Mike Norman Economics

Arms race. Others have noted to Asia Unhedged that the US defense establishment’s goal when speaking to lawmakers is to drum up support for more funding. Exaggerating threats, or short comings, instills a sense of urgency for additional investment in arms development. Asia TimesRussia, China eclipse US in hypersonic missiles: Pentagon Asia Unhedged See also Russia Insider Winner of Putin's Name Contest for 'Miracle Weapons' - a 14th c. Christian Monk!Charles Bausman also...

Yesterday Germany expelled four Russian diplomats. But today it gave the go-ahead for North Stream 2 – a symbolic slap on Russia’s wrist, followed by a extremely valuable decision in Russia’s favour. If I was Russian, I’d be far more pleased by the latter than annoyed by the former. Perhaps, when it comes to what really matters, things aren’t quite as bad as they seem. The West is willing to stamp its foot and shake its fist, but it isn’t willing to put its money where its mouth is.......

The US is building a large military base in the vicinity of Syria’s largest oil field – the Omar oil field, Mehdi Kobani, a press secretary of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Deir Ezzor confirmed to Sputnik Turkiye. “The US is building a large military base in the oil-rich Al Omar region of Deir ez-Zor province. Due to security concerns we cannot provide information about the acreage of this new installation. There is currently construction machinery working in the vicinity of the...

Russia Insider10 Social Media Networks to Use Instead of Facebook (STEEMIT)Jake Anderson

It's not going to help... the problems are systemic...Deutsche Bank seeks to replace CEO with Goldman executive -report https://t.co/1JTf0dOrzt pic.twitter.com/9VSsjGDgh3— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) March 27, 2018

Politics is playing a bigger role in influencing the markets than is typical, and I (and others) am still trying to figure out where Donald Trump is taking us, especially as it regards trade and other wars. Besides prompting me to think hard and dig deep into what’s now happening, it is leading me to delve deeper into past trade and military wars to see their effects on economies and markets. I will pass along my findings when I complete the examination. In the meantime, I will share some...

Trouble in Trumpville? When you lose Ann Coulter.…AlterNetIs the Radical Right Finally Turning on Trump?Matthew Sheffield, Salon

President Putin’s massive election victory and the fallout from the Skripal case have provided Global Times – an English language newspaper published under the auspices of the People’s Daily, the official organ of China’s Communist Party, and therefore reflecting the views of China’s leadership – with the opportunity to give Russia strong backing as it comes under renewed Western pressure. The first editorial, published on 16th March 2018 under the title “West hopes to hurt, intimidate...

Between now and John Bolton taking up his post as Trump's new national security adviser, set to happen April 9, there will no doubt continue to be an avalanche of testimony coming out of US and foreign officials highlighting the crazed and hawkish actions he's taken in the past. And Bolton seems fully aware of this, as he told Fox News last week in an attempt to perhaps soften his image as the preeminent beltway hawk on Iran, North Korea, Russia and Syria: “Look, I have my views, I'm sure...

Frankly, I am awed, amazed and even embarrassed. I was born in Switzerland, lived most of my life there, I also visited most of Europe, and I lived in the USA for over 20 years. Yet in my worst nightmares I could not have imagined the West sinking as low as it does now. I mean, yes, I know about the false flags, the corruption, the colonial wars, the NATO lies, the abject subservience of East Europeans, etc. I wrote about all that many times. But imperfect as they were, and that is...