The world of Sharks & Sardines

Neither Friends nor Allies - by Imran N. Hosein

Articles - Understanding Islam

Wednesday, 10 Rajab 1428

The Qur’an firmly prohibits Muslim friendship and alliance with a Jewish-Christian alliance. Yet around the world of Islam today most governments violate that divine prohibition. They, their supporters and followers, pay a price for such conduct. They lose their Islam and become, instead, part of the Euro-Jewish/Euro-Christian alliance that is waging war on Islam. It is the first such alliance ever to have emerged in history, and it wages that war on behalf of the Euro-Jewish State of Israel. Both the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) have provided information that makes it possible for us to locate [Gog and Magog] within the ranks of those two actors, i.e., Euro-Christians and Euro-Jews, who wage that war on Islam.

Suriname’s Shaikh Ali Mustafa and I climbed a hill in Morvant (in my native Caribbean island of Trinidad) to the top where a Christian Church was located, and we then sat down to catch our breath (mine more than his) and to eventually participate in what we expected to be a friendly Christian-Muslim exchange of views.

The false and vicious attack on the Qur’an and on the person of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), to which we were subjected, was hardly friendly. It was indeed shocking and manifestly sinful. However, we quickly located the source of that distinctly un-Christian behaviour in the ‘war on Islam’ that the [Gog and Magog] ruling alliance was waging around the world. We also understood the motive for that strange behavior in their frantic need to contain the spread of Islam among the poor in the hills of Laventille and Morvant.

“Friendship between Christians and Muslims is prohibited by the Qur’an itself”, thundered the Christian speaker to ringing applause from his congregation. He was, of course, depending on an English translation of a verse of the Qur’an that has often been misunderstood. Here is the verse as translated by this writer:

“Oh you who believe (in this Qur’an), do not take (such) Jews and Christians as friends and allies who themselves are friends and allies of each other. And whoever of you (Muslims) turn to them (with friendship and alliance) becomes, verily, one of them; behold, Allah does not guide such evildoers.” 

(Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:51)

At the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, and for more than a thousand years thereafter, Christians and Jews were locked in a relationship of such mutual hatred that it was impossible to conceive of a future Christian-Jewish reconciliation, friendship and mutual alliance. After all, the Gospel itself had recorded the exclusive Jewish role in the demand for Christ’s crucifixion, in addition to the fact that the Roman government had opposed it (John, 19:4-7). 

Christianity consistently, and quite correctly, blamed the Jews for demanding that crucifixion. It created eternal hostility between the two religious communities.

However, this extraordinary verse of the Qur’an actually anticipated a time when the world would witness a strange and mysterious reconciliation between these two foes, and the emergence of a Judeo-Christian alliance. It is only in the modern age, when Gog and Magog have attacked Euro-Christianity and Euro-Judaism and have transformed Europe into an essentially godless secular society where men can legally marry men, that the world has witnessed the amazing fulfillment of the divine prophecy in this verse of the Qur’an (See chapter on Gog and Magog in ‘Jerusalem in the Qur’an’).

It should be clear that the Qur’an has prohibited Muslims from maintaining friendly ties with only that Judeo-Christian alliance and not with all Christians and all Jews. The Qur’an has also warned those Muslims who established ties of friendship with that Judeo-Christian alliance that is now ruling the world, that Allah Most High would recognize them to be members of that alliance (rather than the Muslim community), and would thus consider such conduct the ultimate betrayal of Islam.

Euro-Christianity and Euro-Judaism have today joined in an unholy alliance in order to conquer and rule the world from London, Washington and Jerusalem while waging war on Islam. They do so in order to deliver the rule over the world to an imposter Euro-Jewish State of Israel - a state which they themselves created, and then seduced the oriental Jews (i.e., the Israelite Jews) into accepting. That alliance is also waging war on the religious way of life and in the process is transforming almost the whole world to a state of decadence and godlessness.

OTHER TRANSLATIONS OF THE VERSE 

In his widely-read English translation of the Qur’an, Abdullah Yusuf Ali ranslates verse 51 of Surah al-Maidah as follows: 

“O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.”

