdistan.
And, Israel militarily active, at least, for the moment, through Kurdistan. And, more US National Guard State troops planned for Iraq.
Plus, covertly funded political operations to destabilize Iran, NAZI Iran's nuke issue being but a PR fig leaf, dance.
No matter what ploy Ahmadimoron and Sistani use in Iran and Iraq, they are finished, which, by definition, means Baghdad Iranian Oil Minister, Sistani-Shahristani.
Done. Kaput.
Their time and usefulness OVER.
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED.
So, more fireworks forthcoming.
Also, they have upped the ante in the Korean Peninsula.
Of course, idiots here and elsewhere will NOT defend North Korea, which they SHOULD.
But, leaving that aside for the moment, another clear, obvious fact.
No other country on the planet at the moment exists MILITARILY to lead, assure global counter-revolution like that of the greatest United Suckers and Assholes on the planet.
Germany may be an 800 pound economic gorilla on the European continent, but, since the end of WWII, neither Germany nor any other European country alone can muster sufficient military might to counter resistance and/or opposition everywhere in a coordinated global fashion.
So, ALL rely ultimately upon US military power to defend and project THEIR OWN REACTIONARY ECONOMIC CLASS INTERESTS globally, whether or not they like it.
That simply is a consequence and reality of post WWII life.
Of course, other militaries such as India, China, Russia, for example, exist.
However, they are not placed to project strategic, coordinated power to all points on the globe as can the US presently.
They neither dominate space nor oceans, one important strategic fact.
But, of course, future alliances COULD challenge this equation.
Anyway, for the time being, ALL REACTIONARY NAZI REGIMES depend primarily on US military global projection to protect and assure their REACTIONARY CLASS interests.
After all, this is the only country on the planet that spends more on the military than the remainder of the rest of the world combined!
And, the US military just launched PERHAPS an "experimental" space craft now orbiting the globe whose mission and capabilities remain unknown, something about which I have speculated, myself.
Most believe it a spy craft.
But, that may not be its only purpose.
Like our oceans, the geography immediately surrounding our planet has been PRIVATELY appropriated and now littered with hazardous space junk and become an extension of a military battleground.
Anyway, as a consequence of Greece and ALL happening above and USSR dissolution, the slippery slope of the European map may well change and find themselves divided, once again, into competing and shifting economic, political, military zones, spheres of influence, alliances and power relationships.
Greece MAY find itself outside of the Eurozone and in Club Med, instead, led by France, perhaps.
But, stepping DIRECTLY with LARGE FOOTPRINTS, rather than as previously, through surrogates, into a European, Mesopotamian, and Eurasian quagmire, the US now becomes a PRIMARY, rather than ancillary, actor and TARGET this time around in the NAZI imperialist, reactionary Great Game.
Finally, ending on an artistic reminder from times, events not very long ago:


Hannah Hoch - Cut with the Kitchen Knife Through the First Epoch of the Weimar Beer-Belly Culture, 1919. The above piece by Hannah Hoch epitomizes the Dada attitude towards war: That it is chaos. That the world has gone mad. That war itself is craziness incarnate destroying humanity.
FROM:

HERE

http://www.lilithgallery.com/arthistory/dada/arthistory_dada.html

MERCHANTBRIDGE IRAQ, GREECE, US BANANA REPUBLIC

Remember Merchantbridge, whom I highlighted in MANY previous posts and Rend Rahim Francke, Basil Rahim, ALL part of Kanan Makiya's extensive, Iraq expatriate former HARVARD Iraq Memory Project/Foundation circle?

Well, here's the latest from Merchantbridge, Francke and Iraq, enough to make one's stomach turn many times over.

"The Largest Private Equity MENA Deal of the Year..."

HERE

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=46426&t=1&c=17&cg=4&mset=1031

ALL MUST DIE!
Every single individual and corporation that has profited from this horrific war.
As well as those who profited from the USSR counter-revolutionary coup. And China.
And here.
One and the same, overlapping, everywhere.
NO appeasement, NO compromise!
Total liquidation, annihilation and nationalization.
Below Greece.
Certainly NOT HERE where multinational energy corporations PISS their bowel and toxic waste sludge with IMPUNITY into our SHARED Atlantic Ocean Gulf Stream like it was their personal toilet while our brain dead assholes, suckers, victims sit PASSIVELY, idly by and watch.
Even Palin was more proactive than these unbelievable lap dogs and idiots.
NATIONALIZE ALL BP ASSETS AND OIL WELLS NOW YOU FUCKING DOORMATS!
(Private multinational energy drilling ongoing in the Gulf!!)
THE US IS A BANANA REPUBLIC!
BRING ALL OUR VAST MILITARY, NATIONAL GUARD, ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS and INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES TO BEAR ON THE PROBLEM.
REQUISITION PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND BRAIN POWER, if necessary.
There's absolutely NO effective NATIONAL PROGRAM put in place, whatsoever.
And, we have an absolute ZERO, NERO, CAPTAIN HOOVERVILLE at the helm steering our sinking and stinking, in more than one way, literally and figuratively, Titanic Ship of State.
Knock, knock!
Who's there?
NOBODY at home!
A CIA, NAZI corporate manufactured, petulant, arrogant boy child and puppet with not one independent thought or experience.
Finally, I came across a statement of solidarity with Greek resistance and opposition from a Malaysian group, below, applicable here except for one BIG difference.
LACK OF ANY, NO organized PRINCIPLED class opposition and resistance in United Suckers and Assholes.
One caveat, I know NOTHING about this group beyond their statement below:

HERE

http://aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1324:in-solidarity-with-the-greek-peoples-resistance-against-austerity&catid=95:2010&Itemid=48

