FIRST IT WAS PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte who promised to break ties with the US and work with China and Russia (See Philippine President Tilts toward China and Russia).

Less than a week later Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak headed to China for a seven day visit ending November 6. As expected, on November 2, Najib joined the growing global chorus when he told the West to “‘stop lecturing’ as Malaysia embraces China”.

The week-long trip by Najib Razak marks another potential blow for Washington’s “pivot” toward Asia, two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte of longtime US ally the Philippines used a visit to China to say it was “time to say goodbye to America”.

According to Asian political analyst Bridget Welsh.

“This is the new regional norm. Now China is implementing the power and the US is in retreat,” she said, adding Washington’s Asia pivot was “dead in the water”.

Najib is expected to sign at least ten trade agreements and a “significant defense deal” in a strategic shift  toward China. Chinese corporations are already involved in Malaysia; recently they negotiated  a $7 billion plan to develop a port in Malacca and are looking forward to building a high speed rail connecting Malaysia to the port city of Singapore.

Both the Philippines and Malaysia are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Formed in  1967 to facilitate cooperation and regional solidarity,  ASEAN consists of ten Southeast Asian Countries having a population of 625 million and a combined economic output of nearly three trillion dollars. Brimming with such potential, in 2015 they formed the Asian Economic Community (AEC)  to facilitate free movement of economic services, products, supplies and personnel across one of the world’s largest markets.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have already formed a new global economic cooperative referred to as BRICS. With a combined population of nearly 4 billion people (half of the entire global population), BRICS nations generate roughly 23% of the gross world product and boast a combined GDP of $37 trillion with over $4 trillion in foreign reserves.

President Duterte of the Philippines has already clearly articulated his nation’s shift toward China and Russia. Now the Prime Minister of Malaysia seems to be moving in the same direction, it is fairly certain that the move will in some way involve the entire BRICS bloc adding to its continued growth and international economic and political clout.

Clearly, the ASEAN region is poised to be an economic and political battle zone pitting Western liberalism led by the US and the UK against the emerging BRICS alliance led by Russia and China.

As early as 1997 Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad manifested disdain for foreign investors operating behind the liberal shibboleth of “free market self interest” whose wealth he said, “must come from impoverishing others, from taking what others have in order to enrich themselves. Their weapon is their wealth against the poverty of others.”[1]  He specifically pointed out leading liberal ideologue and ffinancier George Soros whom he said was

“..orchestrating Malaysia’s economic crisis—the PM announced to an assembled group of economists and bankers that “Mr. Soros’s ilk had to be stopped.”[2]

Realizing that the real source of a nation’s wealth is its natural resources and the human labor necessary to extract, transform, and improve them, the PM is opposed to easy money schemes, to usury, currency trading and the speculative derivative market. According to Mahathuir:

“I am saying that currency trading is unnecessary, unproductive and totally immoral. It should be stopped. It should be made illegal. We don’t need currency trading.”[3]

Quoting Pope Leo XIII, Mahathir said that “rapacious usury” is immoral. “It has precipitated economic decline and suffering throughout much of Asia and should be condemned.” [4]

In retaliation, Mr. Soros then called Mahathir a “menace to his own country.”[5]

Mahathir was ardently opposed to the IMF and allied International Banking System that instituted and then mandated neoliberal economic-political polices that drove third world nations around the world into economic and political dependency resulting in much of the unrest and animus toward the West being  experienced today.

The World Bank/IMF system is no longer the only player on the block.  Third world nations can now turn to BRICS and to other new financial institutions headed by China and Russia et al such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which are defending national sovereignty and national self determination and therefore offering grants and aid without political strings attached. Thus, it is not surprising that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib is opening his arms to the AIIB, which he sad represents anew beginning of

 “…peaceful dialogue, not foreign intervention in sovereign states”.

Indicating his displeasure with the IMF and World bank, Najib stated that

“Global institutions need to be inclusive of ‘countries that were given no say in the legal and security infrastructure that was set up by the victors of the Second World War.'”

It is hardly any wonder that third world nations fed up with ideological manipulation, paternalism, usury and financial exploitation are looking for alternatives and turning to Russia and China.

Western financial overlords are not going to take the ASEAN exit siting down. Already naval operations in the South Pacific are turning hot as the US has increased its naval presence and has proliferated military exercises while China protests the intrusion and is engages in joint naval operations and exercises with Russia. Western agents operating in the Philippines have apparently already swung into full gear facilitating protests against Duterte for his turn toward China.  The Philippines has become a hot-spot, a place where unrest is easily predictable despite the fact that Duterte has an 86% approval raring among Philippians.