Muhammad Asad, who is a highly respected European Muslim translator of the Qur’an and a distinguished scholar of Islam, translated the verse in this way: 

“O you who have attained to faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for your allies: they are but allies of each other - and whoever of you allies himself with them becomes, verily, one of them; behold, God does not guide such evildoers.”

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthal, the English Muslim translator of the Qur’an, is no different in his translation: 

“O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.”

M. Shakir, the Pakistani Muslim, translates the verse the same way: 

“O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.”

T. B. Irving, the American Muslim translator of the Qur’an, has a similar translation: 

“You who believe, do not accept Jews or Christians as sponsors; some of them act as sponsors for one another. Any of you who makes friends with them becomes one of them. God does not guide such wrongdoing folk.”

IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH TRANSLATIONS 

If we were to accept any of the above translations of the verse to be correct, grave contradictions with both the Qur’an and the example of the blessed Prophet himself would emerge.

Consider the following: 

• The Qur’an specifically permits marriage of a Muslim man to a Christian or Jewish woman: “This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of Ahl al-Kitab (i.e., the Christian and Jewish peoples who possess a divinely revealed scripture) is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the

Ahl al-Kitab revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” (Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:5)

If we accept the above translations of the verse to be correct, a Muslim man would have to inform his Christian or Jewish wife that while she could be his wife, ‘friendship’ between them was strictly prohibited.

• The Qur’an also permits Muslims to eat Christian and Jewish food (provided such food was made Halal for Christians and Jews) and reciprocates by permitting them to eat Muslim food (Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:5). The Muslim who invites his Christian neighbor for a meal would have to confess to him, with quite some embarrassment, that while the Qur’an permits him to break bread with his Christian neighbour (i.e., share a meal with him), it has strictly prohibited friendship between them. 

• Prophet Muhammad advised his weakest followers, who were severely persecuted by the pagan Arabs, to flee to black Christian Abyssinia and to seek security and protection there. They did so, and a just Christian King welcomed and protected them. Many years later when the Prophet got the news of that Christian King’s death, he actually offered a funeral prayer for him from the distant city of Madina. Such conduct would be quite inconsistent with the Qur’an if those translations were accepted as correct. 

• Prophet Muhammad himself entered into a political and constitutional alliance with Jews in Madina that brought into being the city—State of Madina; however, the above translations of the verse of the Qur’an prohibited such an alliance.

• Finally, the Qur’an is specific when it declares that there is no prohibition on Muslims preventing them from maintaining friendly ties with any people (Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jew, white, black, brown or yellow) who do not wage war on Islam and do not oppress Muslims by expelling them from their homes and their territory in which they reside: “Allah forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your)Faith nor drive you out of your homes from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.” 

(Qur’an, al-Mumtahana, 60:8)

As was previously explained, the verse of the Qur’an (5:51) does not prohibit Muslims from maintaining friendly relations with all Christians and Jews. Rather it prohibits friendship with only those Christians and Jews who enter into a Judeo-Christian alliance. It does so because such would be the Gog and Magog world-order that would wage war on Islam and expel Muslims from their homes and from the territory in which they reside.

The Qur’an is quite explicit when it anticipates a time when Jews would be the most hostile of all peoples to Muslims. At that time, says the Qur’an, there would be Christians who would be your best friends:

“Thou wilt surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe (i.e., in this Qur’an) would be the Jews, as well as those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Allah (such as the worship of idols) and thou wilt surely find that, of all people, they who say: “Behold, we are Christians” come closest to feeling affection for those who believe (in this Qur’an): this is so because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not given to arrogance.” 

(Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:82)

The above does not constitute an indictment of all Jews. Rather it is applicable to only those Jews who wage war on Islam and who expel Muslims from their homes and territory (as has occurred in the Holy Land). It also provides Muslims with a means whereby they can recognize those whom the Qur’an recognizes, in that age, as Christians. They would be a people who would show the closest of affection for Muslims at a time when Jews and idol-worshippers show great hatred for Islam and Muslims.

Translations of (5:51) based on a misunderstanding of the Qur’an would certainly obstruct the development of fraternal ties between Muslims and such Christians and Jews (and by implication Hindus and Buddhists) on the other, who do not participate in today’s war on Islam.

