Flu outbreak, biological weapons research, Mexico

From Infowars: Previous Swine Flu Outbreak Originated At Fort Dix

Mass vaccination program was halted after hundreds contracted debilitating nerve disease

Steve Watson
Infowars.net
Friday, April 24, 2009

Given the reports of the possibility of a swine flu epidemic, is interesting to note that last time there was a significant outbreak of a new form of swine flu in the U.S. it originated at the army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

http://www.infowars.net/articles/april2009/240409Dix.htm

From: News Updates from Citizens For Legitimate Government

24 Apr 2009

WHO worries Mexico flu deaths could mark pandemic 25 Apr 2009 Mexico closed its schools across its capital Friday after at least 16 otherwise healthy people died and more than 900 others fell ill from what could be a new strain of swine flu. The World Health Organization worried that it could mark the start of a flu pandemic.

Outbreak in Mexico, U.S. tied to new swine flu --Source of unique virus a mystery; CDC expects more cases 24 Apr 2009 The unique strain of swine flu found in seven people in California and Texas has been connected to the deadly flu that has broken out in Mexico, killing as many as 61 people. The strain has never been seen before and is raising fears of a possible pandemic across North America. The World Health Organization said the virus that killed at least 12 of the victims in Mexico had the same genetic structure as an outbreak discovered in California. [See: DoD to carry out 'military missions' during pandemic, WMD attack and DoD to 'augment civilian law' during pandemic or bioterror attack.]

Navy Experimenting With Flu at Mexican Border --Mexico Shuts Schools Amid Deadly Flu Outbreak 25 Apr 2009 Mexican officials, scrambling to control a swine flu outbreak that has killed at least 16 people and possibly dozens more in recent weeks... The unusual strain this year was noticed, said Dr. Anne Schuchat [director of respiratory diseases the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], only because the agency was trying out a new diagnostic test at a Navy laboratory and doing more testing than usual through a new Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Project along the Mexican border. [See: The U.S.-Mexico Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Project: Establishing Bi-national Border Surveillance (cdc.gov).]

Mexico City suspends school over flu epidemic 24 Apr 2009 Mexico City has suspended classes at schools and universities to contain what could be a new flu strain. Health Secretary Jose Cordova says private and public schools in this metropolis of 20 million have been ordered to remain closed Friday. The measure could be extended in coming days. Cordova says the flu is a "new, different strain that can attack anyone." [See: Flu 'Oddities']

'Laboratory testing showed that the virus does not match any known flu strains.' In California and Texas, 5 New Swine Flu Cases 24 Apr 2009 Government scientists have identified five more people who have been infected with swine flu, apparently confirming suspicions that the unusual strain of the respiratory infection is spreading from person to person, federal health officials said yesterday. Three new cases were found in California and two in Texas, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven, officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said... Genetic analysis of the virus indicates it is highly unusual: It is a hybrid that resulted from a [Fort Detrick?] combination of four different viruses.'

U.S. May Expand Military Role in Mexico --'Anti-Drug' Effort Could Send National Guard to U.S.-Mexico Border 24 Apr 2009 The Pentagon and Homeland Security Department are developing contingency plans to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border under a $350 million initiative that would expand the U.S. military's role in the war on drugs bioterror, according to Obama administration officials. The circumstances under which the troops could be deployed have not been determined, the officials said.

[infowarsnews] Top Democrats Complicit In Torture Cover-Up

From Paul Joseph Watson - Prison Planet.com - Friday, April 24, 2009

We now know why top Democrats are protecting Bush administration officials from facing an inquiry into the illegal torture program - because several of them were actually complicit in giving their approval for such methods to be used.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/top-democrats-complicit-in-torture-cover-up.html

Taliban Problem Going Critical in Pakistan

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman warned in a speech in the National Assembly on Wednesday that the Taliban were closing in on Islamabad.

"You talk about Swat and Buner, but according to my information, they have reached Kala Dhaka and Tarbela. And if they continue advancing, there will be only Margalla Hills between them and the federal capital," he said. He blamed the "civil war-like situation" on former president Pervez Musharraf's decision to join the US-led war on terror. He said the fallout would also affect India and China.

The Swat peace deal was "based on defeat, not success", he said. Fazl said there was no writ of the state in the NWFP.

PML-N's Khawaja Asif urged the government to revisit the deal with Sufi Muhammad saying the Taliban had made public their intention of taking over the whole of Pakistan.

More...

Geopolitical Diary: Taliban Problem Going Critical in Pakistan
April 22, 2009 | 0329 GMT

A spokesman for Pakistan's military said Tuesday that the peace agreement between the government and Islamist militants in the Swat region has given the Taliban an opportunity to regroup, after having been flushed out by army operations some months back. Elsewhere, the information ministers of both the federal government and North-West Frontier Province warned the Taliban group in Swat, the Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-Muhammadi (TNSM), to uphold its end of the peace deal and disarm, or face government action.

