News for today's 2018: 12/08/12

Babe of the Week: Ashley Judd

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />IWS World Media and I’m With Stupid Podcast are proud to announce that Ashley Judd is our Babe of the Week!<br /><br />Miss Judd is an award winning actress and possible democratic candidate for the US Senate in Kentucky in 2014!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZprAXqtqNa6ZXCAEzc8J4lZJvH7LFljGrlp0rC5MHmslH6TTdU4c2Z0c3xpd1zy5WP5ob93UDoNM-NHYFGMOULKooOTlepdEPB48zorYU7KUkZZV3ulo7yHt_zb-hK0BI48Cl1l8y_8/s1600/Ashley+Judd+Hot+Legs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZprAXqtqNa6ZXCAEzc8J4lZJvH7LFljGrlp0rC5MHmslH6TTdU4c2Z0c3xpd1zy5WP5ob93UDoNM-NHYFGMOULKooOTlepdEPB48zorYU7KUkZZV3ulo7yHt_zb-hK0BI48Cl1l8y_8/s400/Ashley+Judd+Hot+Legs.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br />Are we ready for a senator this beautiful?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEunHb0XdRqzwKXDg18YOtKbun7zQ-GoQjRkRHSTraFLQnGJc3ALSIMJREPpcbTCT_X9LSJu6LN7b9KYW2b4T53tSBZaZ-MF6I7nRH83DEbUfZjOqL7hzHYKVGSFgEm71HxtHmDZX9kFM/s1600/Ashley+Judd+Wet+Sexy+See+Through.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEunHb0XdRqzwKXDg18YOtKbun7zQ-GoQjRkRHSTraFLQnGJc3ALSIMJREPpcbTCT_X9LSJu6LN7b9KYW2b4T53tSBZaZ-MF6I7nRH83DEbUfZjOqL7hzHYKVGSFgEm71HxtHmDZX9kFM/s320/Ashley+Judd+Wet+Sexy+See+Through.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />Are we ready for a senator we’ve all seen NAKED?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-co8LN7BNKxzABLYS6lGqqAlst3e0F5iTvfXFn15sLdiqvRTv53JZF4GhCrCSg7wbyYaBT9v7V0M9vyT2Ph_v7je2FSGtnT-3sPmr0OwPc1UFtKE9RxtmDvh4_X-RhfdIKgPc-tf-94/s1600/Ashley+Judd+Nude+Topless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-co8LN7BNKxzABLYS6lGqqAlst3e0F5iTvfXFn15sLdiqvRTv53JZF4GhCrCSg7wbyYaBT9v7V0M9vyT2Ph_v7je2FSGtnT-3sPmr0OwPc1UFtKE9RxtmDvh4_X-RhfdIKgPc-tf-94/s400/Ashley+Judd+Nude+Topless.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />Is Kentucky ready for THIS????<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KhnGRU7zUpyoaMsLyzDeYDxP22GsQqQCohEycuzFftxUFCc0MztrgjTzfvAYt2qCEaxnPG8nJCG-osYvtlGF1aESlIoysHrCkwbKsUW1Tsp1QlLhkpDMdBng7cGmLHz_PkFnbUnlapc/s1600/Ashley+Judd+Feminist+Senate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KhnGRU7zUpyoaMsLyzDeYDxP22GsQqQCohEycuzFftxUFCc0MztrgjTzfvAYt2qCEaxnPG8nJCG-osYvtlGF1aESlIoysHrCkwbKsUW1Tsp1QlLhkpDMdBng7cGmLHz_PkFnbUnlapc/s400/Ashley+Judd+Feminist+Senate.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br />Probably not, but that’s okay because we’re more than ready for Ashley Judd to be our Babe of the Week!<br /><div><br /></div></div>

Babe of the Week: Ashley Judd

IWS World Media and I’m With Stupid Podcast are proud to announce that Ashley Judd is our Babe of the Week!Miss Judd is an award winning actress and possible democratic candidate for the US Senate in Kentucky in 2014!Are we ready for a senator this b…

Today's archidose #638, Part 2

11:30 AM Tukiyooo 0

Here are some more of my photos of the <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/">Poetry Foundation</a> in Chicago, Illinois, by <a href="http://www.jrarch.com/">John Ronan Architects</a> (2011). The exterior shots are <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2012/12/todays-archidose-638.html">here</a>.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ximo_michavila/"><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8254705099/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8254705099_30b9ed7263_z.jpg" width="521" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8254777369/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8069/8254777369_56ea0fed1e_c.jpg" width="548" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8255775550/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8346/8255775550_3ef82fddbf_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8254704825/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8254704825_abf553abbe_c.jpg" width="633" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8254704671/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8254704671_c6fedca204_z.jpg" width="537" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8255775054/" title="Poetry Foundation by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Poetry Foundation" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8492/8255775054_f403b468e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #638, Part 2

Here are some more of my photos of the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, by John Ronan Architects (2011). The exterior shots are here.To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just::: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or:…

SITREP SYRIA

4:46 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4emVO8TAPBC34zCPkvHWpQH_XxqX5SspvZ3dvdP1KOy0XjSm6-I1fTnOmeeSs0-FUcb4G45AaG9xlHDtuNdC5lsbKuXDP6chcWWAOyJ2692zgjCIaf8jGp_wCzd4yfogEGIOJG50JvUIq/s1600/syrian-chemical-weapons-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4emVO8TAPBC34zCPkvHWpQH_XxqX5SspvZ3dvdP1KOy0XjSm6-I1fTnOmeeSs0-FUcb4G45AaG9xlHDtuNdC5lsbKuXDP6chcWWAOyJ2692zgjCIaf8jGp_wCzd4yfogEGIOJG50JvUIq/s1600/syrian-chemical-weapons-300x225.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ASSAD’S TROOPS, MORE CHEMICAL ARMS MOVE NW, IRANIAN ARMS AIRLIFT TO PALMYRA</span></b></span></span><br /><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On Tuesday, <u>20 March 2012</u> Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring wrote: </span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6896989063397229776" name="7026944894046391462"></a><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">SYRIAN MISSILES WILL PRE-EMPT ANY MILITARY INTERVENTION </span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/syrian-missiles-will-pre-empt-any.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/syrian-missiles-will-pre-empt-any.html</a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On Tuesday, <u>08 March 2012</u> Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring wrote: </span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">GIVEN FACT SYRIA DOES POSSESS CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL MISSILE HEADS</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/given-fact-syria-does-possess-chemical.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/given-fact-syria-does-possess-chemical.html</a></span></span></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Via DEBKA<i>file</i></span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="color: blue;">US, TURKISH, BRITISH, JORDANIAN </span>and <span style="color: blue;">FRENCH </span>forces are standing ready around SYRIAN borders for the order to go forward still to come from US President Barack Obama. SYRIAN President Bashar Assad is regrouping his army in defense array in strategic parts of Damascus, while planting mines and bomb traps in abandoned bases. Convoys carrying missiles, shells and canisters armed with chemical and biological weapons continue to ply roads to the north, while the airlift of Iranian arms is rerouted to northern air bases.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />The situation in SYRIA as it stands Saturday, Dec. 8. is summed up by debkafile’s military sources:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1.  Assad has so far resisted rebel pressure to withdraw with his army from the capital, Damascus, but as in SYRIA’S largest town, Aleppo, he has regrouped his forces for the defense of centers of government against the rebel push from the east.<br />For now, his army fully controls the western districts of Damascus and areas up to Zabadani on the LEBANESE border. This keeps the SYRIAN ruler’s direct military corridor open to a key prop of his regime, Hizballah, on the other side of the border.  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2. His second key prop is the air passage plied by IRANIAN transports for keeping his army furnished with arms and ammunition. Up until midweek, the Iranian planes, coming in at the rate of three or four transports a day, were landing at Damascus military air base, which is section of its international airport. Friday, Nov. 7, the rebels declared both the civilian and military sections of Damascus airport a military target. All planes were warned that by landing there they risked being shot down by the shells or anti-air missiles recently delivered to them by QATAR or booty taken from the SYRIAN army bases they captured.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3f3y7Kp7CSGDxYf4mVfH5gUq6EMjksAX6WLKE88U6jroAeoCf6fQnhdgCkLallCFoiLCXmO7gZRzZNMBN7ubc39Y9MRAnLTR3PwkXfcyXjkfvlDWHFn7Ol_MyZJNbwQ-Q6nYwYZ6k1Gf/s1600/Chemical-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3f3y7Kp7CSGDxYf4mVfH5gUq6EMjksAX6WLKE88U6jroAeoCf6fQnhdgCkLallCFoiLCXmO7gZRzZNMBN7ubc39Y9MRAnLTR3PwkXfcyXjkfvlDWHFn7Ol_MyZJNbwQ-Q6nYwYZ6k1Gf/s1600/Chemical-.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Following the rebel warning, the IRANIAN transports were being rerouted to the Shayrat and Tiyas airbase between the northern SYRIAN towns of Homs and Palmyra. <br />This necessitates intense SYRIAN army effort to keep the roads open for the incoming IRANIAN supplies to reach the hands of the units fighting in Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia.<br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">3. SYRIAN engineering units are systematically planting mines and booby-trapping the buildings at the bases from which the army has retreated. Our military sources were told that the quantity of explosives Assad’s troops are leaving in their wake would take years to clear.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">4. There has been no letup in the military convoys heading north with missiles, shells and bombs containing chemical arms.<br />Western intelligence sources say Assad is keeping the convoys moving on the roads for two purposes:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />One, as a red warning to the Western and Arab powers preparing to intervene in the SYRIAN conflict that any attack or attempt to impose a no-fly zone over the country would trigger a chemical offensive.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And two, to confuse his enemies: The poison gas weapons apparently moving openly along SYRIAN highways may be decoys to conceal the operational chemical warfare units which some Western intelligence watchers suspect  are kept hidden until Assad gives them the order to strike.</span></span> </div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

SITREP SYRIA

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USA, CHINA and AFRICA

3:34 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><br />   <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDTaTS7EZSdtfN_QLQQy9zufBnUjxEKk-RJE5i17qgkcCmqo5D1WYIp8in4siPeiPR5hyxnDjk1VcWbdNFZr-LmEk-hzJP6iUqINETB6k8nxllmeabf-BDOM5UqBLs7huE2gUR2zzqZfb/s1600/056-0701121555-china_africa_us.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDTaTS7EZSdtfN_QLQQy9zufBnUjxEKk-RJE5i17qgkcCmqo5D1WYIp8in4siPeiPR5hyxnDjk1VcWbdNFZr-LmEk-hzJP6iUqINETB6k8nxllmeabf-BDOM5UqBLs7huE2gUR2zzqZfb/s320/056-0701121555-china_africa_us.png" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE SECRET WAR BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US FOR AFRICA'S OIL RICHES</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By Chris Mansur</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">via Oilprice </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the struggle to secure energy resources, the great powers consider all states to be fair game. Indeed, this is precisely what characterizes AMERICAN foreign policy in the modern era. When it comes to economic and geopolitical interests, Washington seldom differentiates between democratic leaders and despots, especially when those interests involve oil. Currently, the stakes are high in the rush to secure oil resources and nowhere is this more evident than in the SINO-AMERICAN rivalry in AFRICA. Both states are competing to secure their share of oil supplies in order to quench their addiction to the coveted ‘black gold.’</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA’S RELIANCE ON FOREIGN OIL HAS DECREASED SINCE ITS PEAK IN 2005, BUT NEVERTHELESS IS STILL VULNERABLE TO SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDzv5QVkzKSWoyeuQA4qySxVIuLmLkt5gdi2P9PWhHGUAAPUj_znXXWBFYsOJ1aNHkSM5zBM5VH5l4JzhL8me7cqvJDx0fuMof-crhA9rjK07-ewPR68uPmyuPkFOKAIgFFld9Aue3l9r/s1600/USA_China_Africa_Oil_domaines-17395-1387a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDzv5QVkzKSWoyeuQA4qySxVIuLmLkt5gdi2P9PWhHGUAAPUj_znXXWBFYsOJ1aNHkSM5zBM5VH5l4JzhL8me7cqvJDx0fuMof-crhA9rjK07-ewPR68uPmyuPkFOKAIgFFld9Aue3l9r/s320/USA_China_Africa_Oil_domaines-17395-1387a.jpg" width="316" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One of Washington’s primary energy security concerns has been to diversify its sources of foreign oil. During the 1970s oil crisis, the UNITED STATES imported one-third of its petroleum. Now, it imports approximately 11.4 million barrels per day of petroleum (which includes crude oil and petroleum products), amounting to 45 percent of all petroleum consumed in AMERICA. While most of its foreign oil comes from the WESTERN HEMISPHERE, a sizable portion comes from AFRICA and the PERSIAN GULF . Despite the fact that AMERICA’S reliance on foreign oil has decreased since its peak in 2005, it is still vulnerable to supply disruptions, oil price shocks and OPEC supply squeezing. <b>For Washington, the need to decrease its vulnerability to foreign oil is a principle national security interest, and the solution lies in diversifying imports away from <span style="font-size: large;">over - reliance</span> on any one region</b>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WEST AFRICAN OIL REMAINS STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT FOR U.S. POLICY MAKERS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO PERSIAN GULF OIL</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WEST AFRICA is also geographically closer, making transportation less costly than oil from the PERSIAN GULF. The high-quality sweet crude that is produced by the GULF OF GUINEA states is crucial to the U.S. market. As such, oil corporations are doing whatever they can to secure this important hydrocarbon and Washington is fervently promoting free trade in AFRICA in order to make it easier for them.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA is home to two of the largest oil-producing states: NIGERIA and ANGOLA. (See:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/argentina-and-africa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/argentina-and-africa.html</a>) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">These two states account for 53 percent and 26 percent of total U.S. petroleum imports from SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA respectively. Thus, it is no surprise that the two states also receive the largest share of U.S. security assistance to AFRICA.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ASIDE OF INCREASED MILITARY PRESENCE, THE USA ALSO EXPANDED ITS COVERT INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS ACROSS AFRICA</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In order to boost its influence in AFRICA and secure the loyalty of governments, the U.S. has provided military arms and developed military training programs with individual AFRICAN governments. To increase its military presence, it has acquired basing rights and access to airfields in DJIBOUTI, UGANDA, MALI, SENEGAL and GABON, along with port facilities in MOROCCO and TUNISIA. In addition, it has also expanded its covert intelligence operations across AFRICA in the name of combatting terrorism. Yet, these operations also serve another purpose. By expanding its military presence in AFRICA, Washington is reminding its rivals that it is both willing and able to respond to threats to its strategic interests, the likes of which include the unimpeded flow of AFRICAN oil.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AFRICOM</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In 2007, the U.S. African Command AFRICOM was established as the ninth of the Unified Combatant Commands under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD). The alleged purpose is to oversee AMERICAN military operations on the AFRICAN continent in order to enhance the stability of the region and to promote U.S. national security objectives. Many critics of AFRICOM believe there is a direct relationship between the existence of AFRICOM and America’s interest in AFRICAN oil.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Background Information</span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;">:</span> See <span style="color: blue;"><b><span>AFRICOM EXPANDS MISSION IN AFRICA</span></b></span></span>: <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/africa-and-usa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/africa-and-usa.html</a><span>  </span>published 16 Jul 2012</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZBSd1onaNWs?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There is a parallel between AMERICA’S increased military presence in AFRICA and its military expansion into the PERSIAN GULF since the establishment of the Carter Doctrine. While this endeavour is noticeably more limited in AFRICA and does not involve any significant oil-for-security arrangements- at least, not yet- there is no doubt that AMERICA would respond with force if oil supplies were threatened. The difference is in style, not substance; AMERICA seeks a more subtle presence in order to engage in rapid combat and covert operations, when necessary. This operational capacity is equal parts the U.S. bending to the strategic realities of the 21stcentury and a response to AFRICAN governments, for obvious historical reasons, not welcoming permanent military bases on their soil.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ALLEGEDLY AFRICOM WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF <span style="font-size: large;">CHINA'S</span>INCREASED PRESENCE IN AFRICA</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There may be another, often overlooked, purpose of AFRICOM. The presence of CHINA in AFRICA is creating some concern for AMERICAN officials. Beijing is competing with Washington for both the loyalty of AFRICAN governments and the steady supply of AFRICAN oil. There is a growing sentiment in Washington that CHINA’S presence in AFRICA could challenge U.S. security interests now and in the years to come. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Background Information</span></u></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;">:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">See<b> <span style="color: blue;">CHINA’S WINNING STRATEGY IN AFRICA </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/chinas-winning-strategy-in-africa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/chinas-winning-strategy-in-africa.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CHINA’S unconditional financial aid and its steady flow of cheap goods to AFRICAN states (in exchange for oil contracts) have often made it a more appealing trading partner than AMERICA. Indeed, a 2005 DoD report indicated that CHINA’S need to forge close ties with AFRICAN governments to secure energy supplies could lead to ‘a more activist [CHINESE] military presence abroad’. In this regard, AFRICOM would monitor CHINESE activity and contain any CHINESE incursion into AMERICAN zones of interest by flexing AMERICA’S naval presence. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">See <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CHINA'S</span> STEADY GROWING NAVAL FORCE</b>,</span> see:<a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/10/china-s-new-aircraft-carrier-liaoning-joins-the-fleet">http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/10/china-s-new-aircraft-carrier-liaoning-joins-the-fleet</a>and</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/gcaptain/2012/06/19/chinas-great-white-fleet-will-a-secret-fleet-soon-outnumber-the-us-navy/">http://www.forbes.com/sites/gcaptain/2012/06/19/chinas-great-white-fleet-will-a-secret-fleet-soon-outnumber-the-us-navy/</a>as well as</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jb_VFYAmYkCR_ca--_isA5RpzS1Q?docId=CNG.9c18d2343f3269a07799e2711d4b82d8.8d1">http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jb_VFYAmYkCR_ca--_isA5RpzS1Q?docId=CNG.9c18d2343f3269a07799e2711d4b82d8.8d1</a>)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CHINA PERCEIVES ITS PRESENCE IN AFRICA AS A CONTINUATION OF ITS LEGACY AND AS AN IMPORTANT GEOPOLITICAL INTEREST ON THE ROAD TO MAJOR POWER STATUS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTmipKot6mOFggOiSjDZhIMEjwHA07eA4PtNkzPjTUsMuy0576L1VFKlROiLl51CKHZfi9y5Y3Ydv_NzUOQYxOKKf3kse4QnlTFfEQXwep82VfBUJbo5DZpcv1Vwp5_2Y_hErANb1XNjO/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTmipKot6mOFggOiSjDZhIMEjwHA07eA4PtNkzPjTUsMuy0576L1VFKlROiLl51CKHZfi9y5Y3Ydv_NzUOQYxOKKf3kse4QnlTFfEQXwep82VfBUJbo5DZpcv1Vwp5_2Y_hErANb1XNjO/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The stakes for Beijing, however, seem to be greater for three reasons. First, CHINA has an annual GDP growth rate of 7.4 percent. To sustain this, the CHINESE economy relies heavily on the consumption of oil. It is constantly seeking new sources of oil to meet its domestic demand, but its AFRICAN oil supplies are indispensable. Second, CHINA imports more oil from AFRICA than AMERICA does (30 percent vs. 20 percent). CHINA’S oil imports from AFRICA will likely grow to be bigger than AMERICA’S in the decades to come, and CHINA is expected to take AMERICA’S spot as the world’s biggest oil importer very soon. By 2020, CHINA will import approximately 65 percent of its oil. Lastly, CHINA is not a newcomer to AFRICA. In the 1960s and 1970s, it supported many national liberation movements, provided a large share of arms to post-independence governments and invested heavily in national infrastructure projects. In this sense, Beijing perceives its presence in AFRICA as a continuation of its legacy and as an important geopolitical interest on the road to major power status.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, AFRICA might not provide the most secure alternative to PERSIAN GULF oil. AFRICA’S production capacity is more limited than that of the PERSIAN GULF, and it also has fewer proven reserves. In terms of aggregate global oil production, AFRICA is still lagging behind other major crude oil-producing regions. If we assume that ‘peak oil’ estimates are accurate, then (according to BP’s reserves-to-production ratio) SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, as a whole, has an oil-producing capacity that will end by 2030. This would leave only NIGERIA and SUDAN as major oil-producing states in the region (of course, this assumes that production will remain constant and that no new reserves will be discovered).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In addition, AFRICA’S political environment can be as unstable as the PERSIAN GULF. Internal instability, the rise of transnational terrorist networks, military coups, civil strife, endemic corruption and the conflict-stricken NIGER DELTA all pose significant problems for business operations in the AFRICAN continent.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Background Information:</span></u></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">AFRICA the Forgotten and underestimated Continent </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA must show restraint in its expansion into AFRICA. While a military conflict with CHINA over access to AFRICAN oil may seem presently unrealistic- especially given AMERICA and CHINA’S mutual economic dependence- future regional developments and the further militarization of the region could shift the SINO-AMERICAN rivalry into a more adversarial direction. The ‘military security paradox’ is an important lesson to be learned by the great powers. Militarizing a region in the pursuit of regional stability and security can often have the opposite effect. Only time will tell if Washington and Beijing heed this warning.</span></span></div>

USA, CHINA and AFRICA

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USA, CHINA and AFRICA

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