SHARKS AND SARDINES 

The Latin-American stateman, Juan Domingo Alvorado, once declared that the world today was comprised of ‘sharks’ and ‘sardines’. The Morvant Christians, who were all of African origin, were ‘sardines’. So were we Muslims who climbed up to the top of the hill to meet with them. We were thus at pains to part from them without hostility. We hoped to reach out to them to unite in opposition to this war, not only on Islam but also on all that is sacred. We hoped to join hands and hearts in a common struggle against the ‘sharks’ of the world now waging war even with bombs that explode in garbage bins and garbage dumps in downtown Port of Spain.

An alliance of ‘sharks’ has invaded and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq, and is threatening to attack Iran as well. There are many in the world today, Christians, Hindus, Jews and others, who recognize the great injustice of that war on Islam and Muslims, who oppose that unjust war, and who would consequently welcome this brief explanatory essay.

There are also those Muslims, usually in government, who reap a harvest from their friendship with the alliance of ‘sharks’ that rules the world from London, Washington and Jerusalem. They do not want to understand this subject because of their great embarrassment that the Qur’an has so clearly exposed their ultimate betrayal of Allah Most High, and has declared them part of that Judeo-Christian alliance rather than part of the community of Muslims.

The box created, where we are in is the reason?

Brexit Trump & ...elections in Euro zone soon
Economist Who Predicted Brexit & Trump Brilliantly Explains Capitalism's Collapse

Published on 17 Nov 2016 - Mark Blyth, who accurately predicted Brexit and Trump explains in clear language how globalization and capitalism are failing people throughout the world and why that means more Brexits and Trumps are on the way.

Why America wants regime change in Syria?

Published on 27 Oct 2016 - The conflict in Syria is directly related to plans for massive competing pipelines and West vs East geo-politics. Jimmy Dore breaks it down.

Amrika - Amnesty International Vs Dept Of Justice?

Rakyat Amrika, di negara sendiri dah jadi macam warga West Bank di Palestine?

COUNTRY GOES UP IN SMOKE

Wild fires in Israel?



Act of God or False Flag operation?

Whatever the case, will Israel use this opportunity to...
1. To move some locals to already built settlements
2. To get American money & support to develop defense against major fires in case of war?
3. To get American help (under Trumps) for R&D of the above, in preparations of future wars.
4. Will not proceed with lawn mowing practice while there's a change in POTUS this time.
5. This single event stage for that purpose 2&3 (Easier for Trump to handle)
6. To locate newcomers from Israel Aliyah programs & settle them in the evacuated cities.

7. To label Arab citizens of Israel as Terrorists
8. To isolate (by promoting hatred) more Arabs Citizens of Israel from the Israeli Jews.
9.  Make Arabs Citizens of Israel to leave Israel by making it unbearable to them.

Larang Azan di Israel jadi Undang-undang?

Salah seorang MK Arab Azan dalam Knesset (Parlimen Israel)

Why all (including Americans) should support BDS movement?

For Israeli - US Military industrial Complex from where weapons & Military/Police trainer contractors goes worldwide! Based on : An Israeli Soldier's Story - Eran Efrati  Water Protectors Attacked! — November 21, 2016 

Peneliti Dunia dan Barat Takjub Dengan Tata Cara Islam Menyembelih Sapi

Jelang Hari Raya Idul Adha atau hari raya kurban, jangan pernah makan daging sapi tanpa disembelih, ternyata syariat Islam ini membuat orang barat terkejut. Simak penelitian ini.

1. Rasulullah tak pernah belajar cardiology tapi syari'atnya membuktikan penelitian ilmu modern.

2. Melalui penelitian ilmiah yang dilakukan oleh dua staf ahli peternakan dari Hannover University, sebuah universitas terkemuka di Jerman. Yaitu: Prof.Dr. Schultz dan koleganya, Dr. Hazim. Keduanya memimpin satu tim penelitian terstruktur untuk menjawab pertanyaan: manakah yang lebih baik dan paling tidak sakit, penyembelihan secara Syari’at Islam yang murni (tanpa proses pemingsanan) ataukah penyembelihan dengan cara Barat (dengan pemingsanan)?