And, from Greece with Love:

INVEST IN MED, GREECE FOR SALE and TIAA-CREF

My previous post just below highlighted Beirut's Arab Economic Summit juxtaposed with Greek strikes and Greek PM Papandreou's sickening, ridiculous supplication for Arab, Chinese and any other private investment at Beirut's Economic Summit.
Why Papandreou did not get down on his knees, prostrate himself and kowtow I do not know.
Or, perhaps, appear with tin cup in hand and don a sign reading;
"Country/Greece for Sale."
I might add, to the highest bidder.
And, of course, a proposed, scheduled Arab/Middle East Common Market/Free Trade Zone and currency.
Next, a scheduled, upcoming "Invest in Med" Conference, I do NOT invent these names, for June, 2010 which appears to be delayed, postponed.
Various reasons given for the delay.
I have my own ideas.
Recall my former post on Union for the Mediterranean, or, Club Med, or, more to the point, Invest in Med:

HERE

http://karlmarxwasright2.blogspot.com/2010/03/union-for-mediterranean.html

AND, in my post immediately BELOW, I included a link reporting that Turkey's NAZI AKP Erdogan, "who passion is to sell state enterprises," arrived in Greece with a large entourage accompanied by approximately 100 businessmen:

HERE

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Greece-woos-China-Arab-apf-3463736339.html?x=0&.v=2

That number jarred my memory.
I recollected a previous post I did, an excerpt from a WSJ 1997 article.
So, to refresh everyone, here it is:

HERE

http://karlmarxwasright2.blogspot.com/2008/11/turkey-faces-political-turmoil-from.html

Back here, in the insecure Homeland of the good ole, greatest United Suckers and Assholes country on the planet, our Fascist led labor unions, despite ALL pretense, noise and smoke to the contrary, are PARTNERED in the above joint venture through their PENSION FUND INVESTMENTS.

As an EXERCISE, ILLUSTRATION a friend gave me a brochure, "Prospectus," she received the other day in the mail from a large, well known, institutional umbrella pension fund, TIAA, its acronym signifying "Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America," also known as TIAA-CREF.
ALL "Trustees and Officers" listed on TIAA's Prospectus incestuously are associated, affiliated, overlapping with major private corporate, investment, institutional and government names.
I'll pick ONE name out of a bunch to highlight from the Trustees/Officers list because he is a "member of President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board."
He is Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.
If you wish, you can peruse the TIAA-CREF website further to read about other names and their investments:

HERE

http://www.tiaa-cref.org/public/about/press/management/executive_bios/ferguson_roger_w.html

And, here's a bit more info to flesh out the otherwise stingy, small snippet provided about Ferguson above:

HERE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_W._Ferguson,_Jr.

Since TIAA-CREF's website is so extensive, here's an "Overview."
Both Ferguson's bio, above, and Overview, below, describe TIAA-CREF ACCURATELY as a FORTUNE 100 FINANCIAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION.
No if, and, but, ambiguities about whom and what they are/represent:

HERE

http://www.tiaa-cref.org/public/about/press/about_us/overview/index.html

The point of this EXERCISE is NOT to isolate Ferguson, or, TIAA-CREF, as unusual, isolated.
Just the opposite.
He/they represent organized labor's NORM.
We also have CALPERS, the nation's largest, representing California Public Employees Retirement System, present at JP Morgan Chase Annual Shareholder meeting in NYC last week since they are amongst Morgan's MAJOR institutional investors and clients.
So, that is WHERE AND WITH WHOM organized labor's FINANCIAL interests intersect and their pension fund incomes emanate.
No amount of empty rhetoric, knee jerk jargon, apologists, Kabuki style theatrics or obscurantist politics can change this underlying, existential, contradictory, FACT, REALITY.
An expression exists, "you vote with your feet."
To paraphrase, "you vote with your BLOOD money."
It's an entirely mundane, terrestrial, not ethereal, proposition.
Likewise, the above for EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE else, from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, Russia to Latin America, across the globe.

GREEK PM APPEALS FOR ARAB (and CHINESE) INVESTMENT IN BEIRUT SUMMIT

The same day as Greece's General Strike occurred, the event below/above also happened.
Doesn't get any better.
Of course, Greece's PM, Papandreou, need not appeal.
This is the entire raison d'etre of our MidEast escapade, adventure, jolly, incongruous romp in the Mesopotamian sands and deserts.
ALL are dying and financing Dana Gas, Crescent Oil, EFG-Hermes, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase/Stanley, Exxon, Deutsche Bank and other notables and newcomers EXPANSION into "emerging markets" and vice versa, including their new NAZI China corporate partners in Greece, Africa, the Middle East:

HERE

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Greece-woos-China-Arab-apf-3463736339.html?x=0&.v=2

And, Papandreou in Beirut BRIEF appeal, cameo appearance, video:

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtb1W9dfa3Q

In the US of A our electoral day primary exercise in futility occurred on May 18, two days preceding the Greek General Strike.
Coincidentally or not, on the same day as our electoral primaries, JP Morgan Chase held their annual shareholder meeting in NYC attended by their major institutional investors, including our LABOR PENSION FUNDS, and, they, in turn, wholeheartedly endorsed Single Bullet Arlen Specter for Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee on the same day.
Specter lost soundly, since EVERYONE HATES HIM, except, of course, our Fascist led labor unions who love Single Bullet Specter and all things flavored NAZI and Obooma.
Not that it will make much difference in the long run and in our general election between NAZI Tweedledee and Tweedledumber Parties.
But, it will be nice FINALLY to rid ourselves of Specter's mug shot plastered all over the media, as his name connotes, a ghost, remembrance of things past, like the Kennedy Assassination on which Specter built his entire career, only 40 or so years too late.
But, it just tells you WHERE and WITH WHOM ARE OUR TOTALLY FASCIST LABOR UNIONS allied and why, I repeat, NO ORGANIZED class opposition exists in the US of A and will NOT until the above relationship changes.
Flowing from the above, NOT one iota of support, recognition STILL out of the mouths of the world's greatest United Suckers and Assholes organized labor unions for ANY Greek, European opposition, Iraq resistance, and so forth.
Anything which undermines PRIVATE CAPITAL EXPANSION HERE AND ABROAD is NOT supported or recognized by OUR bogus, NAZI led labor front collaborators.
But, an astute reader might ask a very pertinent question.
WHAT, WHO, WHICH events can/will turn around this abysmal, abhorrent, deplorable US situation?
The question is impossible for me to answer.
I am not clairvoyant.
Struggles within organized labor, such as NUHW's SEIU challenge in California, are a PART of the solution.
It's a START.
But, in my personal estimation, it will come ONLY when a combination of outside, external pressures, systemic degradation, anarchy, revolution, war, environmental disaster, becomes too overwhelming, too catastrophic, too much overload to deny and control anymore.
A culmination of ALL factors combined, as in history always.
BUT, I do not see ANY possibility of change generated here SIMPLY, solely, entirely from within.

Finally, my editorial commentary and response to ALL ABOVE, courtesy, once again, of John Helmer's website, whom, I'm glad to see has returned unharmed, so far, at least:

FROM:

HERE

http://johnhelmer.net/?p=3187

ATLANTIC COUNCIL, SAG, NATO, GREECE, MOSENEKE, ENCHA GROUP, BP, REVOLUTIONARY EUROPE, ISRAEL and SYSTEMIC COLLAPSE

Above from Greece TODAY.

HERE

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Greek-Austerity-Protests/ss/events/wl/050410greekprotests

Return to Greece later, after the following.
Today's entry encompasses alot.
Bear with me.
Events spiraling, cascading and accelerating TUMULTUOUSLY.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL/SAG/NATO

Adding to or continuing from my previous post below about our NAZI Czechoslovakian political refugee, Iron Lady (I should say Iron Cross) Madeleine Korbel Albright of Albright-Stonebridge Group speaking in Brussels about the "Future of NATO," below more on the same subject from "The Atlantic Council," "The Strategic Advisers Group" and "The Scowcroft Group," Brent Scowcroft being a former US National Security Adviser.
Hillary's hubby Bill in attendance, as well.
The gang's all here:

HERE

http://www.acus.org/people/sag

Since I named The AlbrightStonebridge Group in a previous post, and now The Scowcroft Group, might as well toss in The Cohen Group, just for good measure.
Do not wish to look prejudiced or biased in NAZI profiles of courage.
They do overlap and intersect if you explore their backgrounds further, especially their ubiquitous Rockefeller/Exxon/Morgan Chase CFR (Council on Foreign Relations), Kissinger Associates and Plans Officer General Fritz Kraemer lineage:

HERE

http://www.cohengroup.net/expertise/index.cfm

SOUTH AFRICA/MOSENEKE/ENCHA GROUP/SACOIL/DRC

Most, much of my time is consumed with Middle East/Europe/US affairs for GOOD reason (also language), but, to the detriment of other parts of the globe.
Sometimes, however, I come across items elsewhere which I can't help sharing.
Take the following from South Africa, for example, an oil consortium, SacOil, the Moseneke family, their Encha Group and Moseneke/Encha's partnership in SacOil.
First, a SMALL background clip for Tiego Moseneke who, apparently, was South Africa's privatization architect, which speaks volumes in and of itself:

HERE

http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/user/1413

Then, a SMALL clip about his brother,Dikgang Moseneke:

HERE

http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/user/938

And, then, an article about the murky financial connections of the Moseneke family and their Encha Group:

HERE

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-11-13-dikgang-moseneke-the-businessman-judge

And, below, the best, clearest DESCRIPTION, ITEMIZATION, breakdown of WHO owns what in a newly formed South African consortium for exploration, development and oil/mineral production in the DRC, Democratic Republic of Congo, including investor and partner, the Moseneke family/Encha, as mentioned in the article above.
Two sentences in particular really caught my attention.
Samroc's name changed to SacOil, as you will read in the link following:

"...Samroc was restructured and recapitalised on 31 December 2007. In the circular to shareholders dated 8 November 2007 it was stated that Samroc would focus on acquiring mineral prospects, taking them up the value chain, and entering into joint venture agreements with recognised operators to turn such resources into account. The current initiative is intended to pursue a strategy that will translate Samroc into a pan African controlled oil and gas focused company with exploration and, in time, oil and gas producing assets in Africa..."

FROM:

HERE

http://www.fin24.com/News/SENS/?ArticleId=295569

GREECE, EUROPE:

Meanwhile, MAJOR events continue flowing out of Europe and Greece.
It is NOT big news, here, except for our Business Channel.
As far as I know, CNBC is our ONLY major media outlet with consistent coverage and attention.
Of course, they do so from their own perspective.
But, at least they acknowledge it, unlike our FASCIST, ANTI-COMMUNIST LED LABOR FRONT, ERSATZ OPPOSITION AND FAKE, BOGUS LEFT in which a virtual news blackout and deafening silence CONTINUES, as in so many other matters, Iraq, Iran, emerging markets, bailout, etc.

