USA Drive toward Self Annihilation Reflected in Domestic, Foreign Matters

UPDATE 2023 late January through February 3

Domestic GV Death toll approaches 4,000, including:

More than 500 Dead and Wounded Children and Teens and

• More than 50 mass shootings 

Figures rising daily.

FIREARMS

Febraury 2-3, 2023, Gun Deaths (latest update from GVA)

Deaths all causes: 3,936

Homicide/Murder/Unintentional/DGU:  1,692

Suicide: 2,244

Injuries Total: 2,923

Mass Shootings:  54

Mass Murders:  6

Dead Children: 22     Dead Teenagers: 138          Injured Children: 46     Injured Teenagers: 323

https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

FIREARMS – Mass Shootings February 2023

# KILLED - # INJURED February 1

Texas City, TX

0 – 4

Los Angeles,  CA

0 -5

                                https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting

2019 Percentage of residents living in poverty

♦Texas City, Texas: 19.1 percent

Total Population: 51,898

♦Los Angeles, California: 16.7 percent

Total population 3,898,747

Additional sources

http://www.city-data.com/city/Los-Angeles-California.html

http://www.city-data.com/city/Texas-City-Texas.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City,_Texas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles

A

 diabolical pattern is played out by Americans (those who inhabit the USA) and their partnering mercenaries at home and abroad: on USA streets and in neighborhoods; against nations and peoples of the world.

Extremists wrap themselves in a religion of “Exceptionalism” and demand “their way,” “like us,” “do what we tell you to do,” “stay in line or else” suffer "our" instruments of aggression.

These extremists fume, self-righteously, and harbor irrational resentments. They manufacture and spread untruths of some fancied or fanciful offense (in their minds, balloons become missiles).

They demonize and cast blame.

They carry out or cause to be carried out a final, fatal EXECUTION:

Starve or maim the “other” (or others), poison with germs and chemicals, block access to essential trade, economic and financial sectors, and deny social, economic, human development and self-determination. Slaughter the “other” or “others” outright.

US Bloodletting footprint across the world

2023 ending January into February

Beyond the Beltway Headlines 

January 11-31

YEMEN

“‘Weapons supplied to Saudis by US, UK killed hundreds of Yemenis’: Report,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/01/11/696147/US-UK-Arms-Deals-Saudi-Arabia-Yemen

“‘Washington chiefly responsible for humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen’: Information minister,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/01/31/697315/US-chiefly-responsible-humanitarian-catastrophe-Yemen

RUSSIA
UKRAINE (tool)

“US, NATO on brink of direct war with Russia over Ukraine,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/01/25/696975/US,-NATO-on-brink-of-direct-war-with-Russia-over-Ukraine

“US senators pressure (US President Joseph) Biden for more sanctions against Russia, allies over Ukraine war,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/01/26/697048/US-Foreign-Policy-Senators-Sanctions-

February 1-3

RUSSIA
UKRAINE (tool)

“US to arm Ukraine with ‘longer-range’ missiles – Reuters: “Washington is reportedly preparing a new $2 billion aid package, including munitions that can strike deep in Russian territory,” 
https://www.rt.com/news/570784-us-glsdb-rockets-ukraine/

“‘US knowingly ignored Russia’s red lines on NATO expansion’: Report,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/02/03/697523/Cables-show-US-knowingly-ignored-Russia-redlines-of-NATO-expansion

SYRIA
US Strangling Sanctions

“The United States is actively working to discourage countries willing to normalize relations with Syria, according to a report. “‘US giving cold feet to countries willing to normalize with Syria’: Report,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/02/03/697522/Syria-US-normalization-report

“‘US inflicted huge losses on Syrian economy through war, sanctions’: Syrian officials”

“‘The United States’ illegal military presence in Syria, accompanied by systematic looting of the nation’s natural resources and economic sanctions, have inflicted huge losses on the Arab country,’ Syrian officials say,” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/02/01/697370/US-inflicted-huge-losses-Syrian-economy-Syrian-officials

SOUTH CHINA SEA
(Western Pacific Ocean)
Bordering
Shores of South China
Indochinese Peninsula
Islands of Taiwan, and Philippines

Philippine government “agrees to give US expanded access to military bases”: according to military experts, “Washington’s access to those bases could provide US forces a strategic position from which to mount operations in the event of a conflict over Chinese Taipei or in the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over virtually all of the South China Sea…. The waters are believed to sit atop vast reserves of oil and gas.” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/02/02/697433/Philippines-agrees-to-give-US-expanded-access-to-military-bases

REPUBLIC OF TÜRKIYE
Military Aggression Alliance NATO
Coercion

“US senators say no F-16 upgrades for Turkey if it blocks NATO bid of Finland, Sweden”: “US Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, led 25 of their colleagues in a letter to the president, saying, ‘Congress cannot consider future support for Turkey, including the sale of F-16 fighter jets until Turkey completes ratification of the accession protocols.’

