Greece

So much for the British stiff-upper-lip, gentlemanly behavior and London’s ‘wartime spirit’, that pulled this once Great Britain through the darkest of times. One of the stereotypical traits of the Englishman, which some found endearing, others darn frustrating, was their reserve. Indeed, ‘The Equalizer’ could force a New York street gang to give up with just the sound of his well-formed syllables.

The scenes of violence and destruction at the heart of London yesterday would have been unthought of not so many years ago. There have been protests aplenty… union pickets sometimes stepping over the line between law and disorder, or students ‘squatting’ in high rise office buildings…. even prisoners perching on the roof of their cell blocks. This, however, is something quite new.

Historically, most of the protests that turned nasty were due to the fact that anti-protesters arrived on the scene. No surprise that this sort of face-to-face confrontation would become explosive, with the poor police officers taking a beating as they try to hold the two parties from each other’s throats.

There was no second protest yesterday, the violence that ensued was aimed at the police and the establishment, in the form of the governing Conservative Party’s headquarters. Why this uncontrollable anger towards the government? An even better question… who was behind it?

Europe is not a happy place these days, including Britain which can be included as part of the continent… or not, depending on which Brits you ask. Neither is America happy. A worldwide recession, high unemployment, a drop in living standards, uncertainty of the future… they all fuel unrest and discontent.

Greece was the first to fall victim to riots, in response to the government’s cuts in spending and tax increases. More recently, France had its share of violent protests as the country was outraged by having to work until the ripe old age of 62! Yesterday, students in London (although I believe some were ‘plants’ by ultra-left organizations unknown… what was Glenn Beck saying last night about a certain gentleman instigating revolts?) reacting to increased tuition fees.

The ironic thing about this whole situation in Europe is that the ‘austerity measures’ being imposed are the result of the collapsing socialist welfare society, the nanny-state that these leftist protesters, and their predecessors, created. If you build a wall that is unsound, should you not thank the person that demolishes it before permanent, irreversible damage is done? These people are holding that person responsible for trying to avert calamity. Rather than admit their mistakes and come to the realization that socialism cannot work, they react like young children, throwing a tantrum when they find that the cookie jar is not bottomless.

Something that sticks in my mind that Skip said a while ago (although there are many!) was regarding the mind set of Europeans. He explained that Europeans had always had an authority figure to watch over them and make decisions for them, whether a monarch, squire or government. This has evolved into a system where the individual has become so dependent on the state that any sign of a reversal, whereby the drone has to start thinking and doing for himself, throws him into a panic.

‘Austerity measures’… Conjures up pictures of starving people lining up for a crust of bread, or kids with no shoes on their feet. The ones who will be impacted the most by these measures, in Britain anyway, will be the ones that have been draining the life out of the hard-working people… those that have been ‘playing the system’ for possibly their entire lives, with no intention of ever working while their abundant benefits keep rolling in. On the subject of the student fees, who ever said that higher education was a right that should be paid for by every taxpayer?

There are no starving people and the work-shy still manage to frequent the bars, strangely far more often than the hard-working, hard-taxed members of society. Sure, everyone is feeling the pinch, but given the options available under the circumstances, that is to be expected.

Compare the reactions of the Europeans to those of Americans over the last year or so. Think back to the Tea Party protests across the country. Some of those folks had lost their jobs, their homes, their savings… and possibly lost the money they had to put their children through university. Were they angry? Darned right they were! But, they were never violent.

This epitomizes the difference between socialists protesting at the collapse of their Utopian, unworkable system and conservatives speaking out at the attempted introduction of this vile philosophy.

The new Congress will have to make some tough decisions to put the country back on track… and some will be painful. Just remember, as you flinch when you get that shot in the arm… don’t blame the Doctor, blame the virus that caused you to have it.

(Editor Dee is in for Skip today)

The answer to that question is simple, the US of course. Some months ago I made a comment to Skip that the EU would be lucky to survive another ten years. It now looks like my estimate could have been generous. Greece is all but bankrupt, Portugal and Spain are teetering on the brink, Italy and Ireland are close behind. This week, Britain announced that it forecasts a budget deficit larger than that of Greece. All is not well in the New European Empire.

A Greek Police Officer Hit By A Molotov Cocktail.

In a one-size-fits-all economic arrangement there are bound to be casualties. The cap simply won’t, and can’t, fit some countries. Imagine the US joining an extended form of NAFTA, perhaps called AFTA, which includes all or most countries in Central and South America. To create a common currency with equal value in all member states would be disastrous, not to mention the fact that ‘free movement’ rules would have to be observed. So much for immigration controls!

These free movement rules are very much a one-way street. For example, compare the number of Polish and Latvian emigres in Britain with the number of Brits in former Eastern Bloc countries. During a recession it’s virtually impossible to provide jobs for the unemployed in your own country, without trying to cater for the requirements of ex-pats from another twenty six member states.

