Is Syria Fulfilling Bible Prophecy?

Reuters: US to Strike Syria Before UN Evidence Collected

The US has accused the Syrian government of delaying UN inspectors from accessing the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus. But now, according to Reuters, the US appears to be preparing to strike Syria militarily before the UN's now ongoing investigation is concluded and evidence revealed to either support or conflict with the West's so far baseless allegations.

Reuters' article, "Syria strike due in days, West tells opposition: sources," states that:

Western powers told the Syrian opposition to expect a strike against President Bashar al-Assad's forces within days, according to sources who attended a meeting between envoys and the Syrian National Coalition in Istanbul.

"The opposition was told in clear terms that action to deter further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime could come as early as in the next few days, and that they should still prepare for peace talks at Geneva," one of the sources who was at the meeting on Monday told Reuters.Clearly, such a strike would render moot both the UN inspection team's investigation and any evidence they may find.

While the US has accused the Syrian government of obstructing an investigation that is indeed already being carried out, the impending US attack would indefinitely end the UN's efforts. If, as the US reasons, obstructing the UN's investigation implicates guilt, then the US has just made itself the prime suspect of what is increasingly appearing to be a staged provocation to salvage a proxy war the US and its allies have all but lost.

What "Limited Strikes" Really Means

Before the US and its allies mire the world in another unprovoked military adventure at the cost of thousands, perhaps even millions of lives, the wider strategy behind what the US is calling "limited strikes" should be fully understood.

Much of the West's proxy war against Syria has been drawn from plans laid by the Brookings Institution versus Iran in a 2009 document titled, "Which Path to Persia?" The report stated:

...it would be far more preferable if the United States could cite an Iranian provocation as justification for the airstrikes before launching them. Clearly, the more outrageous, the more deadly, and the more unprovoked the Iranian action, the better off the United States would be. Of course, it would be very difficult for the United States to goad Iran into such a provocation without the rest of the world recognizing this game, which would then undermine it. (One method that would have some possibility of success would be to ratchet up covert regime change efforts in the hope that Tehran would retaliate overtly, or even semi-overtly, which could then be portrayed as an unprovoked act of Iranian aggression.) -Brookings Institution's 2009 "Which Path to Persia?" 

report, pages 84-85.Clearly those in the West intent on striking Iran (and now Syria) realize both the difficulty of obtaining a plausible justification, and the utter lack of support they have globally to carry out an attack even if they manage to find a suitable pretext. An article recently published in Slateindicates that the approval rating of a proposed assault on Syria is only 9% - making the potential war the most unpopular conflict in American history.

Brookings would continue throughout their 2009 report enumerating methods of provoking Iran, including conspiring to fund opposition groups to overthrow the Iranian government, crippling Iran's economy, and funding US State Department-listed terrorist organizations to carry deadly attacks within Iran itself.

In Syria, each and every one of these options have also been tried, and have subsequently failed. It was revealed as far back as 2007 that the US was planning on arming and funding terrorists to overthrow the government of Syria, as reported by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his New Yorker article "The Redirection: Is the Administration's new policy benefiting our enemies in the war on terrorism?"

Starting in 2011, it has become increasing clear that the so-called "freedom fighters" in Syria are in fact terrorists drawn directly from the ranks of Al Qaeda, armed, funded, and otherwise supported by NATO just as was described in Hersh's 2007 report.

Despite these overt acts of war, and even considering an option to unilaterally conduct limited airstrikes against Iranian and now Syrian targets, Brookings indicated there was still the strong possibility Iran (and now Syria) would not allow itself to be sufficiently provoked:

It would not be inevitable that Iran would lash out violently in response to an American air campaign, but no American president should blithely assume that it would not.

The report continues:
However, because many Iranian leaders would likely be looking to emerge from the fighting in as advantageous a strategic position as possible, and because they would likely calculate that playing the victim would be their best route to that goal, they might well refrain from such retaliatory missile attacks. - Brookings Institution's 2009 "Which Path to Persia?" report, page 95.