“‘Failure to ratify the protocols or present a timeline for ratification threatens the Alliance’s unity at a key moment in history, as Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.’” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/02/02/697487/US-Turkey-Sweden-Finland-NATO-

A Land of Extremism and its adherents

to Exceptionalism and Emotionalism, Belligerence and Impunity 

Marked by a Careless, Criminal Disregard for Life.

Composition and Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images

Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett

Author’s links: www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com

https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett

https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/

https://www.xlibris.com/en/search?query=Carolyn+LaDelle+Bennett

https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828689-epitaph

The Relentless Razing of Nations: Creators of Crises Create Crises continually

Some Step down, Some Don’t

Confronted with their incompetence, their unfitness for purpose, injury to entities and institutions, some leaders have the courage—or sense of shame—to step aside. Other leaders selfishly and self-centeredly hunker down and hang on, continuing the carnage, the wrecking of the ship of state, and the drowning of people far and wide, at home and abroad.

The masses and their puppeteers may laud and applaud those who sense the writing on the wall and step aside. Puppets and puppeteers may celebrate (even confer “peace” and “perfection” prizes on) plutocrats and partisans (the cowardice class) whose minds are sealed against the times (the writing on the wall), and carry on with their devastation.

In the spring of 2022 the United Nations reported that conflict, violence, human rights violations, persecution and various disruptions in public order had forced the global displacement of more than100 million people, and the numbers continued to rise.

Global aggression continues to force migration across lands and seas with great loss of lives. Neighboring nations of displaced people are affected far more than US-led NATO nations who scream and holler and blame those whom they have turned into victims.

The self-centered, cowardice class without a conscience refuses to join concerted efforts to solve problems, cure disease and causation and mend preexisting contributive conditions.

Hitting headlines today across the Western world is “UK Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns after failed budget and market turmoil” Associated Press October 20, 2022 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/20/uk-prime-minister-liz-truss-resigns-after-failed-budget-and-market-turmoil.htm

History records 

21st Century Premiership Resignations in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• 2010 James Gordon Brown resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

• 2016 David William Donald Cameron resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

• 2019 Theresa Mary Brasier May resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

• 2022 (July 7) Alexander Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

• 2022 (October 20) Mary Elizabeth Truss resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

But, as always, headline drafters and editors (together with social media posters in search of clicks and followers), and the intellectually lazy missed the important story, the really BIG story—a story not of markets and venture capital; but of unspeakable criminality and impunity, impaired character and relentless carnage (committed by predecessor and successor “leaders”, presidents, prime ministers, commanders in chief) against human beings, against nature, and against nations of the world. 

The Razing of Nations and Removal of Peoples continues. 

 

Unrelenting Carnage by four most recent United States Commanders in Chief  2001-2022

Some of the Key Figures

• GEORGE WALKER BUSH (VP Richard Cheney; State and Defense Departments: Victoria Nuland, Powell, Condoleezza Rice; Rumsfeld, Gates; Ambassadors United Nations: Negroponte, John Danforth, John Bolton, Zalmay Khalilzad) 2001-2009

• BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA II (VP Joseph Biden; State and Defense Departments Victoria Nuland, Kerry, Hillary Clinton; Gates, Panetta, Hagel, Ash Carter; Ambassadors to UN: Susan Rice, Samantha Power) 2009-2016

• DONALD JOHN TRUMP (VP Michael Pence; State and Defense Rex Tillerson, Mike Pompeo; Mattis, Shanahan (nom wd), Esper; Ambassadors to UN Haley, Nauert (nom wd), Craft) 2009-2016

• JOSEPH ROBINETTE BIDEN JR (VP Kamala Harris; State and Defense Victoria Nuland, Blinken; Austin; Ambassador to UN Thomas-Greenfield) 2017-2022 (continuing)

Some of the Assassinations

• Bush 2003: President of Iraq Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti

• Obama 2011: President of Libya Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi

• Trump 2020: Honorable Iranian General Qasem Soleimani

Some of the
Continuing Carnage, Savagely Violent, unchecked Aggression
Breach of Sovereignty in Asia, Eastern Africa, Eastern Europe

• 2001–2021 (continuing) in Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

• 2002 – 2022 (continuing) in Republic of Yemen

• 2003-2011; 2014-2021 (continuing) in Republic of Iraq

• 2004-2018 (continuing) Islamic Republic of Pakistan

• 2007-2022 (continuing) Federal Republic of Somalia and Republic of Kenya (Horn of Africa)

• 2009–2016 Indian Ocean

• 2011 (failed state, slavery, continuing) State of Libya

• 2011–2017 Republic of Uganda

• 2011 – 2022 (continuing) Syrian Arab Republic

• 2014- 2022 (continuing) Ukraine

Composition and Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images
Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett
Author’s links
www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com
https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett
https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/
nolandanisland@hotmail.com