There is no doubt that the empire builders in Brussels have this vision of being the prime world superpower, economically at least. There are numerous reasons why this just won’t work. Many European nations are notoriously socialist in their outlook, indeed for some of them communism was the only system they knew until recent times. Socialism and free market principles together cannot work. That is why the current US administration can never work. Any system which is top-heavy with bureaucracy and regulation is doomed to failure. More time, money and resources are used in supervising the machine than in letting it do its stuff.

I hope that what is happening in Europe will be an example to Obama and Congress of how not to run an economy, although it will probably fall on deaf ears. It is a coincidence that Obama’s administration gave the International Monetary Fund another $100 billion recently, while this week it was announced that the IMF is to give $39 billion to Greece. So much for the European economic powerhouse, on top of the $106 billion they are giving from countries in the Euro-zone they have to run to the IMF for a top-up, some of it being American money.

A failed economic system can only shored up for so long, eventually the weight of flawed financial principles, bureaucracy and Euro-socialist ideals will bring the walls crashing down. Then, I wonder, who will they call?

(Editor Dee is in for Skip today)

The spin the mainstream media is putting on this major story is of a similar nature, as was (is) the case in France's burning barricades: disenfranchised youths, no work, bored to shreds, here the concrete suburbs angle removed and the added chutzpah of complaints about "the quality of education"! Since when has any student ever protested against the dumbing-down of education?

What no one mentions is that the Karamanlis Government wants to put an end to the anomaly of university campuses being legalized free houses from criminal prosecution - a leftover from a spade of hyper corrections that took place under previous Socialist Governments in a reaction to the military regime's political persecution of Leftist students.

Still, all the positive spin and excusing the inexcusable makes one wonder if the old media aren't simply the third partner in the Unholy Alliance. Swatches of people have given up an them: their monopoly on the news is over! What to think of grown-up television journalists tenderly referring to 18 to 28 year old hooligans as 'angry boys'. Are they gullible, in the tank, or just plain idiots - or do they take the public for idiots?

Telegraph.co.uk: "Greek protests spread to European cities" - Hat Tip: Nora Sánchez

Anger over the fatal shooting of a Greek teenager by a policeman has spread across Europe with disturbances in a string of cities. (...) From Madrid to Moscow, Greeks living abroad, left-wing activists and other sympathisers took part in demonstrations in solidarity with the six days of rioting which has hit Greece.(...)

- In Copenhagen, police detained 63 people who threw bottles and paint bombs at riot police late on Wednesday.

- In Madrid, nine people were arrested when around 200 people chanting "police killers" targeted a police station, shops and banks.

- In Barcelona a Greek woman and another unidentified foreigner were arrested during a similar demonstration.

- In France, arsonists torched two cars outside the Greek consulate in Bordeaux, scrawling slogans in support of Greece's worst riots since the country was ruled by a military junta in the early 1970s. Graffiti sprayed opposite the consulate read "Support for the fires in Greece", "Insurrection Everywhere" and "The Coming Insurrection" – the latter the name of a book which the French government alleges has inspired a network of "ultra-left" anarchist groups.

- In Turkey, about a dozen left-wing protesters daubed red paint over the front of the Greek consulate in Istanbul. Protesters threw petrol bombs at Greece's embassies in Moscow and Rome. (...) >>>

Understand that in the light of an interview yesterday in the Polish Times with the author of the previous article on Politeia ("Riots in Greece: What Is Not Reported") - Greek intelligence analyst Ioannis Michaletos, and you'll get another picture of reality. Here's just one excerpt from the English translation:

International Analyst Network: "Interview on the Greek riots"

Could you analyze important aspects of present street battles in Athens?

The street battles are the worst Athens has ever experienced, although it is a city with rather frequent clashes with the police. Important characteristics include the rapid mobilization of the rioters. For example they were out in the streets destroying property in just 20-25 minutes after the death of the young person was announced. It happened in 21.03, it was first announced in a website around 21:30 and the riots were already in full swing at 22:00. I have served in the Navy but I don't think armed forces are that quick in mobilizing their personnel!

Over the coming days, the rioters that numbered between 1,500-2,000 people (30% of those immigrants-mostly Muslim), were able to move from one part of the city to another in a quick way using a variety of methods, such as public transportation in small groups, motorcycles or even riding taxis alone and gathering in a specific "meeting place".

Lastly, they used extensively the internet, mobile phones and instant messaging services to alert against police and gather information of what the media were transmitting. In a few words, they were trained in a fashion that distincts them from the usual "Athenian rioters". They seemed to have international experience and plenty of hideouts within the city centre. (...)

The last two days the police took more action against them and they disappeared. This is a typical urban guerrilla way of fighting; avoid confrontation and strike when least expected, always in a very fast mode. There was looting involved but it was not done by the rioters but by other elements that exploited the situation. Therefore the rioters were not seeking immediate financial gains, nor did they want to make a political pronouncement. Their aim was to inspire fear. (...)