Recognizing the trend and the destabilizing effect of foreign agents employed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in places if vital interest to US foreign policy. Mathew Maavak representing Risk Foresight at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) comments:

“NGOs and the West-friendly media constitute a major subsidiary of the global social revolutions enterprise. Together, they seek out, identify and amplify public discontent in nations not aligned to the United States.”

“To the agitprop entrepreneur, the returns on revolutionary investments are immense.”[6]

Tony Cartalucci writing for New Eastern Outlook, confirms the covert operations of foreign agents, operations which are no longer clandestine – everyone knows about them.:

“It is becoming clear that US influence – despite its “pivot toward Asia” – is waning across the Asia Pacific region. Washington has suffered geopolitical setbacks in virtually every nation in Asia Pacific, including those now led by regimes it has meticulously organized, funded, and backed for decades. It is also waning, however, among those nations considered long-time and crucial US allies”

“Asia has for decades been made to “cave” to Washington’s every whim. It should be no surprise that a newspaper founded by a former US intelligence officer and funded by the US State Department would exhibit in its editorial pages the same sort of shameless exceptionalism that the US itself exhibits upon the international stage.”

The United States must rethink its foreign policy and find the political strength to reign in Wall Street and bring rapacious usury under control before it finds the entire world turned against it. The signs of the times indicate a clear trend against liberalism in the guise of friendly liberty, equality and  fraternity. Equality went out with socialism, Liberty has reared her ugly head and everyone knows what a “fraternity is” and who it benefits. Amid a growing clamor for justice, morality and charity,  developing nations around the world are increasingly turning to Russia.  This is surprising only to those who lack a theopolitical perspective.  It is not surprising to those who expect an “Era of Peace” and know it is associated with the conversion of Russia.

Peace is coming with our cooperation or without. The United States needs leadership that will align it with Divine Providence and cease working against it.

________________________
NOTES

[1] Edward A. Gargan, (1997) “Premier of Malaysia Spars With Currency Dealer,” New York Times, September 22.

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/10/30/george-soros-wants-to-create-color-revolution-in-southeast-asia/#_ftn4

[5] Gargan, “Premier of Malaysia Spars With Currency Dealer,” NY Times, September 22, 1997.

[6] https://sputniknews.com/politics/201610281046843489-soros-wikileaks-malaysia-leak/

IN 2017 WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE the centennial of the Apparitions of Fatima. The Secretariat of Fatima – one of the important centres of research and spread of the message of the Virgin Mary of Cova da Iria, with its office at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Zakopane/Poland – has, therefore, invited the clergy and faithful of the Catholic Church of Poland to prepare together for this important event by means of a Great Novena of 9 years, which began on May 13, 2009, and will conclude on May 13, 2017.

Visit the official Polish Page (Sekretariat Fatimski) 

The idea of the Novena got the blessing of His Eminence Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz, Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow, and the approval of the Shrine of Fatima (Portugal) and of the Marian Institute of Regensburg/Germany. Practically all the dioceses of Poland accepted the idea and are extending to their parishes the invitation to take part in the Great Fatima Novena. The priests and faithful of Canada, United States, Norway and Hungary have also joined in.

Each year will be consecrated to one of the fundamental contents of the message of Fatima. During the Novena the idea is to reflect on the most urgent appeals of God addressed to all of us through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Great Fatima Novena – full of prayer, reflection and catechesis – ought to be a help in the search of the way that leads to a “new and better world” (John Paul II); to a personal conversion; and to the promised triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Those in charge of organizing the Novena ask all Christians making the Novena to pray with words based on the Act of Consecration of Russia and the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, addressed by Pope John Paul II to Our Lady on March 25, 1984, Feast of the Annunciation. Sister Lucia said: “this was the first triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”! The Pope’s prayer had the force to move Heaven. Therefore, while we prepare for the centennial of the Apparitions, we want to remind to Our Lady the words of the Holy Father, for they were efficacious and did miracles. Thus should be our prayer and the whole Great Fatima Novena.

To conclude, we present the Prayer of Entrustment of the Novena, which alludes to the speech of Pope John Paul II made on the prayer vigil, at Fatima, on May 12, 1991: “Receive, O Mother of God and my Mother, this Great Fatima Novena, prayed in Your honour and for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, Light without sunset, which our steps seek with anxiety and often with uncertainty. Virgin of Fatima, walk with me! Lead me to Your Son! Lead me to the Port of Salvation! Pray for me, a sinner, now and at the hour of my death! Amen!”