Already, both Turkey's current government and its regional partner Israel have attacked Syria on numerous occasions with Syria each time exhibiting infinite restraint.

It is then revealed that the term "limited strikes" is a euphemism for "attempted provocations" to intentionally initiate a wider conflict. While the Brookings document refers to Iran, it is clear that if the West is to topple the Syrian government now with its proxy forces already spent, it will have to do so itself with a military campaign exceeding the currently planned "limited strikes." Additionally, realizing there is virtually no support for a war with either Syria or Iran, special interests across the West are attempting to tangle the world in this lethal conflict by disingenuously proposing, at first, something relatively benign they believe they can get away with even without popular support.

Western special interests hope that a Syrian response and the death of American and/or Israeli troops - perhaps the sinking of a US ship or the loss of multiple US aircraft - will turn the 9% approval rating for their premeditated assault on Syria into an overwhelming baying for blood across the West's populations. Failing to elicit a response from Syria, this may be accomplished with false flag attacks, as was the case in the Gulf of Tonkin incident at the onset of the Vietnam War.

Understanding that the intentional endangerment and death of US troops and their allied counterparts is part of initiating an otherwise impossible wider war, inoculates much of an already war-weary Western population from the "rally around the flag" effect Western special interests are depending on to re-energize their failed Middle East adventure.


Activist Post

U S Bribed Muslim Brotherhood

Despite "Austerity" Greek Debt Is Rising At Its Fastest Rate Since March 2010

The total amount of Greek government debt outstanding has grown so much over the last 15 months that it has retraced over 60% of the 'haircut'-based reduction and has jumped a stunning 14.5% in that period. 

As KeepTalkingGreece notes, this is despite three years of strict austerity measures, incredible taxes and a debt haircut of 53% (~100billion euros in March 2012). As To Vima reports, Greek debt stands at EUR 321 billion, which is considerably higher than the pre-crisis levels of 2009. Is it any wonder that Merkel and Schaeuble have been forced to admit that a new bailout will be required? And how long before a 'new template' will be enforced?







Via KeepTalkingGreece blog,

The current debt data corresponds to 180% of GDP and thus despite having achieved a primary surplus. the debt is still burdened with the amount of loan interests.

Finance Ministrer Yiannis Stournaras and his economic team try to find ways on how to deal with the issue.

The big question remains: is the debt sustainable? Could a new haircut solve the problem of always increasing debt?

New bailout

While German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble revealed last week that Greece will need a new bailout package, EU commissioner European Union Commissioner Guenther Oettinger estimated the new bailout package to be slightly higher than 10 billion euro, Greek media reported on Saturday. Oettinger reiterated that there will be no new debt haircut.

Speaking to German media, Oettinger expects the new aid package for Greece to be much smaller than previous programs but said a debt write-down for the country can’t be ruled out definitively, even as the German government continues to reject it.

Mr. Oettinger, who is EU energy commissioner, said he expects new aid covering the period from 2014 to 2016 would involve a “small two-digit billion” euro sum, according to the interview.

Greece’s first bailout plan in 2010 brought the country loans of 73 billion euros ($97.67 billion). But as Greece’s economy deteriorated, that had to be supplemented with a new package valued at about EUR173 billion in 2012. ((WSJ)

Samaras want to get rid of the Troika

According to exclusive information, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is determined to apply three strategic steps to get rid of the austerity loan agreements.

Samaras will seek primary surplus, radical adjustment of debt and exit to the markets in 2014. The political negotiation will aim to avoid a third Memorandum of Understanding (loan agreement) with the Troika that will bring new austerity measures.

“I want to disengage from the memoranda, do away with the troika and the country to move to the next day,” Antonis Samaras allegedly told his interlocutors.

The prime minister will seek a solution near to a new haircut. Samaras campaign will start in October – after the German elections.

We conclude our Greek debt Sunday report with a “joke”

FinMin Yiannis Stournaras told Proto Thema that a new bailout doesn’t definitely mean ‘new austerity measures.’

“If Greece would need further support, this would be around 10 billion euros, ie a very small amount compared to previous memoranda. And we are not talking about new MoU, but about a financial support package, without new conditions. Furthermore, the targets – our obligations – have been set until 2015 set therefore no other measures can bee required, not other goals can be set. “


From Zero Hedge

Assad may hit back at Israel for US strike, trusting Obama to tie Israel’s hands against major reprisal

There is little logic in the Netanyahu government’s public assurances that the Syrian ruler Bashar Assad would not risk a major showdown with Israel for fear of an IDF response powerful enough to overthrow his regime. This argument fails to take into account the calculus in Washington: President Barack Obama would not countenance, at least in the initial stage, an Israeli military strike on a scale greater than the limited operation he is contemplating for his own armed forces in the wake of the Syrian government’s chemical weapons attack on Damascus last Wednesday, Aug. 21. Israel would therefore not be allowed to endanger Assad’s rule.

Assad’s Russian advisers are no doubt briefing him on this Israel-Syrian equation.
According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, Israeli strategists prefer to believe that Syria will choose Jordan for a conventional missile strike in reprisal for a US attack - rather than go for Israel.

This assumption was refuted by the words of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem Tuesday, Aug. 27, at a press conference he held in response to US allegations of his government’s responsibility for using chemical weapons in East Damascus.

Accusing the US Secretary of State John Kelly of telling lies and fabricating evidence against his government, Moallem insisted it had not used chemical weapons or delayed permission for the UN team to launch its investigation under guaranteed security in government-controlled sites. That team only arrived Saturday, Aug. 23, and was not ready for its mission before Monday, Moallem insisted.

He went on to question US objectives in seeking to attack Syria, and answered his own question by saying: “Anything that happens in this area is in Israel’s interest. Such aggression will first of all benefit Israel, secondly, the military efforts of Al Nusra, al Qaeda’s armed group in Syria. “So the Americans would be serving Israel first and Al Qaeda second.”

As for Jordan, Moallem stressed Syria’s friendly and neighborly ties with the Hashemite kingdom. “We have no thought of acting against Jordan,” he said, and advised Amman not to let itself be persuaded to give up its friendship with Damascus.

DEBKAfile’s military sources add: Washington may avoid the need to punish Syria for a potential attack on Jordan by harnessing the Saudi Air Force. In response to a joint US-Amman invitation, Saudi warplanes could cross through Hashemite airspace and blast targets in Syria. They would use intelligence input and coordination support from US air commands.

The Saudi air base at Tabuk near the Jordanian border was reported Tuesday to have placed its F-15 squadrons on the ready. A French squadron of Rafale bombers is also based at Tabuk.

The situation could take a different turn if Syria targeted the US forces deployed in Jordan.

For all these reasons, Israel is more likely than Jordan to be first in line for Syrian payback for a US attack. IDF commanders are well aware of this danger and are gearing up for the challenge. Part of their planning may be to stage the first Israel-Syrian military confrontation in Jordan and over its skies and not just in Israel.

That Israel is under explicit threat was made amply clear in statements coming Tuesday from Syria, Hizballah, Iran and implicitly, Russia. When Moallem said Tuesday that Syria would defend itself in the case of a US strike “using all available means,” he felt safe in including Syrian allies in this category.
Those allies are evidently resolved not to stand by idly if Syria is attacked.

The nature of their promised assistance to Bashar Assad was no doubt conveyed to Barack Obama’s intermediaries, UN Deputy Secretary Jeffrey Feltman and Oman’s Sultan Qaboos, Monday, when they met Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani Monday, to promote the US president’s bid for an understanding on Syria – as reported exclusively by DEBKAfile.

So the US president must by now know how many players will jump in and where, in consequence of an American attack on Syria. This means that Washington may find it impossible to keep the operation within the predetermined confines desired by the US president.
Jerusalem as well as Washington realizes how widely the fallout may spread, but Israeli leaders are keeping this prospect under their hats to avoid public panic.


DEBKAfile

Syria,WMD's and The Coming Carnage

Syria’s Reichstag Moment

All historians are familiar with how Hitler was able to seize and consolidate power within the German Reichstag. He simply had 

his henchmen burn the German legislative building to the ground and then blame the Communists, one of the Nazi’s chief rivals. Subsequently, Hitler assumed total dictatorial power, as a pretense to protect the German people, and he was able to eliminate the Communists and the rest, as they say, was history.

Obama Is Under Immense Pressure

Obama is under enormous pressure, from the Banksters to take out the Iranian regime The need to take down Iran is necessitated because the Petrodollar is in real trouble because of Iran’s insistence on selling oil to India, China and Russia in exchange for gold.  

Gold is a four letter word to the Banksters. The Banksters must maintain their fiat currency schemes. Subsequently, the Banksters must dominate the purchase of oil and the distribution of gold for three reasons:

(1) The Banksters thrive on fiat currency which is backed by virtually nothing and this is coupled with fractional reserve practices in order to acquire real material wealth based on their creation of worthless paper and the introduction of gold threatens this Ponzi scheme;

This is what happens to those who say no the central banking cartel.

(2) Since Breton Woods, the world has been forced by the Banksters to play in their Ponzi scheme game by first purchasing Federal Reserve dollars which is in turn used to purchase oil. Saddam Hussein failed to play by the Petrodollar rules by selling oil for Euros and paid for his disobedience with his life; and,

(3) Once the Banksters collapse the currencies of the world, they want to be the ones controlling gold, the only remaining currency, in a post economic Armageddon.  

Obama Is In Deep Trouble 

If Obama wants to complete his second term, he must get help from the globalists in managing the enormous Watergate type of scenarios which surfaced in May of 2013 that included (1) The Ed Snowden NSA spy revelations; (2) The IRS harassing the Tea Party members at the behest of Obama; (3) The administration’s spying on AP reporters; (4) the Michael Hastings murder (June 2013); and, (5) The Benghazi Affair which refuses to go away. Any of these five events provides sufficient cause for Obama’s removal from office as they dwarf Nixon’s misdeeds in the Watergate Scandal.

The country is three months removed from the near simultaneous revelations, the likes, never seen in this quantity and severity in American history. I stopped believing in coincidences a long time ago. The release of the scandalous information related to these events is being orchestrated and controlled by the overlords and their media minions. Why?

Obama is dragging his feet on Middle East intervention and the globalists are attempting to move him off of the mark with some friendly blackmail.

As previously stated, Iran is undermining the Petrodollar. Iran must be taken down. Sadly America, if the Banksters do not get their way and conduct a regime change in Iran, the dollar will collapse and America will witness its darkest days ever. Conversely, China and Russia have threatened to “nuke” the United States if they invade Syria and Iran over the issue of gold for oil. Make no mistake about it. Iran is the chief prize. Egypt is a tragic, but useful distraction because of the loss of life. The events in Syria are merely a means to an end and only serves as the preliminary event in preparation for the main event, the destruction of Iran. Syria must be taken down first, then Iran will surely follow. Mark my words, Assad will be hanging from a noose, Saddam style, in a few short months.

Why Attack Syria Before Iran?

 If Iran is the prize, then why is the United States on the precipice of attacking Syria? Simple, all roads to Teheran run through Damsacus. Syria is one of Iran’s few remaining allies and controlling Syria is the key to a successful invasion of Iran. Most importantly, capturing Syria largely blocks a Russian land force military incursion into Syria so long as the U.S. is successful in quickly setting up its short and medium range missile batteries inside of Syria. These batteries are a crucial element in blocking Russian military troop movements into Syria.

Another victim of the central banksters.

For Obama to take out Syria, he has to neutralize their command and control structure. This means taking out their aerial surveillance capabilities, its Air Force, controlling the movement of their tanks and other heavy military equipment as well as isolating Syrian military units from the air and preventing them from reinforcing Damascus. This leaves Assad vulnerable.

Once the Syrian military is isolated and divided, the CIA backed al-Qaeda forces will turn the tide of the CIA backed Syrian civil war and this will effectively take care of Assad in the same manner that they took care of Gaddafi in Libya. 

In order to launch a successful air campaign, the U.S. needs a pretext so horrific, so terrible that global opinion will demand a military incursion to “save the innocent Syrian people.”  To accomplish this goal, Obama has already done what he does best, create a Reichstag moment (i.e. false flag).

The CIA Backed al-Qaeda Lights the Fuse

Syria has just experienced its Reichstag moment. Three Damascus hospitals supported byDoctors Without Borders state that they are treating 3,600 patients who are exhibiting neurotoxic symptoms, which occurred in one brief, three hour period on August 21, 2013. Of the 3,600 patients, 355 have died. This is Syria’s Reichstag moment as Assad is being framed for this chemical weapons attack.

The Assad forces have been widely accused for perpetrating this crime against humanity through the purposeful release of neurotoxic agents. However, only a fool with no common sense would believe that Assad is behind the chemical weapons attacks. Assad would avoid at all costs doing that one thing that could invite U.S. or NATO intervention into Syria. The use of chemical weapons by Assad would provide NATO with the pretext to launch airstrikes which would tip the balance of power in Syria in the same manner as it did in Libya.  

As I write these words, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is moving American attack forces into range of Syria and these forces are awaiting a “presidential decision.” Russia is showing signs of backing down as they have encouraged Assad to allow UN inspectors into Syria. My assessment is that Russia and China will stand down with regard to American airstrikes into Syria because they know that this chemical weapons false flag attack, perpetrated by the CIA backed al-Qaeda forces, has proven successful and these two nations cannot be seen as supporting such a criminal regime.

China and Russia have one main objective, save Iran and they can still stand down in Syria and be able to discourage an American led invasion of Iran. The Chinese and Russians will also still possess the nuclear option at their disposal in protecting their “gold for oil” investment in Iran. Subsequently, the U.S. will continue to support al-Qaeda backed Syrian rebels as they overthrow Assad and consolidate their gains over the next few weeks. As in Iraq, look for BP and EXXON to control Syrian oil and prevent any further undermining of the Petrodollar in Syria as in Iran.

Think Like a Genocidal Maniac

Once one covers the establishment’s game plan related to a multitude of issues, their next moves become relatively simple to predict because the Banksters predictably use the same playbook time after time. In order to predict their next moves, we have to, God forbid, think like the genocidal maniac banksters.

As the United States consolidates its holdings in Syria, negates Russian land force incursions and begins to bring money into the Federal Reserve and the Bank of International Settlement through their soon-to-be Syrian holdings, plans will be implemented to manipulate an excuse for an invasion of Iran.

Ask yourself, what could be the one thing that Iran could be accused of doing that would gather the support of the world for invading Iran and force the Chinese and the Russians to stand down? The answer is undoubtedly a false flag operation, the likes that the world has never seen. What could be so horrific, so terrible that Iran could be framed as the perpetrator? The globalists have already set the stage for the next false flag event. What has Iran been repeatedly accused of? They have been accused of attempting to develop nuclear weapons. The American public has already been conditioned to associate nuclear weapons with Iran, even though many legitimately question this association.

 

If you are still thinking like a genocidal maniac, there are two variables to consider, a nuclear detonation on American soil and/or a massive and virulent chemical weapons attack launched against 

America citizens. I believe it is likely that the Boston Marathon bombing was the dress rehearsal for what is coming. As in Boston, we will see quick apprehensions of alleged Iranian terrorists. Summary execution of the so-called perpetrators will follow an imaginary standoff and evidence will be planted so there is no question of Iranian guilt. Look for a group of U.S. veterans to be implicated as well as it will solidify the justification for the imposition of martial law. DHS will then take to the streets in their new 2700 armored vehicles.

Predicting Dates Is Normally a Fool’s Errand

Syria will fall in September. A false flag event would likely happen in October and it will be game over in Iran by Thanksgiving. I do not predict dates, ever. However, in this instance, I am going to make an exception.

There are two dates that loom large in our future over the next four months that have the globalists highly concerned. The globalists do not want to raise conscious awareness of the Bankster controlled organized crime syndicate which hijacked our government in 2008.

The first date that the globalists are concerned about is the lead up to November 22nd. This is the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination. The forces behind the JFK assassination were big oil, the military industrial complex and radical fringe elements of the military and Secret Service. The plot was organized by the CIA and facilitated by the Operation Mongoose forces of the CIA and the Mafia backed forces seeking to overthrow Castro. A whole new generation, who has never looked at the JFK assassination, will be awakened to the undue influence of some of the aforementioned forces who still yield in their perverse influence over America in 2013.

The second date that must be very troubling to the globalists is the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Federal Reserve. Talk shows and websites will be abuzz with revelations about these criminal bankers and the fact that the dollar is actually worth about 3 cents. People who have never heard of fractional reserve currency and a fiat currency will hear about it from November 22-December 23. The Banskters do not want to contend with an increasingly awake America. This would make the subjugation of this country much more difficult.

These are the reasons that the globalists are expediting their timetable for subjugation of this country. This is why Obama’s hand is being forced by holding five Watergate type scandals over his head at the same time. Following the coming false flag attacks, the country will be in lockdown and against these tyrants will be increasingly difficult and November 23rd and December 23rd will be dates that will come and pass without much fanfare.

Conclusion

These events are only possible if we have a psychopathic, genocidal set of maniacs calling the shots. The more awake among us know are fully aware that this is the case.

America presently has some very disturbing variables which have been simultaneously put into play. World War III is a definite possibility. False flag attacks on American soil is a likely event over the next 60 days. These are times of unparalleled danger in America.

Please take some common sense steps which involves acquiring storable food and water and a means to protect your family and your resources. Educating your neighbors to these events is critical in the development of neighborhood defense groups which will be needed to protect against the looters that will sure accompany the coming crises. Your survival could very well depend on you educating your neighbors because you will need their help in the coming weeks and months.

From The common Sense Show

Russia Leads Multirole Fighter Jet Sales Market

MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is now the world’s leading exporter of new multirole fighter jets, a Moscow-based research center said Tuesday.

Russia’s Center for the Analysis of the Global Arms Trade said, when calculated in volume terms, Russia was the market-leader for the supply of multirole fighter jets for 2009-2012, according to figures from Russia’s arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

In that four-year period, Russia supplied 224 new jets valued at about $9 billion, the center said in a statement on its website Tuesday.

However, the center noted Russia cedes its market-leading position to the US if combat aircraft sales in that period are calculated in terms of value, not volume.

Russia has enjoyed most of its combat aircraft sales success in Asia in the last decade, winning orders from India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, but has also broken into the South American market with a deal to sell Su-30 fighters to Venezuela. Most of the aircraft ordered have been Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 series jets, but some MiG-29 fighters and Yak-130 combat trainers have also been sold, according to Rosoboronexport.

The center said it expects Russia to maintain its leading position through 2016, based on predicted sales that include a potential deal with China for 24 Sukhoi Su-35 fighters (South China Morning Post reported a preliminary deal signed in December 2012), a new contract with Vietnam for 12 Su-30MK2s inked last week, and a possible deal with Syria for 24 MiG-29M/M2s.

The current situation in Syria, where a civil war has been raging for two years and over which now hangs the specter of international intervention, could impact this last deal, the center conceded.

