January 2, 2019 – Astute News

January 2, 2019

War is Good for Business and Organized Crime: Afghanistan’s Multibillion Dollar Opium Trade. Rising Heroin Addiction in the US

Afghanistan’s opium economy is a multibillion dollar operation which has a direct impact on the surge of heroin addiction in the US. Despite president Trump’s announced US troop withdrawal, the Afghan opium trade continues to flourish. It is protected by US-NATO occupation forces on behalf of a nexus of powerful financial and criminal interests. In 2004, the proceeds of the Afghan...

Opinion Comments: 3

January 2, 2019

2019 Forecast: Mideast

As has been the case for years already, the Mideast experienced a lot of geopolitical dynamism over the past 12 months that will shape the year to come. In any order of significance, the region saw the return of unilaterally imposed US sanctions on Iran; superficial but nevertheless promising progress being made on the Syrian and Yemeni peace processes; an...

Opinion Comment: 1

January 2, 2019

The Mystery of American Power

Probably the single most important political fact about the modern world has been the steady rise of the United States of America. From a geopolitical point of view, the United States really is in a class of its own. While the Soviet Union might have rivaled the U.S. militarily, and while China and the European Union may be comparable economic...

Opinion Comments: 0

January 2, 2019

Psychoanalysing NATO: The Diagnosis

In previous essays I argued that NATO tries to distract our attention from its crimes by accusing Russia of those crimes: this is “projection“. NATO manipulates its audience into thinking the unreal is real: this is “gaslighting“. NATO sees what it expects to see – Moscow’s statements that they will respond to medium range missiles emplaced next door are re-jigged...

Opinion Comments: 0

January 2, 2019

Riding the Tiger: Zionism, Israel and the Far Right

Much has been made in recent years by defenders of Israel of the purported estrangement of the political Left from the cause of Zionism. This perceived anti-Israelism, borne out of the Leftist view that Israel is a fundamentally unjust and inequitable colonial-settler state, is argued to extend further from an ideological animus to one of racial hostility; a state of...

Opinion Comment: 1

January 2, 2019

Influencing Foreigners Is What Intelligence Agencies Do

The Rand Corporation defines America’s influence operations as… “the coordinated, integrated, and synchronized application of national diplomatic, informational, military, economic, and other capabilities in peacetime, crisis, conflict, and post-conflict to foster attitudes, behaviors, or decisions by foreign target audiences that further US interests and objectives. In this view, influence operations accent communications to affect attitudes and behaviors but also can include...

Opinion Comment: 1

January 2, 2019

Big Pharma Fights Proposal to Keep It From Looting Medicare

The Trump administration has proposed that insurance plans providing drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries will no longer be forced to cover six hitherto “protected” drug classes. The classes––which include drugs for psychiatric conditions, cancer and immune diseases––are among the priciest of all drugs and account for as much as 33 percent of total outpatient drug spending under Part D of...

Opinion Comments: 0

January 2, 2019

New Docs Reveal Extent of CIA's Grotesque Mind Control Experiments

Earlier this year, the CIA marked the 65th anniversary of the launch of Project MKULTRA, a secret program which engaged in mind control experiments on people. Now, thanks to new documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, the public has a chance to learn just how far those carrying out the gruesome experiments were willing to go. For many...

Military Comment: 1

Daily Archive: January 2, 2019

War is Good for Business and Organized Crime: Afghanistan’s Multibillion Dollar Opium Trade. Rising Heroin Addiction in the US

2019 Forecast: Mideast

The Mystery of American Power

Psychoanalysing NATO: The Diagnosis

Riding the Tiger: Zionism, Israel and the Far Right

Influencing Foreigners Is What Intelligence Agencies Do

Big Pharma Fights Proposal to Keep It From Looting Medicare

New Docs Reveal Extent of CIA's Grotesque Mind Control Experiments