3. Keduanya merancang penelitian sangat canggih, mempergunakan sekelompok sapi yang telah cukup umur (dewasa). Pada permukaan otak kecil sapi-sapi itu dipasang elektroda (microchip) yang disebut Electro-Encephalograph (EEG). Microchip EEG dipasang di permukaan otak yang menyentuh titik (panel) rasa sakit di permukaan otak, untuk merekam dan mencatat derajat rasa sakit sapi ketika disembelih. Di jantung sapi-sapi itu juga dipasang Electro Cardiograph (ECG) untuk merekam aktivitas jantung saat darah keluar karena disembelih.

4. Untuk menekan kesalahan, sapi dibiarkan beradaptasi dengan EEG maupun ECG yang telah terpasang di tubuhnya selama beberapa minggu. Setelah masa adaptasi dianggap cukup, maka separuh sapi disembelih sesuai dengan Syariat Islam yang murni, dan separuh sisanya disembelih dengan menggunakan metode pemingsanan yang diadopsi Barat.

5. Dalam Syariat Islam, penyembelihan dilakukan dengan menggunakan pisau yang tajam, dengan memotong tiga saluran pada leher bagian depan, yakni: saluran makanan, saluran nafas serta dua saluran pembuluh darah, yaitu: arteri karotis dan vena jugularis.

6. Patut pula diketahui, syariat Islam tidak merekomendasikan metoda atau teknik pemingsanan. Sebaliknya, Metode Barat justru mengajarkan atau bahkan mengharuskan agar ternak dipingsankan terlebih dahulu sebelum disembelih.

7. Selama penelitian, EEG dan ECG pada seluruh ternak sapi itu dicatat untuk merekam dan mengetahui keadaan otak dan jantung sejak sebelum pemingsanan (atau penyembelihan) hingga ternak itu benar-benar mati. Nah, hasil penelitian inilah yang sangat ditunggu-tunggu!

8. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan dan dilaporkan oleh Prof. Schultz dan Dr. Hazim di Hannover University Jerman itu dapat diperoleh beberapa hal sbb.:

Penyembelihan Menurut Syariat Islam

Iraqi Exile: U.K. Iraq Inquiry Confirms the War Was Based on a Lie

Published on 6 Jul 2016 - In Iraq, the death toll from Saturday’s car bombing in Baghdad has topped 250, making it the deadliest car bombing in Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion. While Iraq is in a state of mourning, a long-awaited British inquiry into the Iraq War has just been released. It blames former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for deliberately exaggerating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein in the lead-up to the Iraq War. We speak with Iraqi exile Sami Ramadani, who campaigned against U.S.-led sanctions and the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

The ‘Hybrid War’ of Economic Sanctions

U.S. politicians love the “silver bullet” of economic sanctions to punish foreign adversaries, but the weapon’s overuse is driving China and Russia to develop countermeasures, as British diplomat Alastair Crooke explains.

By Alastair Crooke 1 Apr 2016

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told a large group of people in the holy city of Mashhad on Sunday that “The Americans did not act on what they promised in the [Iranian] nuclear accord [the JCPOA]; they did not do what they should have done. According to Foreign Minister [Javad Zarif], they brought something on paper but prevented materialization of the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran through many diversionary ways.”

This statement during the Supreme Leader’s key Nowruz (New Year) address should be understood as a flashing amber light: it was no rhetorical flourish. And it was not a simple dig at America (as some may suppose). It was perhaps more of a gentle warning to the Iranian government to “take care” of the possible political consequences.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks to a crowd. (Iranian government photo)

What is happening is significant: for whatever motive, the U.S. Treasury is busy emptying much of the JCPOA sanctions relief of any real substance (and their motive is something which deserves careful attention). The Supreme Leader also noted that Iran is experiencing difficulties in repatriating its formerly frozen, external funds.

U.S. Treasury officials, since “implementation” day, have been doing the rounds, warning European banks that the U.S. sanctions on Iran remain in place, and that European banks should not think, even for a second, of tapping the dollar or euro bond markets in order to finance trade with Iran, or to become involved with financing infrastructure projects in Iran.

Banks well understand the message: touch Iranian commerce and you will be whacked with a billion dollar fine – against which there is no appeal, no clear legal framework – and no argument countenanced.  The banks (understandably) are shying off. Not a single bank or financial lending institution turned up when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Paris to hold meetings with the local business élite.