So, here's another looming General Strike for Romania for THOSE ABOVE.
Of course, Romanians should not complain, since they were liberated from the yoke of their oppressive USSR tyranny, developments now being a direct trajectory and trail of privatizations from that point ever onwards.
Huge protest strikes planned for Spain as well:

HERE

http://libcom.org/news/romania-protests-against-austerity-measures-grow-general-strike-planned-19052010

USA, BP:

Then, returning back to the good ole NAZI US of A Dictatorship, much chagrin, accusations, hand wringing, recriminations about BP's Biblical crude oil spill flowing UNCONTROLLABLY into the world's oceans, turning liquid water into crude oil seas, coming to resemble, perhaps, another chemical planet.
"Doing a heck of a job, Brownie," pickle brained Bush said to FEMA's director regarding his/their handling of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans.
Poetic irony that our current NAZI White House resident moron and Administration may be toppled by another Gulf disaster added to all else occurring.
The proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back.
But, while BP justly is isolated, targeted, fingered for lots of attention and blame, including their presence in Alaska, everybody conveniently forgets our previous Presidential campaign and Sarah Palin's career in Alaska.
Nobody, except myself, back then, wanted to discuss ANY SUBSTANCE of what happened in Alaska, what Palin did in relation to the major energy companies, contract terms, monopoly, domination, in particular, Exxon and why Exxon is/was NO fan of Palin.
At this point, however, it SEEMS apparent to me that Palin has been captured, encircled, ensconced, controlled and lost to those who wish to manipulate and use her for their own ulterior purposes.
Still, however, everybody concerns themselves only about manufactured caricatures, trivia, ad hominem character assassination and knee jerk responses.

GREEK NEWS:

And, since I said very limited news from Europe and Greece exists here, these are just a few PRELIMINARY reports surrounding the Greek General Strike adding to the top photo slide show with more forthcoming I am sure:

HERE

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/10129624.stm

HAIR RAISING alternative reports and more at this web/blog site:

HERE

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2010/05/20/296-reports-from-the-general-strike-day-may-20th/

And a SAMPLE of what and how Greek events are reported in OUR financial media.
They do BETTER, MUCH BETTER, THAN OUR TRAITOROUS, COLLABORATIVE OPPOSITION who have LED us down the pearly path of annihilation, self-destruction, implosion, systemic collapse and perpetual war:

HERE

http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/global-stocks-ablaze-dow-tumbles-eu-officials-fiddle-as-euro-burns-492339.html?tickers=^DJI,^GSPC,FXE,FXI,EEM,TLT,^IXIC&sec=topStories&pos=9&asset=&ccode=

TURKEY, AERIAL BOMBING, PKK, IRAQ, ISRAEL, KOREA:

And, as I type, Turkey's military commences aerial bombing of the PKK again in Northern Iraq, Kurdistan.
Just a beginning.
Like ALL above.
MORE US National Guard troops scheduled for Iraq later this year.

Military confrontations threatened on the Korean Peninsula.

AND, last but not least, a MAJOR development regarding Israel which indicates to me that events truly are spiraling OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, like our cascading BP Gulf crude oil spill.
The following SEEMS to me to imply, on the surface, at least SOME elements of the Israeli government will, or, threaten to, act independent of US interests on their own, thus, the financing conflict and revision of gas and oil royalties reported below:

HERE

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000560894&fid=942

So, in conclusion, WHEN WILL OUR OWN SHITTY UNITED SUCKERS AND ASSHOLES CITIGROUP/EXXON/MORGAN OBOOMA NAZI GOVERNMENT COLLAPSE?
And what I once said, MORE WASTED, USELESS SACRIFICE, energy, death, destruction, violence, dislocation, destabilization, turmoil, lives, incomes, identities destroyed ONLY TO RETURN TO THE PLACE FROM WHENCE IT ALL BEGAN.
It is to me mind boggling, jaw dropping, numbing, beyond incredulity.
I have NO words in English or any other language to describe what has happened since the USSR collapsed.
It all is sacrilege to me.

BAATHIST RETURN and THIS WEEK'S BIG EVENTS

Well, the following development in Iraq is/was predicated on Allawi's PREDETERMINED return and the Arab Baath(MINUS Socialist) Party:

HERE

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2010-05-19\kurd.htm

Events surrounding Iran/Iraq regime change press inexorably forward, a la President Hillary Clinton's globe trotting, international arm twisting, negotiations, threats, intimidation, bribes, guarantees, etc.

Meanwhile, GREEK CP LED LABOR and their UNITED FRONT who HIT A HOME RUN OUT OF THE BALLPARK and a STRIKE HEARD AROUND THE WORLD WITH LABOR ACTION ONGOING AND ANOTHER GENERAL STRIKE PROMISED TOMORROW (which I eagerly anticipate), continues to cause global reverberations echoing throughout world markets, as I remarked in my previous posts.
(See this month's posts).

Nonetheless, obliging, up and coming, "third world EMERGING MARKETS," i.e., speculative bubbles, are the antidote, the KEY, to "Old World" order economic problems.
The meaning within my context of third world should be obvious.
PRIVATIZED and integrated into capital markets.
Stripped and devoid of formerly NATIONALIZED industries, resources and public services.
REACTIONARY and RESTORATIVE Colonialism.

