EIR Daily Alert

Sunday 18th September 2022

Putin Explains How SCO Represents Economic Development, and the West’s Collapse Is a Result of Its Own Bad Policies

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin took time out from his participation in the SCO summit on Sept. 16, for an extended dialogue with the press, in which he discussed the strategic significance of that summit and why it is an alternative to the West’s dying financial system for most nations in the world. According to the transcript posted to the Kremlin website, Putin stated:

“The most important thing always and everywhere is economic development. And the SCO, cooperation with the SCO countries, creates conditions for the development of the Russian economy, and thus for the social sphere and for resolving the tasks related to improving the living standards of our citizens.

“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization includes countries whose population, as has been said many times, comprises almost or even slightly more than half of humanity. It is 25% of world GDP. And, most importantly, the national economies in the region, those of the SCO member states, are developing much faster than others in the world.... India’s GDP grew by 7%, China’s by more than 5%. China was in the lead for quite a time and its potential is tremendous.”

The semi-official Chinese daily Global Times emphasized a similar point in its coverage, quoting Deng Hao, secretary-general of the China Center for SCO Studies, to emphasize: “There are more than 200 countries around the world, the vast majority of which do not follow the U.S. and many are fed up with the selfish and self-serving attitude of the superpower. More countries have asked to join the SCO as they want to get a sense of stability, security and development, that is, a chance to get out of trouble and achieve revitalization.”

Putin at his SCO press conference also blamed the West’s own policy folly for the destruction of its economy. On previous occasions he has focused his attack on the policy of financial speculation as responsible for the collapse of the physical economy; this time he took aim at the crazy “green” deindustrialization policies.

“The energy crisis in Europe did not begin with the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, in Donbass; it actually started much earlier, a year before or even earlier. As strange as it may seem, it started with the green agenda.... To pursue momentary political considerations, they chose to completely close down the hydrocarbon energy programs in their countries. Banks stopped extending loans, local authorities have stopped allocating land plots for future development, and implementation of plans for energy infrastructure construction was stopped as well, with huge cuts in investment in conventional energy....

“Specialists and experts are perfectly aware of this, and all these populist statements claiming that someone is to blame for this elsewhere are made only to protect themselves from their citizens’ indignation.”

Putin added that the green energy policy is totally “unprepared to meet to the demand for huge energy resources to support economic and industrial growth. The economy is growing while the energy sector is shrinking. This is the first drastic mistake.”

Secondly, the West itself then shut down the flow of natural gas from Russia to Europe, by the deliberate decision to impose sanctions, to stop Nord Stream 2, refusing to meet contractual obligations to maintain compressors for Nord Stream 1, and even simply shutting down the flow of gas through Poland and Ukraine.

Putin argued: “Are we to blame for this? Let them think hard about who is to blame and let none of them blame us for their own mistakes.”

A similar point regarding the policy alternatives facing the planet was on Sept. 11 made by the highly-respected Russian economist and Minister in Charge of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Sergei Glazyev, in his message of greeting on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lyndon LaRouche:

“If the leaders of the world’s nations had listened to the voice of Lyndon LaRouche, then perhaps we might have managed to avoid the social upheavals we confront today as a result of the collapse of the world financial and economic system.... [China and India] have used his thoughts and ideas, for creating their economic miracles. As we can see, countries that are taking this path are enjoying success.”

• Watch Harley’s Updates with Harley Schlanger on Monday September 19, 2022: Every weekday morning on The LaRouche Organization, Schlanger will give you the strategic briefing you need to start your day.

NEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Global Times Writes, at the SCO Summit, China Provided an Anchor of Stability for a World in Turmoil

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—China’s semi-official, leading English-language daily, Global Times published a lengthy article by staff reporters which summarizes the Chinese perspective on the achievements of the SCO summit. It cites remarks by Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the end of the trip, to the effect that “Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Central Asia from [Sept. 14-16] Wednesday to Friday is a strategic move to break U.S.’ ‘encirclement’ of China by expanding the ‘circle of friends’ at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” and that the SCO serves an example to the whole world for “promoting the healthy and just development of international relations.” President Xi met with the leaders of ten different attending nations in bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit.