The influential Keyhan Iranian newspaper wrote on March 14 on this matter that: “Speaking at the UN General Assembly session in September, Rouhani stated: ‘Today a new phase of relations has started in Iran’s relations with the world.’ He also stated in a live radio and television discussion with the people on 23 Tir: ‘The step-by-step implementation of this document could slowly remove the bricks of the wall of mistrust.’”

Keyhan continues: “These remarks were made at a time when the Western side, headed by America, does not have any intention to remove or even shorten the wall of mistrust between itself and Iran. … Moreover, they are delaying the implementation of their JCPOA commitments. Lifting the sanctions has remained merely as a promise on a piece of paper, so much so that it has roused the protest of Iranian politicians.

“The American side is promoting conditions in such a way that today even European banks and companies do not dare to establish financial relations with Iran – since all of them fear America’s reaction in the form of sanctions [imposed on those same banks]. Actually, the reason for the delay in the commencement of the European banks’ financial cooperation with the Iranian banks and the failure to facilitate banking and economic transactions, is because many of the American sanctions are still in place, and Iranian banks’ financial transactions are [still] facing restrictions. Moreover, given their continuing fear of the biting legislations and penalties for violations of the Americans’ old sanctions, European financial institutions are concerned about violating the American sanctions that continue to be in force …

“It is pointless to expect the US administration to cooperate with Iran given the comments of the US officials, including [National Security Advisor] Susan Rice, since the Americans’ comments and behaviour reveal their non-compliance with their obligations and speak of the absence of the US administration’s political will to implement even its minimum obligations.”

Here Keyhan is specifically referring to Susan Rice’s observation to Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic that, “The Iran deal was never primarily about trying to open a new era of relations between the US and Iran. The aim was very simply to make a dangerous country less dangerous. No one had any expectation that Iran would be a more benign actor.”

Keyhan continues: “Any action on the international scene calls for suitable and appropriate reaction. Therefore, we cannot expect a government like the US administration that seizes every single opportunity to restrict our county, to lift the sanctions. Rice’s recent comments are only a small part of the increasing anti-Iranian rhetoric of the American officials in recent months. These remarks should actually be regarded as a sign … that the dream of the JCPOA is nothing but wishful thinking and far from reality.” (Emphasis added).

The Supreme Leader’s nudge therefore was intended for the ears of the government: Do not build too much politically on this accord: beware its foundations may turn out to be built on sand.

‘Silver Bullet’ Worries

Recently U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew gave a talk at Carnegie, on the Evolution of Sanctions and Lessons for the Future, on which David Ignatius commented: “Economic sanctions have become the ‘silver bullet’ of American foreign policy over the past decade, because they’re cheaper and more effective in compelling adversaries than traditional military power. But Jack Lew warns of a ‘risk of overuse’ that could neuter the sanctions weapon and harm America. His caution against overuse comes as some Republican members of Congress are fighting to maintain U.S. sanctions on the Iranian nuclear program despite last year’s deal limiting that Iranian threat.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew

So what is going on here? If Lew is warning against sanction overreach, why is it that it is precisely his department that is the one that is so assiduously undermining sanctions relief for Iran – “particularly since Lew’s larger point is that sanctions won’t work if countries don’t get the reward they were promised — in the removal of sanctions — once they accede to U.S. Demands”, in the paraphrase by Ignatius himself?

One reason for this apparent contradiction implicit in Lew’s remarks probably is China: Recall that when China’s stock markets were in freefall and hemorrhaging foreign exchange, as it sought to support the Yuan – China blamed the U.S. Fed (U.S. Reserve Bank) for its problems – and promptly was derided for making such an “outlandish” accusation.

Actually, what the Fed was then doing was stating its intent to raise interest rates (for the best of motives naturally!) – just as those, such as Goldman Sachs, have been advising. U.S. Corporate and bank profits are sliding badly, and in “times of financial depletion,” as the old adage goes, “bringing capital home becomes the priority” – and a strong dollar does exactly that.