In relation to the above AND ALL my previous posts on this theme, can the headlines and timing below get any better?
They speak for themselves.
I found myself chuckling.
For how else to respond?:

"Greek PM Heads to the Middle East..." tomorrow, on the day of the second Greek General Strike:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZW20100519000121/Greek%20PM%20Heads%20To%20Mideast%20As%20Debt%
20Woes%20Hammer%20Euro

AND, part of Hamid Jafar's octopus and empire, Crescent Petroleum, proudly announces their deal with Russia's Rosneft, no doubt, an arrangement negotiated with Hillary's concurrence, agreement and/or participation:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100519113054/Crescent%20Petroleum%2C%20Rosneft%20Sign%20Oil%20Deal

At this point, I wish to indulge, for lack of better description, a personal note, editorial commentary, observation.
In much earlier posts, I advised or warned or promised everyone Hillary Clinton is a FORMIDABLE (both English and French terms) adversary, unlike our absolute, know nothing, zero, empty headed, manufactured, adolescent, juvenile, childish, petulant, condescending puppet and PR front man in the White House.
Clinton works quietly in the background MAKING and determining policy, as well as carrying it out, of course.
She is NOT stupid, ignorant, uninformed, dumb, naive, and she did build a professional career for herself over time based on advocacy group litigation, etc.
It would have been nice if she were on OUR side, instead of theirs.
That is/was WHY Hillary's former Presidential primary campaign took on new, unexpected dimensions, characteristics, opening possibilities when her campaign was suddenly challenged, undermined by the dirty, filthy, obscene NAZI tactics and Hitler youth rallies of those financing Obooma who, by the way, did smear the US working class as a bunch of racists.
Not exactly endearing.
At which point, she/it/they had the POSSIBILITY of bolting, splitting the Democratic Party and LEADING a PRINCIPLED, INDEPENDENT, THIRD PARTY movement and challenge.
PRECISELY THAT IS WHY THE ESTABLISHMENT WAS SO AFRAID.
Thus, Hillary, her followers and their mushrooming, multiplying, organic organization and nascent coalition building standing behind her at that point HAD to be neutralized.
And, then, Hillary, herself, stood at an historical juncture and opted for status quo power.
Perhaps, in addition, she justified her self-serving capitulation in the service of empire juxtaposed to the undesirable fate of a martyr, a bullet in her head, or, hounded into personal bankruptcy.
It takes lots of courage, commitment, heroism, bravery, principled steadfastness AND A UNITED FRONT to FIGHT the FASCIST Establishment.
This is not a Hillary excuse or apology.
She DID HAVE A CHOICE and she MADE IT by abdicating and allowing her UNITED, POTENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGE, BROAD BASED MOVEMENT, FORCE, ARMY standing BEHIND HER to be disassembled, dismantled, disarmed, fragmented, dissolved, melted and evaporated, incorporated back into the arms of the two party, oligopic NAZI system, betrayed, with no place else for them to go.
In return, Hillary's powerful status and career was retained, reconfirmed and reassured.
Thus, another opportunity squandered, confrontation deferred and contradictions deepened.

THE FUTURE OF NATO and MADELEINE KORBEL ALBRIGHT

As part of a personal "public" service for those who may not watch it, a C-SPAN video below from one of our numerous, imported NAZI European US luminary emigres, Czechoslovak Madeleine Albright, in her NEWEST incarnation, position, discussing the "The Future of NATO" in Brussels, the other day.
In case you are unaware of it, NAZI Madeleine has done very well since "fleeing" what WAS her former homeland of Czechoslovakia in 1948.
Madeleine enjoys a "brilliant," rewarding, lucrative career, to say the least, as CHAIR of the ALBRIGHT GROUP, merged with Stonebridge in 2009.
Madeleine also is on the CFR Board of Directors, Council on Foreign Relations.
So, when Madeline speaks, consider whom, what, which financial interests, including her own, she represents.
"Political refugee" Madeleine and her NAZI brethren breathe new life into the hackneyed phrase from an oft quoted inscription under the Statue of Liberty in NYC harbor:
"Give me the wretched refuse of your teeming shores..."
to which Madeleine most certainly qualifies:

HERE

http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm

And, the ALBRIGHT (Albright Stonebridge) GROUP:

HERE

http://www.thealbrightgroupllc.com/

And, the CFR:

HERE

http://www.cfr.org/about/people/board_of_directors.html

And, here is a very brief, SANITIZED background SNIPPET of Madeleine AND HER FATHER, JOSEF KORBEL, Czechoslovakian DIPLOMAT until 1948:

HERE

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5516648

AND then the video from C-SPAN on THE FUTURE OF NATO with Iron Lady Madeleine:

HERE

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/293553-1

NATO's acronym should be changed to signify the "NAZI Transatlantic Organization."

Lastly, I often give some free investment advice regarding our BLOODY emerging markets IF you've been reading my posts for some time.
So, here's another Middle East Investment Fund, this time, offered by a Lebanese Bank which received a whooping 31% return, or so they claim, in 2009 on a different Fund they previously established.
I do enjoy the fact they tend to imaginatively sprinkle their fund names with local flavor, historical characteristics and double entendre like Sphinx, Pyramid, Algebra, etc.
I can suggest more descriptive names like, for example, MENA (Middle East North Africa) NAZI Equity Fund, MENA Torture and Occupation Fund, MENA Kosher Islamic Liquid Equity Fund (acronym, KILL Equity Fund), MENA Limitless Opportunity Fund, MENA Revolving Door Fund, or, one I think especially encapsulates the essence of it all,
"MENA GOD AND MAMMON Fund."
You can think of many more yourself.
In the name game, the skies the limit, as is the case in all Emerging Market speculative bubbles everywhere:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100518131050/Launching%20of%20BLOM%20PYRAMIDS%
20BALANCED%20FUND

GREECE and ICELAND, MAGMA OF CANADA

"...A protester is seen behind a banner depicting Greek political leaders, together with U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during a demonstration in central Athens Wednesday May 12, 2010. Greek labor unions announced a new general strike to protest pension reforms next week...May 20..."

Above #35 in the Greek slide show below:

HERE

Anyone missing from the above placard??
Certainly, more can be added.
Fill blank spaces with your favorites.