(...) a web of relations has been developed between Greek radicals and foreign ones. In that sense a provocation or the involvement of foreign intelligence apparatus it is not improbable judging by the recent European history. (...) >>>

Read it all!

Update: This article in the Wall Street Journal ("Greece is Burning") is repeating some of the worst of popular conspiracy theories around. It paints a picture of an almost a failed state! It's simply ludicrous. The press seems to be part of the troika that is bent on bringing down a democratically elected government. Updating throughout ...

The article is factually incorrect (we know to postmodernists reality is pliable, but hey - have facts become totally irrelevant in journalism?): the riots started only minutes after the death of the teenager, while this article speaks of "mostly peaceful mass demonstrations" which is exactly what didn't happen. Basically its an article with half truths and half lies without explaining one basic thing: why the riots started in the first place ... and who are the rioters?!

- Filed on Articles in "Terrorism in Greece" -

From the desk of Ioannis Michaletos

The International Analyst Network website has as a main aim to inform a specialized and enlightened audience of the undercover nature of events within the global security and intelligence sector.

In this case, an alternative point of view is going to be presented which derives from careful analysis and observation of the riots in Greece and reliable information streaming from domestic security circles. For obvious reasons, matters concerning operational or intelligence procedures will not be mentioned or quoted.

The riots have been orchestrated since late summer 2008. There were reports within the Greek police that the riots would commence by the Christmas period at the latest; the location and the justification was not known, but any event could have caused them. This is a copycat case of what happened in France in October 2005.

The culprits on the higher levels are Islamic networks in the Middle East, who go hand-in-hand with corrupt western officials, who are selling their services to the highest bidder.

The purpose is to destabilize Greece, the “weakest link” in the Euro zone countries. The ultimate goal is the creation of a European space, suitable for expansion of the Middle Eastern networks. For the moment the latter use a variety of techniques to bolster their aims: terrorism, disinformation, psyops, bribing officials.

They are trying to pit the US against Russia on the one hand, and to disrupt the Euro-American alliance on the other. They were also responsible for the Greek wildfires (pyro terrorism) in summer 2007 in an operation some call “the Ibrahim Project”, reminiscent of the type of havoc wreaked on the same region by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt during the Greek revolution in the summer of 1827.

The existence of more than obvious links between renegade intelligence officers of western origin and anarchist-radical movements, in order to destabilize European countries is a major issue nowadays.

The anarchist-radical network of disenfranchised youths is very strong in Europe as the riots in 2005 showed, when radicals and Muslims joined forces and failed to damage French President Sarkozy’s image. In France it was announced recently by the Ministry of Interior that French anarchists are in contact with their Greek and Italian counterparts in trying to sabotage the High Speed Railway Network (TGV trains).

The inability of western governments to comprehend what is really at stake has already grave consequences for Europe. Moreover, the deals between European and Russian energy companies will increase natural gas imports by the former, will greatly diminish the influence of the Saudis in Europe, along with their long-term income.

The new American administration should really understand that it has been used for a number of years by Riyad (and others) who have managed to throw American forces into the Iraqi and Afghan battlefields, where the new 21st century Mujahedeen forces are being forged. They will be used against Europe in a few years, in a wargame that will surpass the abilities of Western capitals.

Back in Greece the riots are being executed with the use of the Internet and other new media techniques, such as instant messaging (IM) from mobile phones to web pages, Indymedia, along with the use of CB’s, Facebook pages, walkie-talkies, computer mass generated SMS, Twitter, and the construction of “flow-networks” and already established “dark networks” within the city.

The French government has already called for tough action by the Greek administration, whilst the intelligence apparatus of the former provides assistance to the latter. Over the coming days it seems that all the known security forces in the world will either try to take advantage of the situation, or take the side of the Greek government.

In a concluding remark, the author emphatically notes that the responsibility of the western capitals is of historical proportions. Rioting by “radical youths” will become an everyday reality on the continent in the coming years and the security forces should look further than their noses in assessing the situation.

A 4th World War erupted in 2001 and there are enemy collaborators within our ranks. Before any victory can be called, they should be removed and punished accordingly. The riots in Greece are just one small incident in the ongoing war, that may last longer than the previous ones; it is a struggle which all-encompasses national, social, and economic structures.

Interested readers should not forget that the first “Little War” of the Cold War started on Greek soil in 1946. Back then the enemy was clear and present. Now he is not, and the effort therefore will be much harder.

Post Scriptum: Quite a few Greek radical groups have adopted Arabic noms de guerres; they promote illegal immigration of Muslims into Europe, and call for the destruction of Western civilization. They are part of an almost global network that acts as a “soft power” element of the hard one, as envisaged by Al Qaeda. It has to be stressed once more that rogue elements of western security forces protect them. They have to be dealt with as soon as possible.

- Filed on Articles in "Terrorism in Greece" -