Mike Norman Economics

The impending collapse of ISIS has touched off a race for territory in the oil-rich eastern part of Syria pitting US-backed forces against the Russian-led coalition of Syria, Iran and Hezbollah. This is the nightmare scenario that everyone wanted to avoid. Washington and Moscow’s armies are now converging on the same area at the same time greatly increasing the probability of a conflagration between the two nuclear-armed superpowers. The only way a clash can be avoided is if one party...

I am writing this while waiting for a train at Victoria Station (London), which will take me to Brighton for tomorrow’s presentation at the British Labour Party Conference.  The last several days I was in Kansas City for the inaugural International Modern Monetary Theory Conference, which attracted more than 200 participants and was going well when I left it on Saturday. A great step forward. I believe there will be video for all sessions available soon just in case you were unable to...

Philip Giraldi is an ex CIA agent, Conservative, reads Antiwar.com every day, and has a good article about how torture does not work I might put out. He seems quite a reasonable guy. I spoke recently at a conference on America’s war party where afterwards an elderly gentleman came up to me and asked, “Why doesn’t anyone ever speak honestly about the six-hundred-pound gorilla in the room? Nobody has mentioned Israel in this conference and we all know it’s American Jews with all their money...

New kid on the block.China.org.cnChinese aircraft delivers humanitarian aid in Cuba after Hurricane Irma Xinhua Latin America is an important region with a concentration of developing countries, said Wang. The development and revitalization of the region is an important part of the endeavors to revitalize the emerging markets and developing countries as a whole.China-Latin America comprehensive cooperation is facing new opportunities, he noted. Ecns.cn China, Cuba vow to enhance...

The former director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said an assessment by the US intelligence community on Russia's US election interference "cast doubt" on President Donald Trump's legitimacy. Clapper's comments follow an avalanche of recent news about Russia's efforts to sway American voters in 2016. The Russia investigation has gained significant momentum in recent weeks, with several current and former Trump insiders under scrutiny for their ties to, and contacts with Russian...

Critique of David Harvey's reading of Das Kapital.Michael Roberts BlogCapital.150 part two: the economic reason for madnessMichael Roberts

Pramit Bhattacharya quote.  Double significant since it is a signal of rising criticism of the profession coming from outside the Anglo-American world that is presently dominant. Hopefully, this is a sign that this domination of ideas and methods will not spread and will be balanced soon. Lars P. Syll’s BlogSeven sins of economicsLars P. Syll | Professor, Malmo University

The quite a lot of different related topics covered in this article about the CIA drug running operations which they used to gain control of corrupt politicians and their countries. The CIA has its tentacles throughout the world working through the drugs trade and organised crime to build the American empire. The CIA agents get paid extremely well and live in luxury flying in private jets and staying in the best hotels. They advise the military, governments, and the generals. They don't see...

UMKC MMT conference going on now.Program ScheduleLivestream linksVideo uploads coming. TBA later.

What has happened is that the Trump administration has changed the narrative from being about a technical, nuclear-centered agreement, to one that encompasses Iran’s geopolitical reach in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, as well as its missile program and cyber operations – all non-nuclear issues that Mogherini herself stressed were “outside the scope” of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)....So for all practical purposes, the Trump administration wants a completely different deal, or it...