This week Jon Atack and Sam Atack joined me to discuss their new videos series Think Like a Cult Leader. Jon and Sam described how their criteria for being a “successful cult leader” matches up with so many people currently in positions of power today. We also talked about Sam’s prank creation his own cult “The Unification Church of Saminanity” and how he was able to persuade 50 people to join. We then discussed the issue of impulsivity among cult leaders and how this affects their actions. We talked about how this behavior, and the trend of extreme boredom. We closed out the first hour by focusing on how this might influence future generations and cult groups alike.
In the second hour, we discussed the destructive influence of the Christian fundamentalist group “The Family” and their late leader David Coe. We talked about how the group developed a far-reaching influence in America and abroad. We finished off the hour by talking about the political situation in Xinjiang. We talked about the repression of Uighur’s and the use of re-education camps by the Chinese government. Jon and I discussed the cult-like devotion among the political left when discussing China. We also talked about the real threat of extremist groups like the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and how the Chinese government exploiting them.
The Chinese government recently announced a near 10% increase in their military budget for 2018. Chinese state media have defended the decision, saying it is part of a modernization program, calling the increase “proportionate and low.”
The increase is the biggest jump in Chinese military spending in recent years. In 2014, the total was $132 billion, which grew to $145 billion in 2015, $147 billion in 2016 and will reach $175 billion next year. Zhang Yesui, a spokesperson for the first annual session of the 13th NPC, explained that the extra money is not to increase China’s overall military capacity, but to update and modernize their armed forces:
“A large part of the growth of the defense budget is to make up for the low military spending in the past and is mainly used to upgrade equipment and improve the welfare of servicemen and women and the living and training conditions of grassroots troops.”
Sputnik spoke to political analyst Pearse Redmond about the geopolitical struggles that are the underlying reasons for China’s consistently growing military expenditure:
“As China becomes more and more integrated in the global economy it understands that maintaining economic superiority requires more security. In Africa, where China has poured vast sums of money into various projects, they have also been quietly building small military bases and developing relationships with various African military and security forces. For example, in Djibouti, once the exclusive military domain of the US, China now operates a naval base adjacent to the Port of Doraleh, which is west of Djibouti City.”
Mike Swanson is back and boy are we glad to hear him. With all that is going on in the markets it’s time to figure some of that out. Mike is not just a great author but a superb financial analyst. Is there silent inflation? does the ebb and flow of late make sense? What is the reality of QE infinity and the old toxic asset bubble? Is debt the real looming threat? Listen to Michael and find out. Pearse Redmond joins us next and Porkins is at the Ochelli six. We order up some Chinese perspective. Hold The MSG. The American Empire versus The Chinese enduring legacy. Why are the great Islamic threats not so interested in attacking the Chinese? Soft Colonial strategy ? Africa , AFRICOM , and other known unknowns. Meanwhile we interrupt the discussion for an update on Stormy Daniels? Yeah A Porn Actress is suing The President !! Has the tribe spoken? And we didn’t even mention Roger Stone’s boy having a melt down on T.V. ? all this and more during these two hours. Random thought Chuck did NOT speak aloud , Is the Q in LGBTQ Q Anon?
On this especially jam-packed episode, we being in Kyrgyzstan where the US Deep State continues to poke and prod the Central Asian nation. We start off by looking at a recent video leaked to Kyrgyz media which shows protest organizer Nurbek Toktakunov meeting with noted “color revolution” expert and Charge d’Affaires of Kyrgyzstan, Richard Miles. We also discuss the other bizarre events going on in Kyrgyzstan the past few months, including a series of mysterious messages posted on social media in the south talking about an Islamic takeover, and the supposed ISIS attack in Bishkek. Later we discuss how these events and the State Department’s giving a human rights award to Azimjon Askarov resulted in the Kyrgyz government’s renunciation of the 1993 Bilateral Agreement with the United States. Christoph and I explain what this means for both nations and why this is a significant development for both countries.
For our second story we move to Xinjiang, and discuss the recent “Ramadan Ban” that continues to be bandied about every single year by usual suspects. Christoph and I break down the reality of China’s so-called ban, and how this has been being used by Turkey in an unprecedented propaganda campaign. We explore not only how the ruling Erdogan government has used anti-Chinese rhetoric, but how the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has also contributed to the anti-Chinese Uyghur movement. We chronicle the latest actions by the MHP and their youth wing the Greywolves in organizing violent protests against not just the Chinese government, but Chinese people and businesses in Turkey. We talk about the attack on a local Chinese restaurant, where a Uyghur man thought to be Chinese was beaten, the assault on Korean tourists, the attempted lynching of a random Asian tourist and the assault on the Thai consulate. The latter incident brings us to another part of this story, the “Passports for Uyghurs” affair that we have previously discussed on the podcast. Christoph and I get into much more detail about this whole operation and how it works throughout South East Asia.
For our final story, we move to another location and situation that we have discussed many times before — Afghanistan, and the continuing political developments there. We begin by updating listeners on some previously discussed issues. Christoph and I explore the recent Taliban peace talks in Pakistan, which were declared to be a breakthrough by all parties involved. We also look at the deteriorating security situation in the North in areas such as Faryab province. As Christoph explains, the situation has gotten so bad that warlord-turned-vice-president Abdul Rashid Dostum has teamed up with Governor Atta Noor to take the fight directly to the militants in the north. Later we move on to the most significant development in nation, the official confirmation that Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar has been dead for two years. We look at why his death is being announced now, while the peace talks are actually progressing. We also dissect the insane several days that followed the confirmation of Mullah Omar death. We look at the election of the new Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor, and how this has fractured the Taliban into different factions. We also focus on the high-profile Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar’s son Yacub, who are not supporting Mansoor’s ascent to power. We then touch on the other high profile “death” of Hussain Haqqani, and how ISIS is slowly but surely filling the void.
We close with our “weird terrorism” segment, in which we discuss how the US-trained Syrian militia, Division 30, has refused to fight Al Nusra, and take a look at the state of the “moderate rebels.”
This episode is especially long, with a ton of information, so please do go through the show notes. I have also included news clips and still images in the video version. Let me know what you think, and whether you would like to see more of this in the future.
For this month’s episode Christoph and I start by taking a look at a very important aspect of Gladio B, the East Turkestan Project, and specifically the terrorist smuggling rings that are active in bringing Uyghurs to Turkey. We start by taking a look at the most recent example of this type of operation which was just discovered in Shanghai. Christoph breaks down how widespread these large and sophisticated human smuggling rings are. We also touch on how the ongoing battle between Erdogan and Gulen has affected the political debate about the Uyghur issue in Turkey. Christoph and I highlight this point by discussing the rare admission by World Uyghur Congress President Reba Kadir that there are in fact Turkish smugglers sending Uyghurs to Syria and Iraq, and the interesting response in the Islamist Turkish media calling Kadir an “infidel” and “American agent for sale.”
Next we move on to Azerbaijan and discuss the the most recent attempts by the South Caucus nation to crack down on foreign-funded media and NGO’s. This time we look at the recent closing of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) offices in Baku and the arrest and detention of RFE/RL journalists and staff. Christoph breaks down how this recent crackdown is being spun in the West as a geopolitical shift away from NATO and the West, and into the arms of big, bad, evil Russia. Christoph and I explain how even though the rhetoric of Azerbaijan may be hostile, behind the scenes, particularly with regard to NATO, everything is going splendidly. We finish out the segment by dissecting one aspect of the Azerbaijan issue that continues to flare up, the ongoing crisis in breakaway region Nagorno-Karabahk, and how this relates to Azerbaijan’s increased “anti-Western” actions.
In our next segment we move on to the other actor in the Nagorno-Karabahk region, the small South Caucus nation of Armenia. Christoph and I start by discussing Armenia’s recent entry into the Russian-led economic bloc, the Eurasian Economic Union. Christoph explains why Armenia chose to join the EEU despite Europe’s desires to the contrary. We discuss how Armenia is stuck in a difficult position when it comes to EEU, as Russia , which they depend on to militarily back up their de-facto control of Nagorno-Karabahk, is their sole protective ally in the world. Christoph relates how Armenia’s membership in the EEU has led to the closing of the National Democratic Institute, which signals a tacit defeat for the American Deep-State’s “democracy promotion” agenda. We finish out this section on Armenia by focusing on the recent brutal murder of a family of seven by a Russian solider in the city of Gyumri and how this complicates Russian-Armenian relations.
Closing out this episode of PGG Christoph and I update the listeners on the Tajik-Afghan border crisis and the pipeline politics of Russia and Ukraine. We also comment on the recent Charlie Hebdo killings by looking at it from a geopolitical perspective. Christoph and I discuss how bizarre it is – – casting the already dead Awlaki and the practically dead Zawahiri as the masterminds of the attack. I also give my take on the situation in Yemen and how the Houthi led takover of the nation might be part of a much larger plan to get former president Saleh back in power.
On today’s episode we spoke with independent analyst and researcher Christoph Germann. Christoph runs the invaluable blog, The New Great Game, which deals with Central Asia, the Caucus region as well as regional powers. We discuss the very troubling trend of knife and bomb attacks occurring in the Xinjiang region of China. Christoph explains what is at stake for China as well as the western powers when it comes to this oil-rich geo-strategic region. We also explore the situation in Azerbaijan. Christoph explains how CIA puppet Fethullah Gulen and his Islamic movement have entrenched themselves in the nation in much the same way as in Turkey. We round off the conversation by discussing Gladio B and how Azerbaijan has been used as a base of operations for NATO and there roving band of mujahedin fighters, both in the 90’s and now in Syria. Lots of information in this one, so please go to the show notes.
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