But the Peoples’ Bank of China (PBOC) did a bit more than just whine about the Fed actions, it reacted:  It allowed the Yuan to weaken, which induced turmoil across a global financial world (already concerned about China’s economic slowing); then raised the Yuan value to squeeze out speculation, betting on further falls in the Yuan; then let it weaken again as the Fed comments started to slide in favor of interest rate hikes, and a strong dollar – until finally, as Zero Hedge has noted:

Zerohedge: And since Janet delivered, PBOC has strengthened the Yuan Fix by the most since 2005!!

“It appeared the messaging from The People’s Bank Of China to The Fed was heard loud and understood. Having exercised its will to weaken the Yuan (implying turmoil is possible), Janet Yellen (Fed Chair) delivered the dovish goods [i.e. indicated that global conditions trumped the advice of the likes of Goldman Sachs to strengthen the dollar], and so China ‘allowed’ the Yuan to rally back. In a double-whammy for everyone involved, the biggest 3-day strengthening of the Yuan fix since 2005 also pushed the Yuan forwards, back to their richest relative to spot since Aug 2014 – once again showing their might against the dastardly speculative shorts.”

In short, the Ignatius’s “silver bullet” of foreign policy (the U.S. Treasury Wars against any potential competitor to U.S. political or financial hegemony) is facing a growing “hybrid” financial war, just as NATO has been complaining that it is having to adjust to “hybrid” conventional war – from the likes of Russia.

So, as the U.S. tries to expand its reach, for example by claiming legal jurisdiction over the Bank of China, and by blacklisting one of China’s largest telecom companies, thus forbidding any U.S. company from doing business with China’s ZTE, China is pushing back. It has just demonstrated convincingly that U.S. Treasury “silver bullets” can fall short.

Zerohedge: Crushing shorts as Yuan forwards collapse back to their ‘richest’ relative to spot since Aug 2014

This, we think, may have been Lew’s point — one directed, possibly, at Congress, which has become truly passionate about its new-found “neutron bomb” (as a former Treasury official described its geo-financial warfare).

In respect to Russia, this is important: Russia and America seem to be edging towards some sort of “grand bargain” over Syria (and possibly Ukraine too), which is likely to involve the Europeans lifting, in mid-2016, their sanctions imposed on Russia. But again, the U.S. is likely nonetheless to maintain its own sanctions (or even add to them, as some in the U.S. Congress are arguing).

Source of three graphs: Zerohedge

So, if Russia, like Iran and China become disenchanted with promises of U.S. sanctions relaxation – then, as the Keyhan author noted, a suitable and appropriate (i.e. adverse) reaction, will ensue.

Boomerang Effect

What the Fed and Lew seem to have assimilated is that the U.S. and European economies are now so vulnerable and volatile that China and Russia can, as it were, whack-back at America – especially where China and Russia co-ordinate strategically. Yellen specifically signaled “weakening world growth” and “less confidence in the renormalization process” as reasons for the Fed backtrack.

Ironically, David Ignatius in his article gives the game away: Lew is not going soft, saying that the US needs to use its tools more prudently; far from it. His point is different, and Ignatius exposes it inadvertently:

“U.S. power flows from our unmatched military might, yes. But in a deeper way, it’s a product of the dominance of the U.S. economy. Anything that expands the reach of U.S. markets — such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership in trade, for example — adds to the arsenal of U.S. power. Conversely, U.S. power is limited by measures that drive business away from America, or allow other nations to build a rival financial architecture that’s less encumbered by a smorgasbord of sanctions.”

This latter point precisely is what is frightening Lew and Ignatius. The tables are turning: in fact, the U.S. and Europe may be becoming more vulnerable to retaliation (e.g. Europe, with Russia’s retaliatory sanctions on European agricultural products) than China and Russia are, to unilateral Treasury or Fed warfare.

This is the new hybrid war (and not the hot air issuing from NATO). Lew and Ignatius know that a parallel “architecture” is under construction, and that Congress’ addiction to new sanctions is just speeding it into place.

So, why then is the U.S. Treasury so zealous in undermining the effectiveness of JCPOA’s agreed lifting of sanctions? Well, probably because Iran has less leverage over the global financial system than either China or Russia. But also perhaps, because “Iran sanctions” are (erroneously) viewed by U.S. leaders as the Treasury’s “jewel in its crown” of geo-financial success.