Beata Kozakiewicz
TV Gloria – Poland

Annual Themes of the Great Novena of Fatima:

1. CONFIDENT OF VICTORY (2009)
Confrontation with the civilization of death

2.SECURE AT THE EGE OF TIME (2010)
Always with Mary

3.MORE THAN TEMPORALITY (2011)
There is heaven, hell and purgatory

4.WE DO NOT LIVE FOR OURSELVES (2012)
Reparation for the sins of the world

5.EUCHARISTIC KEY (2013)
Miracle of miracles that changes everything

6.INVITED TO HEAVEN (2014)
Yet the rosary, scapular, penitential string

7.POWER OF THE FAMILY (2015)
Home church that the gates of the underworld will not prevail against it

8.GOD IS MERCIFUL (2016)
Last word belongs to God who is Love

9.WAY THROUGH THE HEART (2017)
Covenant of hearts: Jesus’, Mary’s and ours

 

THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY OF POLAND (PiS) has missed the October 31 deadline to amend controversial changes to its Constitutional Tribunal – demanded by  the European Union. PiS, a strongly Catholic oriented party, assumed power in Poland in October of 2015.

Warsaw has been in a battle with Brussels (the EU) ever since  December 2015 when the Polish Government added five new judges to the nation’s Constitutional Tribunal. This move was interpreted by outside critics as a political maneuver that would make it easier to push through legislation opposed to the liberal legislation of the past 20 years.

Among other things, the new government also moved to gain control over the media, which was being funded and overtly influenced by foreign  sources from Germany, UK, and USA.

Because it was clear that Polish culture had been systematically invaded by Western media outlets, by libertarian think tanks, and by foreign agents of the EU and US influencing the development of “democracy” and freedom including the structuring of its new government and court system. PiS simply decided the time had come to do something about reasserting Poland’s national sovereignty and the promotion of its own indigenous cultural values – something anathema to liberal ideologues operating in Warsaw and throughout Poland. Consequently, PiS began the process of minimizing  outside meddling in their political and domestic affairs, but not without significant opposition.

Poland then adopted a new law permitting increased state control over media. The law permits the government to terminate employment of media executives and to appoint new heads.

Immediately the new government was hit with accusations of  tyranny and autocracy  simply because they wanted the Polish media to be run by Poles and  to reflect Polish values. Various EU leaders including Volker Kauder of  the ruling German CDU party called for retaliation and began demanding that EU nations impose sanctions on Poland for the violation of “European values.”.

Speaking to Der Spiegel, Kauder emphasized that Poland should swallow Western liberal values or be forced to pay a price for failing to do so. Brussels, he said, must:

 “…find  the courage to apply sanctions” against a disobedient Poland if  “European values are violated.”

However, in a show of solidarity with Poland, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that his country  would veto any EU sanctions against Poland.

Chancellor Merkel of Germany is swinging a more brutal hammer.  According to Merkel

“It strikes me as somehow very strange that those (such as Poland) who consider themselves lucky that they have lived to see the end of the Cold War now think that one can completely stay out of certain developments of globalization.”

Since EU sanctions can only be imposed if the European Council unanimously agrees to impose them, Viktor Orban’s promise to veto and measures against Poland makes it unlikely that the EU can follow through on its threat without violating its own standards. Consequently, Brussels and Berlin have had resort to other tactics, such as a medias smear campaign of PiS, to force compliance on Poland.

Brit Hypocrisy

Recently RT – a Russian news agency operating in  London – had all of its UK accounts blocked and has been asked to cease operations in the UK. The National Westminster Bank said its parent organization Royal Bank of Scotland Group would refuse to service Sputnik without “any discussion.” 

“We have recently undertaken a review of your banking arrangements with us and reached the conclusion that we will no longer provide these facilities,” NatWest said in a letter to RT’s London office.

The UK, a group of countries among the most vociferous about freedom of press, including its insistence that it has a universal right to operate anywhere else in the world including Poland, is acting hypocritically. The UK is upset that Poland wishes to assume control over its own media including the right to regulate British foreign agents operating radio and television stations on Polish soil, but at the same time the UK screams about its right to operate media outlets in foreign countries, it wants to deny them to foreign agents, such as RT, operating in its country.

George Galloway, a British politician and broadcaster remarked that while the decision to block RT’s accounts was made by the bank, it was likely given a tacit approval by the British government.

“There’s no doubt that the government must’ve been consulted and assented to such a crude and transparently obvious political step that comes as discussions have been taking place in London between a motley crew of coalition allies about stepping up sanctions on Syria and on Russia. And it’s clear enough that this is the first shot, at least, in a new offensive. This necessarily means the abandonment by Britain of its obligations towards freedom of speech, freedom of expression; it takes British-Russian relations back to not just a Cold War era but probably to the early 20s.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out the hypocrisy.

“It seems that leaving the EU, London has left all its freedom of speech obligations in Europe. As they say, a new life without bad habits.”

Polish Response

The deadline for Poland to rectify (1) the internal restructuring of its Tribunal and (2) its assumed control over its own media ran out on October 31. Poland now faces action form the EU. Members of the European Liberals and Democrats  are vociferously persuading the European Commission to initiate, invoke, and enforce Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union, which would suspend Poland’s voting rights on the European Council, something which has never been done before to any EU nation – Poland would be the first nation ever to be sanctioned under Article 7.

Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian Prime Minister and head of European Liberal and Democrats (ELDR) who exist to promote a secular anti-Christian liberal society throughout Europe (see note below) has said.

 “The EU must uphold the rule of law — all citizens, businesses and also Member States must abide by the same rules. As all steps of the rule of law procedure are now exhausted, the European Commission must be consistent and trigger the Article 7 Procedure.”

Karol Karski, a constitutional expert and member of PiS representing Poland on the European Parliament responded:

“We view the allegations that we are breaching rule of law as pure arrogance.”

It is becoming increasingly clear who the real; tyrants are:

Is the EU led by Germany to promote democracy home rule and national sovereignty or will they take the fascist route and impose their will on weaker nations while calling for tolerance and freedom for everyone else who advances their liberal agenda?

In closing, Stanislav Stremidlovsky a journalist for the Russian news agency REGNUM offers a trenchant insight:

“It’s time to admit the obvious: we need a different Germany and other Germans. Chancellor Merkel, unfortunately, showed that it is difficult for Berlin to adhere to some moderate midline….Europe and the world needs a more sensible Germany, more soft and tolerant, but at the same time able to firmly defend European Christian values ​​and interests of the citizens of the European Union.

 

“There is one more interesting nuance here: when taking into account the Europe’s dominant national religions, the continent’s Catholic countries tend to be more friendly toward Russia than Protestant ones. Up to now, Poland has remained the exception, an anomaly, to this rule. Now, Warsaw has a chance to take its worthy place in the ‘axis of nations in the EU’. It will find Hungary and Orban’s help useful.”

It is clear what is going on in Poland and why there is a reaction to it. Poland will continue to grow as a Christian nation and to act as the spark out of which world-wide Christian reform will come as it, along with a growing array of other nations (see homepage section: “Global Politics Fast Track to Truth) continues to oppose the liberal agenda and, along with them, to assert its right to self-determination and to foster respect for its cultural patrimony.

 

_________________________________
NOTE

According to the European Liberals and Democrats (ELDR):

“Liberty is … often violated or affected by laws and political choices inspired by ideological prejudices and religious dogma.”

Consequently, the ELDR Party “commits to directly sustain through its member Parties reforms aimed at:

• “allowing…scientific research on embryonic stem cells (including somatic cell nuclear transfer) aimed at the understanding and the cure of diseases which afflict hundreds of millions of people in the world;”

• “allowing access to assisted conception and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for couples who suffer from genetic diseases, in addition to in vitro fertilisation using donor sperm;”

• “guaranteeing therapeutic freedom, at the level of the relationship between doctor and patient, in the prescription of pharmaceuticals which have been tested and are authorised in many countries, but in some others are restricted or prohibited, such as: the abortion pill RU 486, therapeutic cannabis, pharmacological treatments (including heroin administered under medical control) for drug addicts, and marijuana as pain relief;”

• “allowing the individual autonomy and responsibility in end-of-life decisions, first of all by ending the clandestine practice of euthanasia by guaranteeing respect for the freely and unequivocally expressed individual will, also through the adoption of directives of treatment and forms of regulation of euthanasia based on the Dutch, Belgian, or Swiss models, or on the draft legislation being examined by the British parliament;”

“The removal of unreasonable prohibitions is the premise for research investment policies and constitutes an essential element of every strategy for economic, civil and democratic development. Scientific methods – based upon empirical analysis and not on ideological prejudices – can and must be adopted by politicians and liberal democracies, such as a secular method of choosing government solutions to problems of our times affecting the individual and his relationship with society and the  environment. Secularisation of institutions and separation between State and Church is a prerequisite both for the exercise of rights and individual liberties and for peaceful coexistence among peoples.”