Looking at the period to 2016, counting both deliveries that have taken place and those that are expected, the center predicts that Russia will retain its leading position thanks to manufacturers Sukhoi and Irkut (operating now under one holding company) – ahead of America’s Lockheed Martin, China’s Chengdu Aircraft Company, and America’s Boeing.

RIA Novosti

Japan's 2014 Debt Interest Costs Rise 14% To Record $257 Billion, Same As Singapore GDP

While the world is gripped in yet another great distraction over the great "will he, won't he" start World War III debate, things that are unsustainable remain unsustainable. Such as Japan's debt, and specifically the amount of cash interest that the nation with the 230% debt/GDP (and rising interest rates) will have to pay to service its gargantuan balance sheet. According to a document seen by Reuters, Japan expects to spend a record $257 billion to service its debt during the next fiscal year. The amount to be allocated for debt-servicing for the year that will begin on April 1 is nearly as large as the gross domestic product of Singapore, which the World Bank put at $275 billion at the end of 2012. More disturbing, this is a 14% increase in the debt interest cost in just one year. And yes, it is unsustainable absent an epic inflationary episode to "inflate away the debt", something that Abenomics has so far failed in achieving despite some hopeful early glimmers in crushing the Yen.

From Reuters:

Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF), charged with drafting the state budget and issuing government bonds, will request 25.3 trillion yen ($257 billion) in debt-servicing costs under the budget, the document showed on Tuesday.

That will be up 13.7 percent from the amount set aside for the current fiscal year, reflecting the ministry's plan to guard against any future rise in long-term interest rates.

And here we have a problem:

The increased debt-servicing cost may heighten pressure on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to proceed with a scheduled two-stage sales tax hike from next year, which is seen as a necessary first step in fixing Japan's tattered finances.

But with Abe having made ending 15 years of deflation and revitalization of Japan's economy among his top policy priorities, some of his advisers and members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party want to delay or water down the tax hikes, worried they could hurt a budding economic recovery.

In other words, just like the Fed, the BOJ is faced with a simple dilemma: 1) pretend there is a "long-run" and do the right thing, i.e., boost revenue generation, which however will reduce the amount of monetizable securities available for Kuroda purchase, or 2) admit it's all over for the irradiated nation, end any pretense that there is a happy ending to the island's current predicament, forget about this and any other tax hikes, and monetize to oblivion.

We are confident Japan will ultimately pick option #2.

Why? We will leave readers with our favorite Japan "WTF" chart, first posted here in May of 2012.



From Zero Hedge

New Chinese Bird Flu May Be Worse Than H7N9 Virus

A virus called H7N7 has been discovered in chickens in China, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.

A team of Hong Kong researchers found the virus in about 25 percent of the fowl sampled, many of which also had the H7N9 virus. By testing the H7N7 virus on ferrets, the researchers found that it can be transmitted to mammals.

“If (we) let this H7N7 continue circulating in chickens, I am sure that human infection cases will occur,” study co-author Guan Yi at the University of Hong Kong told AFP. “This virus could cause more severe infection than … H7N9, based on our animal experiment.”

H7N7 appears to have developed alongside H7N9, which has killed 44 of more than 130 people infected in China.

“We think it is scary for humans,” Guan added. “Our entire human population almost has no antibodies against the H7 subtype of influenza virus. Thus, if it causes pandemic outbreak, it will kill many people.”

The scientists believe a better surveillance system is needed to monitor for dangerous viruses like H7N9 that may be emerging. “This is a very different influenza ecosystem from other countries,” Guan said, according to Nature.

From The Epoch Times

Boehner to White House: Consult Congress before any Syria action

US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner told the White House on Monday that it must consult with Congress before any response to the Syrian government's apparent use of chemical weapons.

"The speaker made clear that before any action is taken, there must be meaningful consultation with members of Congress, as well as clearly defined objectives and a broader strategy to achieve stability," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said in a statement.


Jerusalem Post