AND ICELAND

A lot transpired in Iceland since inception of its banking saga.
You can go back and read about it at the following blog.
But, I want to return to Iceland one more time to highlight the latest development, since it ENCAPSULATES WHY and HOW so much is happening.
And, then, ask yourselves, what is the ONLY ANSWER to the situation represented below AND ELSEWHERE AND CERTAINLY THE FORMER USSR and MIDDLE EAST?
It is THIS for which EVERYBODYS BLOOD IS SPILLED EVERYWHERE, FROM WWII NAZI nightmare atrocities to the current horror of grizzly torture and DECAPITATION by NAZI CREATED techniques of FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAMIC ARYAN IRANIANS, occupying barbarian hordes and suicide bombings in IRAQ.
Behind manufactured MASS atrocities everywhere, reasons are the same:

HERE

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100517/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestqaedabaquba

AND ICELAND:

HERE

http://icelandweatherreport.com/2010/05/magma-of-canada-takes-full-control-of-hs-orka.html

MONEY AND OIL FLOW PROPORTIONATELY and GCC FREE TRADE ZONE (ADDENDUM/POSTSCRIPT BELOW)

While the Gulf of Mexico BP oil pipe spews forth its toxic contents voluminously, the greatest man made natural catastrophe ever, probably, BIG MONEY continues flowing, it seems to me, proportionally elsewhere, as well.
FIRST, of course, BIG MONEY from ALL sources pours into our NAZI United Suckers and Assholes election Primaries.
Afterwards, even more money will flow into our November midterm election extravaganza.
The general consensus, here, is, everyone hates ALL politicians, but, NO choice exists in a NAZI DICTATORSHIP except two competing NAZI factions, teams, parties, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, or, Tweedledumber OR NO vote.
Abstain, write in a name on the ballot, vote for a third party IF they get on the ballot.
Elections are meaningless exercises in futility under a Dictatorship.

As for Greece, I thought I would, occasionally, highlight one or two facts, such as the following one regarding IMF loans to Greece and their interest rate SPREAD, differential.
Profitable business if you can get it, for sure.
Once upon a time under an earlier global mercantile system, the operating principle was, "Buy cheap, sell dear":

"...Once the loan is approved, the U.S. must chip in its share. It lends the IMF money at 0.25% interest rate, as do all IMF members, and the IMF lends to borrowers at about 3%..."

FROM:

HERE

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/05/13/how-republicans-would-stop-us-from-funding-imf-loans-to-greece/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Feconomics%2Ffeed+(WSJ.com%3A+Real+Time+Economics+Blog)

US banks represent approximately 17 or 18% of IMF loans.
They are the IMF largest contributor, presently.
In reality, the figure is much higher, since major European and US banks are intertwined in an incestuous, overlapping relationship.
Previously, for example, Deutsche Bank received funds circuitously from United Suckers and Assholes TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) taxpayer bailout, gift, giveaway and socialized debt program.
AND to complete the revolving money circle, EMERGING MARKETS, such as the GCC, are to play a greater contributing role in the IMF, along with their proposed COMMON CURRENCY and expanded free trade zone.
Abundant information exists on the internet about the above.
Additionally, I posted LOTS of information in previous entries.
So, not to be too redundant, here's but one link out of many, a "working paper" from the IMF from 2006:

HERE

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=18809

And, another link from 2003 about the Middle East Free Trade Zone with a few background facts and history.
ONE small, lonely, key, pertinent sentence buried in all the verbiage below.
Oh what a difference a sentence makes!:

"...Another feature of the programme, in contrast to previous ones, is the recognition of the role of the private sector..."

FROM:

HERE

http://www.medea.be/index.html?page=2&lang=en&doc=286

And, then, state assets are sold, auctioned off, or, simply grabbed outright as in Iraq AND the former USSR, at depressed, bargain basement prices and purchased by the SAME private investors in the revolving, money go round door.

So, the Middle East speculative bubble and privatization juggernaut rolls on in order for the above to reach fruition.
Thus, Kuwait's privatization:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100516034512/Kuwaiti%20Govt%20plans%20to%20go%20ahead%20with
%20privatization%20law

Now, of course, the thorny issue of Iran and Iraq still exists, a fly in the Middle East privatizing ointment and central, explosive battleground.
As I have explained repeatedly, towards these ends, Iran's present NAZI government, and, by extension, Iraq's Sistani/Shahristani (Bagdad Oil Minister) MUST go.

Now, ALOT is happening in this regard, as everyone knows.
"They" are working hard on it.
So, I think this is but one more dimension, another pressure point, for the Iraq/Iran regime change scenario below:

HERE

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100516031734/Iran%3A%20Oil%20minister%20to%20answer%20to%20MPs%20
on%20joint%20oil%2C%20gas%20fields

At this point, as far as I know, after all hoopla about former Iraq oil auctions, only two companies supposedly are scheduled to sign contracts with Baghdad's current Iranian Oil Minister, Shahristani, one Turkish the other Chinese, which explains their varying positions vis-a-vis UN Iran sanctions.
They are being LEANED UPON, pressed on all sides.
The present NAZI Aryan Iran Persian Sistani Islamic Mullah regime is under stress, duress, opposition, internally and externally.
The ONLY way they can hang on to power in Iraq and Iran is through extreme repression, violence, torture, MONEY and international leverage.
BUT, who is it lined up to replace them??
Another Morgan Stanley First Persia Fund Middle East DEMOCRACY perhaps??!!
Finally, almost forgot.
Dana Gas is doing just fine. Profits UP!
So, these are some of the IN YOUR FACE FUNDAMENTAL FACTS IGNORED, publicly available and advertised for years.
How do I feel about it/them?
Disgusted, to put it mildly. Very mildly.
Still NO ORGANIZED opposition TO THE ABOVE here.
Lots of diversion, instead.

ADDENDUM (POSTSCRIPT):
The following developments to add:

Turkey's military has been bombing the PKK in Kurdistan again within the past week.

Iran attacks Kurdish troops, who, in turn, have been supported by Israeli military operatives, something EVERYBODY knows.
Thus, Israel through Kurdistan:

HERE

http://business.maktoob.com/20090000470058/Iran_shells_Kurdish_rebels_in_Iraq/Article.htm

AND, BIG NEWS! JUST REPORTED!
Sinochem, China's oil company still involved with Iran's Sistani/Shahristani Baghdad Oil Minister WITHDRAWS their bid!
Sinochem was part of a consortium with another Chinese Oil Company, CNOOC.
It remains to see what happens next.

While Iraq's bogus election results reaffirmed, i.e., Allawi.

US LABOR, GREECE, AKBANK, CITADEL CAPITAL

The fight to escape from under the iron grip of FASCIST led SEIU and former Andy Stern gang MAJOR DEMOCRATIC/OBOOMA SUPPORTER nominal union, continues unabated in California.
Here's the latest chapter in this ongoing challenge between a CRIMINAL FRONT organization called SEIU and attempts to organize a new labor union, NUHW:

HERE

http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7980

And, here's NUHW website for more updates, details, specifics, etc.:

HERE

http://www.nuhw.org/

Behind this seemingly solitary struggle, however, exists a much LARGER context, namely, to wrest away, threaten, control over national and international organized labor institutions and their resources and thus POTENTIALLY CHANGE their policies which currently SUPPORTS PRIVATIZATION HERE AND ABROAD, tax subsidy for private industry, investing labor's pension funds in private corporations and support of the Democratic Party, to name but a few of the most important class contradictions.
As far as I know, however, NONE of the above unions YET have come out ACTIVELY AND OPENLY AGAINST, IN OPPOSITION TO, their NATIONAL AFL-CIA AND SEIU LEADERSHIP ON ANY OF THE ABOVE POLICIES, INCLUDING LABOR'S ABDICATION OF SINGLE PAYER HEALTH INSURANCE.
Nor US labor's NON-EXISTENT support, recognition, acknowledgment for Greek opposition.
And, FOR United Suckers and Assholes EYES ONLY, since others elsewhere know it already, here is a recent video report from the latest Greek CP LED labor demonstrations and their UNITED FRONT:

HERE

http://uk.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=87049751&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=TopNews&videoChannel=1&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FUKVideoTopNews+(Video+%2F+UK+%2F+Top+News)

Returning back from Greece to here.
I am fully aware of the intensity and efforts involved in a labor battle such as that between NUHW/SEIU.
It is enormous, an all consuming one in terms of time, energy, attention, focus and resources.
But, STILL, it is NOT an excuse for NOT taking a PRINCIPLED CLASS POSITION in the above issues in OPPOSITION TO THEIR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP, AFL-CIA AND SEIU.
Because ALL issues above supersede, determine, impact, what happens on a local, individual level and a single employee, employer, industry, job site.
NUHW can win the battle and lose the war, which is precisely what is happening and will most everywhere.

In relation to the above, as a followup to articles I have been reporting for some time on my posts, the latest episode in the happy and profitable partnership between Citigroup and Turkey's Akbank, which, of course, was aided, helped and facilitated by United Suckers and Assholes through their taxpayer largess to our NAZI Citigroup/Exxon/Morgan Obooma Dictatorship:

HERE

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=akbank-net-profit-rises-in-first-quarter-2010-05-14

And, here's another relatively newly minted investment group OPENLY, proudly exhorting and advertising to the world the wonders and advantages of MIDDLE EAST emerging markets/speculative bubble, below, BASED IN EGYPT, Citadel Capital:

HERE

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093333275

And, who, pray tell, represents Citadel Capital??
Well, here's their investment "team" from their own website, well connected to EFG-Hermes, Citigroup and a few other notables:

HERE

http://www.citadelcapital.com/about/the-team/

WWIII, TORN ASUNDER BY IMPERIALIST WARS

Against the backdrop of a different uncontrolled, uncontained man made natural disaster, crude oil rushing into the Gulf of Mexico, all elements are set into place for another uncontrolled, unconfined SPIRALING, ESCALATING event of epic proportions.
Explosive warfare throughout the Middle East, making everything preceding it prelude.
I see the Gulf of Mexico crude oil spill as a symbol, augur for events in ANOTHER Gulf.
US troops are NOT leaving Iraq anytime soon.
SHORTLY, our NAZI US Congress will vote to spend upwards of $33 Billion or so more taxpayer dollars on Iraq and Afghanistan, NAZI Iran's eastern and Western flank.
Both wars and occupations combined will now total about One TRILLION Dollars.
Simply too many PRIVATE, competing, entrenched global economic investments, prospective empires and interests converge, combine and realign themselves in the Middle East "emerging markets" with or against one another.
China also DEEPLY enmeshed in Iraq/Iran.
As is most everyone else, up to their eyeballs, along with their respective military forces, militias and armed surrogates.
Who forms Iraq/Iran's next government will determine whose/which economic interests prevail.
They cannot all prevail.
The stakes could not be more enormous.
NO resolution in sight in this global imperialist tug of war.
Despite all talk of diplomacy, NO way out of a manufactured cul-de-sac but a military one.
The logic is inevitable, thanks to the collaboration and myopia of ALL parties concerned.
The European map and alliances also are on a slippery slope, once again, following Greece's uprising last week.
Lots of people pronouncing the Euro and Euroland dead.
The IMPLICATIONS of THAT development and ripple effects are profound and the stock market responded accordingly.
Meanwhile, below, an obscene, nauseating, miniature example of the reason WHY ALL are in Iraq/Iran, the Middle East and everywhere else on the planet:

HERE

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_bi_ge/us_iraq_realtors

NOBODY SAYS A WORD ABOUT THE UNDERLYING MADNESS, MURDER, MAYHEM, BARBARITY, INSANITY, CRUELTY and ITS DRIVING CAUSATION!
WHY?
BECAUSE ALL are complicit and compromised in their own GREEDY dreams and aspirations of expanded EMPIRE and WEALTH at all and any cost.
THAT is why the geographical body of what was ONCE IRAQ's Baath Arab Socialist Party State IS TORN ASUNDER, DECONSTRUCTED, FOUGHT OVER SO TENACIOUSLY, PIECEMEAL, BIT BY BIT, INCH BY INCH, BY HORDES OF INVADING, BARBARIC NAZI VULCHERS AND LOCUSTS from East and West.
The cost for ALL this silence and collaboration is astronomical and will be everyone's undoing, like the Gulf.

"ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, " MORE GREEK STRIKES and BP

"Note: the Russian headline on the 1936 poster reads: “The reality of our program are the living people, it is us.” (Stalin)"

All credit, except for the original banner, of course, and THANKS go to:

HERE

http://johnhelmer.net/?p=3154

Of course, in order to make "the program" reality, first, they COLLECTIVELY seized, OWNED, transformed and CONTROLLED their industrial resources and industry. That FACT is implicit, given, above, UNLIKE here and now.

So, in the NAZI Homeland of United Suckers and Assholes our BP Keystone Cops...

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SMf1M0ksGE&feature=related

...continue TRYING various ingenuous methods to plug their gaping, exposed hole pouring millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic, since the Gulf extends to the open Atlantic and the Gulf Stream currents can and will, easily, soon, carry out the crude to areas further beyond the Gulf.

For some reason I do not fathom, people cannot easily comprehend without visual aid the simplicity of a SPIGOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA gushing oil, like an open faucet. So, videos in abundance now showing BP's OPEN PIPE spewing out voluminous liquid crude at the bottom of the Gulf. Pure and simple. Not a difficult image to conjure up.**See footnote at bottom of post.

A more difficult image to conjure up, major protests. See or hear any HERE?? No more than our quiescent labor unions in relation to Greek labor, IMF bailouts, Single Payer Health Care, Iraq privatization and US/Iran occupation and trillions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize private corporations and socialized national debt.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Not quite, though. We have an exercise in futility called general elections in November. And, a few NAZI Democratic and Republican Party primaries BEFORE that point, within the next few months. So, noises are made towards those ends. They must LOOK LIKE they are doing something. Our petulant, contemptuous White House current resident and Citigroup/Exxon/Morgan CIA slave boy, Unser Fuhrer, Obooma, might be upset things are not going quite his way, as guaranteed. He might experience temper tantrums and start wailing out loud in front of cameras.

As promised, the Democratic Party is D.O.A. Dead On Arrival. Couldn't happen to a nicer crowd.

Not that anything better exists. Choose between NAZI teams, R and D. Flip a coin. Same game, different players.

As for GREECE; MORE CURRENT LABOR UNREST AND ANOTHER GENERAL STRIKE MAY 20:

HERE

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_1_13/05/2010_117028

**In case you must SEE the BP pipe gushing crude one mile beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, here is but ONE video being shown:

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYFYVNvgg-A&feature=player_embedded

"IRAQ PLUNGING INTO ABYSS" and 50 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR IMF/GREECE

That's the headline above/below which saves me the trouble of writing further commentary about Iraq, myself.
Iraq is not the world's only abyss at the moment.
But, one might say Iraq's abyss is the canary in the coal mine of global abysses, or, similar sound and meaning, abscesses, and a DEEP, nightmarish symbol for all others.
Of course, EVERYONE reading my posts for some time knows to WHOM and WHICH interests are alluded below:

HERE

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2010-05-11\kurd.htm

Meanwhile, in the NAZI Insecure Homeland of United Suckers and Assholes, our BP Keystone Cops continue TRYING to plug their gushing oil leak one mile deep beneath the water's surface of the Gulf of Mexico UNSUCCESSFULLY!
Think on that for awhile.
I suggest they try superglue or bubblegum.
Will BP stop the oil leak BEFORE hurricane season arrives, or, before Pauline, tied to the RR tracks, is rescued or run over by an oncoming train in one of the many episodes of the 1914 classic, "The Perils of Pauline??"
It's a real cliff hanger:

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JFfJGOLvxI&NR=1

And, in another cliff hanger, the latest segment of our financial global shell game, casino capitalism and meltdown, approximately 50 Billion MORE United Suckers and Assholes taxpayer dollars promised as "our" share of an IMF bailout for PRIVATE European interests to finance further degradation of the Greek working class and their public institutions!

STILL NOT ONE IOTA OF SUPPORT, RECOGNITION BY OUR FASCIST LED US LABOR UNIONS FOR GREEK OPPOSITION, RESISTANCE NOR, OF COURSE, OPPOSITION TO MORE US TAXPAYERS DOLLARS DOWN OUR NAZI CITIGROUP/EXXON/MORGAN DICTATORSHIP RAT HOLE.

But, another Greek general strike looms on the horizon.
NOTHING, of course, here, in the good ole, US of A.
Deafening silence, capitulation, collaboration, appeasement.