What may be missing from this hubristic interpretation, however, is the understanding that Iran’s experience will not be lost on the others, nor on the SCO when it convenes its next meetings on how to combat Western “color revolution” operations (with Iran likely joining that organization as a member, rather than an observer, this summer).

China refused to make its new gold-backed Yuan, convertible from or to US Dollars!

In a shocking move likely to crush the US economy overnight, China is refusing to make its new gold-backed Yuan, convertible from or to US Dollars.  The new Yuan will be introduced next Tuesday, April 19.

When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to add the Yuan to the basket of world currencies used for Global Reserves and International Trade, they wanted China to make the Yuan more reliable as a currency. Since then, China has almost un-pegged its Yuan from the Dollar, allowing its value to fluctuate on world markets.  

But for years, China has been amassing huge amounts of gold bullion; some have said their appetite for bullion has been "staggering."  And with a new gold-backed Yuan to be issued next Tuesday, the entire world will have a choice of a new currency to use for international trade:  The old US Dollar which is backed by nothing, or the new Chinese Yuan, which is backed by gold.  Which currency would YOU use?

When this new currency is issued, countries that have been forced to use US Dollars for decades, and have had to keep billions of dollars in their foreign currency reserves, will be free to dump those dollars.  But they won't be able to dump them to China for the new gold-backed, Yuan!

China has reportedly decided "there can be no conversion of gold-backed Yuan to or from US dollars."  What China fears is that many countries around the world will want to trade their reserve US dollars  for the new Yuan, leaving China with mountains of worthless US dollars.  China already has several trillion in US dollar reserves and does not want or need more.

If news of this decision by China is correct, then countries around the world may just have to decide whether or not they wish to continue trading with the USA at all?

The upheaval this could cause as early as next week, would be staggering.  

Post by U.S.Reporter  - Apr 13, 2016

World Of Money: "In The World We Live In"

Published on 27 Mar 2016 - Lecture by Brother Zahid Aziz titled World of Money: "In The World We Live In. Brother Zahid is one of the of the founder of movement "Toward s Just Monetary & Financial System. He has 25 years of experience in Muamalat Industry, the winner or IIUM Best Student Award 2012 for Banking & Finance. Hope this talks will give us some new light with regard to monetary & financial system in the world we live today.

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WEF Davos - Oxfam's report that states that Richest 1% will own more than all the rest by 2016

Published on 22 Jan 2015 - Danny Dorling discussing with Ben Southwood of the Adam Smith Institute about Oxfam's report that states that Richest 1% will own more than all the rest by 2016. BBC World News with Tim Willcox, 19th January 2015

WHO Director-General summarizes the outcome of the Emergency Committee regarding clusters of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome

WHO statement on the first meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations

1 February 2016

I convened an Emergency Committee, under the International Health Regulations, to gather advice on the severity of the health threat associated with the continuing spread of Zika virus disease in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Committee met today by teleconference.

In assessing the level of threat, the 18 experts and advisers looked in particular at the strong association, in time and place, between infection with the Zika virus and a rise in detected cases of congenital malformations and neurological complications.

The experts agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven. All agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better.

The experts also considered patterns of recent spread and the broad geographical distribution of mosquito species that can transmit the virus.

The lack of vaccines and rapid and reliable diagnostic tests, and the absence of population immunity in newly affected countries were cited as further causes for concern.

After a review of the evidence, the Committee advised that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constitutes an “extraordinary event” and a public health threat to other parts of the world.

In their view, a coordinated international response is needed to minimize the threat in affected countries and reduce the risk of further international spread.

Members of the Committee agreed that the situation meets the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

I have accepted this advice.

I am now declaring that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

A coordinated international response is needed to improve surveillance, the detection of infections, congenital malformations, and neurological complications, to intensify the control of mosquito populations, and to expedite the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines to protect people at risk, especially during pregnancy.

The Committee found no public health justification for restrictions on travel or trade to prevent the spread of Zika virus.

At present, the most important protective measures are the control of mosquito populations and the prevention of mosquito bites in at-risk individuals, especially pregnant women.

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Ingatan Tahun 2015 - warga Kamil 71-75M