US Aggression Forces Migration

Actual Terrorist doubly Maligns “forced” Migrants

Officials attached to successive US administrations for decades have tormented, terrorized, and destabilized peoples and countries, forced mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of people; and after having destroyed people’s homelands, cultures, countries’ manufacturing base and economies—the tormenters then demonize and disparage people they have “forced” to migrate. The terminal destabilizing forces then complain bitterly, brutally, and continuously about “forced” migrants’ attempts to enter the destroyer’s homeland, and to work for slave wages (suffering further abuse and threats of deportation) harvesting the destroyer’s food (sold back to migrants’ countries), and doing the destroyer’s dirty work: cleaning toilets, risking loss of freedom and life itself “serving” in the destroyer’s relentless acts of aggression throughout the world.

T

he UN office for refugees reported this past spring that refugees and migrants of various nationalities have been crossing the Darien Gap for years but recent times have seen a dramatic increase in forced migrants risking their lives traversing this perilous terrain and conditions. 

The Darien Gap marking the border between Colombia and Panama is “one of the world’s most dangerous refugee and migrant routes, consisting of 5,000 square-kilometers (5,000 square kilometers = 1,930.5108 square miles) of tropical wilderness, steep mountains, and rivers.” The crossing can take 10 days or more on a journey that exposes people not only to natural hazards; but to the deadly attack of criminals, sexual abusers, and robbers.

Notwithstanding the dangers, the pandemic era saw record numbers of people risking their lives traversing the dense jungles between South and Central America. In 2021, an estimated “133,000 people” made the trek. Among them were people and nations US officials have been strangling for years: Haitians, Chileans and Brazilians; Cubans and Venezuelans; and large numbers of people from Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southern Asia.

S

anctions kill, force people from their homelands, and kill again. 

Since the early twentieth century, US officials have been strangling other countries with “sanctions” that have included restrictions on financial instruments and affairs, restrictions on trade and economic assistance; and while the US has free and reckless rein, controls on exports of various forms of technology and weaponry (i.e., restrictions of free enterprise). In the current century, US officials have wielded sanctions amounting to acts of war.

Twenty countries, since 1998, have been subjected to US strangling “economic” sanctions. As of 2020, the US was imposing sanctions on 

North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Syria, Venezuela (country and individuals), Bangladesh, Belarus, Central African Republic, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Hong Kong, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua, Russia, Somali, South Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine (individual citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Crimea), Yemen, Zimbabwe.

The combined US Departments of Treasury, Commerce, and State reportedly list embargoes against countries or territories of Afghanistan, Belarus, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Crimea, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Nicaragua, North Korea, Palestine, Russia, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.     

Al Jazeera reports Panamanian statistics showing that “in the first two months of 2022, approximately 2,500 Venezuelans crossed the Darien Gap.” In the whole of the previous year, “2,819” Venezuelans traversed the jungle pass. The United Nations refugee agency reported the total number of people from various countries crossing the dangerous jungle area between Colombia and Panama was “8,456 in the first two months of 2022” contrasted with “2,928 in the first two months of 2021.”

G

iven US and US-led relentless malicious aggression (plus a global health emergency), it is quite natural that greater and greater numbers of people would flee their homelands. US-Mexico border patrol reported that, in February of this year, the daily crossing of migrants (those they stopped) was roughly 7,000.

Press TV reported on August 12, 2022 (insult on top of injury) that US entities have detained and harassed Venezuelan passengers and crew; and commandeered a Venezuelan plane.

“Venezuelan delegation protests seizure of plane in Argentina on US diktat.” https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/08/12/687230/venezuelan-delegation-protests-seizure-of-plane--us-request-argentina

 

C

riminal Malice

“The seized plane first entered Argentina on June 6 (2022) carrying auto parts from Mexico. As it was unable to refuel in Buenos Aires due to US sanctions, the plane left for Montevideo two days later. But Uruguayan authorities refused to give it access to its airspace, forcing it to fly back to Argentina. An Argentinian judge, Federico Villena, passed a judgment to detain the aircraft to investigate the crew of 14 Venezuelans and five Iranians.

“The judgment was passed on the instructions of the US, claiming that the laws were broken when the aircraft was sold by Iran’s Mahan airlines to Emtrasur, which is controlled by Conviasa.”

 

Other sources

UNHCR Press Release “Number of Venezuelans crossing the Darien Gap soars” March 29, 2022
https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2022/3/6243298f4/number-venezuelans-crossing-darien-gap-soars.html

“United States Sanctions,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_sanctions
Al Jazeera “Number of migrants crossing dangerous Darien Gap soars: UNHCR

UN refugee agency says number of people taking Panamanian jungle route tripled so far this year compared with 2021.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/29/number-of-migrants-crossing-dangerous-darien-gap-soars-unhcr

Composition, Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images
Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett