6/14/2015 articles
Yes the real movers and shakers in U.S. foreign policy go under the blanket cover name of the Bilderberg Group or Bilderbergers.
Members of the group recently met for three days in a resort in the Austrian Alps.
Security was tight, protesters put in their appearances but the meeting went on just the same.
Among the attendees were former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger; Thomas Donilon, former Obama White House national security adviser under President Obama; former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina; former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus; Mary Erdoes, CEO of J.P. Morgan Asset Management; Princess Beatrix or the Netherlands; Goldman Sachs executive Robert Zoellick; Jose Barroso, former president of the European Union Commission; and executives from corporations ranging from Google to Shell.
The Bilderberg Group does not press coverage of its meetings and there are no recordings of closed-door sessions.
It’s often said that groups like the Bilderbergers do nothing more than eat, meet and retreat.
In fact, Angelo M. Codevilla, professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University, suggests that the United States follow President Theodore Roosevelt’s recipe: “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” “Use it sparingly: but so fashion your stick, and use it so that those whom you can hit can cause you no further trouble.”
Reigning in CIA Funding
The House Intelligence Committee has decided to trim classified appropriations for the Middle East, especially by 20 percent for Syria. The vote was unanimous.
U.S. officials said the CIA has trained and equipped nearly 10,000 fighters sent into Syria over the past several years.
At $1 billion, Syria-related operations account for about $1 of every $15 in the CIA’s overall budget, judging by spending levels revealed in documents The Washington Post obtained from former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to begin work this month on its own budget for U.S spy agencies. U.S. officials said the White House has signaled that it will seek to persuade the Senate panel to protect the CIA.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton continues to be the leading spokesperson for women political leaders.
But wait. There’s another lady who is seeking the presidency. Her name is Carly Fiorina who made her mark as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard.
At a dinner in Washington, she defined “feminist” “as a woman who lives the life she chooses.” The 60 years old retired executive cites the failure of progressive feminism “is rooted in the fact that liberals are focused more about winning elections than empowering women.”
Meanwhile, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is scheduled to make his announcement on Monday, June 15. Remember, his father and brother served as Presidents. You could say it’s in his blood to be president.
A Party in Revolt
Back to the House winding up business by voting on Obama’s trade bill—a 12 nation Pacific trade agreement. Obama and his party were defeated by Democratic votes. The vote on the bill: 219-21l. From The New York Times, June 13, 2012, page 1-42: “We want a better deal for America’s workers,” said Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, who has guided the president’s agenda for two terms and was personally lobbied by Mr. Obama until the last minute.
Stay tuned for further developments.