These comments followed statements made during the weekend by TNSM leader Maulana Sufi Muhammad: He denounced Pakistan's constitution, parliament and Supreme Court as un-Islamic and called for Sharia to be imposed throughout the country. In a related development, the rebellious imam of Islamabad's Red Mosque, Maulana Abdul Aziz - who led a bloody rising in July 2007 - was released on bail. He told followers to be ready to make sacrifices to ensure that Islam is enforced through the entire country.

As expected, the Swat "Sharia for peace" deal appears to be falling apart - within a week of being ratified. The collapse is yet another manifestation of a weakened Pakistani state being manipulated by Taliban rebels. But a far important point is that the current situation is untenable.

Pakistani government leaders cannot remain on the path of negotiations while the Taliban are going for the jugular. The entire rationale behind the peace agreement was that the insurgency in Swat could be ended if Sharia was enforced in the restive area. The Taliban not only have shown that they are unwilling to disarm, but their ambitions are escalating from a local to a national level.

This leaves the government with two choices: Either continue down the current path - allowing the jihadists to advance their cause while trying to avoid confrontation - or draw the line. In either case, conflict would be inevitable.

The difference is one of time and location. The Pakistanis either can fight the jihadists now, seeking to limit the conflict to the Pashtun regions of the northwest, or wait to fight - while the jihadists move to strengthen their ability to strike in Punjab province, the heart of Pakistan. The state is being pushed toward taking action by both the deteriorating security situation at home and mounting pressure from the United States. But it is not clear whether there is sufficient political will in Islamabad to go on the offensive.

Much of this is because the state is caught between the contradictory needs to combat the "bad" Taliban (those that fight in Pakistan) while still maintaining influence over the "good" ones (those that fight in Afghanistan). This distinction itself is a problem: The jihadist landscape is far more complicated than such neat binary categorizations would seem to allow. The problems Islamabad faces in this regard offer a glimpse of what the Obama administration can expect in its efforts to distinguish between what Washington sees as Taliban it can deal with versus Taliban it cannot deal with.

Overall, Pakistan's situation is far more dire than the situation the United States will face in Afghanistan as it increases troop commitments and seeks out pragmatic Taliban with whom to negotiate. For Islamabad, the war is hitting home now more than ever.

More...

Chinese Diversification Strategy

Just in from Jim Willie. Excerpt:
"In a series of maneuvers, Chinese officials have revealed their strategy implementation in a very broad set of steps. Beijing leaders plan to establish the yuan currency as a global reserve currency. The process will be made more complete after issuance of a large volume of Chinese Govt debt securities, soon in coming. The number of policy actions is impressive. ...

The Chinese Govt has ordered monetary policy changes that have boosted their money supply by 25.5% over the last twelve months, with a giant stimulus program and relaxed bank credit rules. Since new maneuvers are being funded by incremental new surplus funds, they are exhibiting their financial power without upsetting their vast reserves accounts. The lost in the USCongress might talk about ‘Pay-Go’ measures to pay for programs as we go forward, but China does it in actual terms.

The Chinese are finally deploying alternative strategic plans in heavy volume, in open defiance, and even finger wagging at USGovt leaders. From their perspective, Beijing suspects that the US Federal Reserve is engineering a covert default on America’s debt by printing money on a vast scale. The Beijing leaders have reacted in a very noticeable profound comprehensive manner that has taken many analysts and observers off guard.

In my view, the Chinese will successfully serve as the spearhead for dethroning the USDollar from its primary global reserve currency position, called by me the catbird seat.

...Ambrose said, “The beauty of recycling China’s surplus into metals instead of US bonds is that it kills so many birds with one stone:

a) it stops the yuan rising, without provoking complaints of currency manipulation by Washington;

b) metals are easily stored in warehouses, unlike oil;

c) the holdings are likely to rise in value over time since the earth’s crust is gradually depleting its accessible ores;

d) Above all, such a policy safeguards China’s industrial revolution, while the West may one day face a supply crisis. ..." Read all here

China reveals huge rise in gold reserves (and so should you)

Chris Flood in London - FT April 24 2009 12:32

China revealed on Friday that it built up its gold reserves by three quarters since 2003, making it the world’s fifth largest holder of bullion.

The move comes as European central banks continue to sell their gold and the International Monetary Fund has discussed selling some of its bullion reserves...

...“The comments [on Friday] indicate that China will buy more gold to improve its foreign reserve portfolio. This is a trend,” said Yao Haiqiao, president of Longgold Asset Management.

As the world’s largest gold producer, China might decide to source the supplies from local mines and through refining scrap metal.

Read all here