Deng Hao, secretary-general of the China Center for SCO Studies, elaborated on the SCO meeting in comments to Global Times, noting that “the U.S.-led West is now putting extreme pressure on Russia while not reducing its containment of China, Deng said.” Deng commented:

“The geopolitical stakes are at an unprecedentedly high level. Against this backdrop, the sense of crisis and uncertainty facing the vast majority of developing countries has clearly increased. Countries that have not entered the West’s ‘small clique’ have attached great importance to this visit of President Xi and are eagerly looking forward to his visit. This visit is believed to bring confidence and hope to the world.... Because they saw China’s development, and are more in agreement with the ideas and propositions put forward by China,” he said.

“There are more than 200 countries around the world, the vast majority of which do not follow the U.S. and many are fed up with the selfish and self-serving attitude of the superpower. More countries have asked to join the SCO as they want to get a sense of stability, security and development, that is, a chance to get out of trouble and achieve revitalization,” Deng said.

Peskov Reveals Russia and China Have ‘Similar Attitude’ about U.S. Provocative Actions

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Rossiya-1 TV channel on Sunday, Sept. 18, that there is an “absolute similarity in the attitude” of Russia and China toward “various kinds of provocative actions, the source of which is the United States,” and that they concurred as to the “inadmissibility of such destabilizing behavior.” Peskov did not further specify, but it is evident that the issues of Ukraine and Taiwan are among such leading concerns.

Further reporting on the meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Peskov stated: “Actualizing their bilateral relations, it is exactly Russia and China that don’t seek to be in the driver’s seat in the world. We know that other countries do show such tendencies.”

STRATEGIC WAR DANGER

BBC’s Wishful Thinking Suggests SCO Marks a Split Between Xi and Putin

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—Although Putin’s Russia and Xi Jinping’s China have in fact developed a close relationship in collaborating to head a multipolar union of increasingly successful developing powers against the Anglo-American bully, the BBC is going out of its way to whip up talk of China’s resentment due to Putin’s special military operation in Ukraine.

BBC flavored its report on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s annual Heads of State Council summit with claims of Russian failures in Ukraine, including asserting that Russia’s army suffered “significant losses.” They once again argue that economic sanctions will eventually force Russia to capitulate, citing John Hopkins Prof. Sergey Radchenko to claim that Russia will not be able to replace Western markets—which Moscow is of course now doing: “I don’t see this happening.... What Russia needs is ultimately in the West: its technology, its markets.”

Western Media Are Abuzz with Discussion about U.S. Sending Long-Range Weapons to Kiev

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told PBS on Sept. 16 that he was hopeful that the U.S. would agree to send Ukraine longer-range missiles systems, as well as ammunition for the 16 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) already in the country. The U.S. and Ukraine “are discussing this issue,” he reported. “I do not exclude the option that the United States will make a positive decision on this specific type of weapon,” he added, referring to HIMARS longer-range munitions. This was necessary, he claimed, to “get things done on the battleground.”

Such capabilities, like the long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) that is also being discussed, have a range of up to 300 km and would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory. Both Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova have warned such a step would “cross the red line” and make the U.S. “an actual party” in the military conflict.

CNN reported on Sept. 15, citing unnamed sources, that Washington at this point does not plan to provide such long-range weapons to Ukraine, “fearing the move would be escalatory.” Politico reported the next day that the U.S. and Ukraine are conducting quiet, preliminary negotiations over sending Patriot air defense systems, F-16 fighter jets, and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to that country. The two countries “are discussing whether to send all three items as long-term financing deals are being hammered out,” Politico reported, and that “deliberations on the matter are still in the early stages. The final decision will be made by U.S. President Joe Biden.”

CNBC news reported that the Pentagon has advised the White House to not send long-range missile systems to Ukraine, since they “could be used against targets inside Russian territory” and this could “potentially set off a wider war with Russia.”

EIR cannot at this point vouch for the accuracy of these media reports. What is clear is that such a suicidal policy is under active consideration in Washington and other NATO capitals.

Lukashenko Warns the U.S. Is Pushing Europe into War Against Russia in Ukraine

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told an audience on Popular Unity Day on Sept. 17 that “the United States is pushing Europe into a military confrontation with Russia on the territory of Ukraine. It makes no secret of its plans. Contracts were concluded for years to come. The aim is to weaken Russia and destroy Belarus,” he said.

He warned: “Do you remember the days when everyone was licking the boots of fascist Germany and Hitler? The leadership of Poland was groveling more than anybody else. And what did it lead to? In early September, in just two weeks, Poland ceased to exist. It is a pity that our neighbors have not learned the lessons of history.”

Putin Charges Ukraine with ‘Terrorist Attacks’ Near Russian Nuclear Plants

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—In his Sept. 16 press conference in Samarkand after the SCO summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is not the only nuclear plant threatened by the Kiev government’s military attacks: “Terrorist attacks are a serious matter. In fact, it is about using terrorist methods. We see this in the killing of officials in the liberated territories, we even see attempts at perpetrating terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation, including—I am not sure if this was made public—attempts to carry out terrorist attacks near our nuclear facilities, nuclear power plants in the Russian Federation. I am not even talking about the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.”

The Russian President was dismissive of the new “Kiev Security Compact,” released on Sept. 13 and co-authored by Ukraine’s Chief of the Presidential Office Andrii Yermak and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. “Frankly, I am not familiar with what they have come up with this time.... What have they come up with? I don’t know because they change their position on every issue almost every day. I must have a look.”

Murder Attempt on Argentine VP Was Not a Local Matter. Cui Bono?

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—A little over two weeks after the Sept. 1 assassination attempt against Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, investigators have produced irrefutable proof that this was not a “lone wolf” attack, but a carefully planned event, involving a group of poor lumpen youth who worked as street vendors (known as “los Topitos”) but who were clearly deployed and financed by other networks. Would-be assassin Fernando Sabag Montiel and his girlfriend Brenda Uliarte are under arrest and indicted for “aggravated premeditated attempted murder.” Two other of their collaborators are under arrest and more arrests are expected.

On one level, these individuals are part of a broader fascist apparatus built up especially over the past 4-5 months, a kind of local “strategy of tension,” which has staged a series of violent demonstrations over this period, targetting Fernández de Kirchner specifically, but also President Alberto Fernández, legislators from the ruling Front for All coalition, and anyone else connected to what they termed the Kirchner “parasites.” The Topitos describe themselves as “haters” as well as anti-Semites, and variously pro-Hitler anti-government anarchists. They are linked to the Federal Revolution and Nation of Dispossessed right-wing nihilist groups, whose tactics over the last four months have included placing a guillotine in front of the Presidential palace with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s name on it, and putting body bags there with the names of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President Alberto Fernández, and others.

While specialized police agencies investigating the murder attempt have accumulated extensive evidence identifying these local networks and are correctly zeroing in on the money trail, they are, however, making a strategic mistake by treating this is a local matter and not pursuing the critical international leads—not least of which are Sabag’s Azov Regiment Black Sun and swastika tattoos. This is a similar mistake to that made by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in 2016 when she was overthrown in an internationally orchestrated bankers’ coup, but insisted on identifying the perpetrators of her ouster only as local opponents. She waged a heroic fight to defend herself, but ultimately failed.

This news service and its friends in several Ibero-American countries have published articles on the likely role of the NATO, British and American Establishment circles behind the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) and the networks associated with the Nazi Azov Battalion, in the targeting of Cristina Kirchner—as an international issue. A counter-attack based on this understanding is required, inasmuch as the Anglo-American financier and allied U.S. State Department and NATO networks have no intention of leaving Argentina, Brazil, or other nations of the Global South free to associate with the BRICS, the SCO and the Belt and Road Initiative.

That will begin to get to the answer to the question “cui bono?” There’s no question that the attempted murder of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was also intended as a message for Inacio Lula da Silva, the former Brazilian President who is likely to win the Oct. 2 presidential election outright, much to the displeasure of the Anglo-American oligarchy. As a BRICS nation, Brazil will forge a closer alliance with Argentina, soon to also join the BRICS, and other developing nations that are moving away from the “rules-based order.”

COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM

European Union To Stop Importing Russian Oil in December

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—The EU has proudly announced that it will be officially shooting itself in the foot in December, when most imports of Russian crude oil will be banned, and that it will then again shoot itself in the other foot in February, when all oil products will similarly be prohibited. This timing, of course, places the cuts at the height of the winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

According to the International Energy Agency, the cuts will amount to some 2 million barrels of Russian oil a day. Russia has already made provisions to place about half that amount with other buyers—including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, and a number of Middle Eastern countries—Bloomberg reported, citing analytics company Kpler. Russia is offering discounts in the range of 30% to many of these buyers.

Chaos in Europe on the Energy Front

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—Italy’s La Repubblica reported on Sept. 17 that Italy is concerned that France may stop exporting electricity to them as winter approaches, according to an account in RT. France’s grid operator RTE warned in its winter outlook report that reductions in nuclear energy output may require it to shut down its interconnectors to Italy and the U.K. However, France’s energy transition ministry stated that “France reaffirms its commitment to reciprocal solidarity regarding gas and electricity with all our European neighbors. Fully functioning electric interconnections are a priority for collective supply security,” according to Bloomberg.

In Germany, the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper reported on Sept. 16 that the country’s local public utilities association, VKU, was forecasting that electricity prices this year could jump by up to 60%.

And in Moldova, the government has opened a special website: “The site provides information about the nearest forestry, thus facilitating the process of providing the population with firewood for heating,” the press service of the Moldovan Cabinet of Ministers said in a statement. Moldova is facing a catastrophe: Gas prices have jumped fivefold during 2022; overall inflation is more than 30%; and the government is urging the population to reduce gas consumption as much as possible. Moldova also has an Oct. 1 deadline to negotiate debt repayment with Russia’s Gazprom, or it could see its gas supplies cut altogether.

UNITED STATES

At Ohio Rally, Trump Tells Some Truths about Media and Biden, Some Bellicose Lies against Russia and China

Sept. 18 (EIRNS)—At the close of yesterday’s Youngstown, Ohio rally on behalf of Senate candidate J.D. Vance, former President Donald Trump concluded by reciting a combination of some true and other ridiculously false narratives, to a melody being played over the loudspeakers that the QAnon followers in the crowd reportedly raised their fingers to the heavens over. Some of what Trump said was:

“We are a nation that allowed Russia to devastate a country, Ukraine, killing hundreds of thousands of people and it will only get worse. It would never happen with me as your Commander-in-Chief and for four long years it didn’t happen; and China with Taiwan is next. We are a nation that has weaponized its law enforcement against the opposition political party like never ever before. We’ve got a Federal Bureau of Investigation that won’t allow bad, election-changing facts to be presented to the public; that Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation when they know it wasn’t; and a Department of Justice that refuses to investigate when egregious acts of voting irregularities and fraud; and we have a President who is cognitively impaired and in no condition to lead our country, which may end up in World War III. We’re a nation that no longer has a free press and has no fair press any longer. Fake news is all you get, and they are truly the enemy of the people. We are a nation where free speech is no longer allowed, where crime is rampant like never before, where the economy has been collapsing, where more people died of COVID in 2021 than in 2020. We are a nation that is allowing Iran to build a massive nuclear weapon and China to use the trillions of dollars it has taken from us to build a military to rival our own. And just two years ago we had Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, and all of the rest in check. They weren’t going to do a thing against us and everyone knows it. They respected the United States and they respected America....

“We will stand up to the radical left lunatics and RINOs and we will fight for America like no one has ever fought before.”

Reach us at www.larouchepub.com

postscript by Fran: