By John W. Warnock - December 06, 2011

Given the weakness of the [New Democratic Party] in Saskatchewan today, and the very low participation of the general public in the political process, it seems to me that it is time for the people in this province who are committed to the democratic ideal to look to the formation of some sort of new, broad extra-parliamentary political organization.

Europe and America perhaps face their gravest ever economic crisis. Growing millions are impoverished, unemployed, and out of luck. Hunger and homelessness are increasing. So is unaddressed anger over handouts to bankers, not people facing crushing hardships.

By Steve James - 3 December 2011

An article in Ireland’s Sunday World has drawn attention to relations between Mahdi al-Harati, former leader of the Tripoli Brigade of the National Transition Council which played a central role in the NATO assault on Libya, and an unnamed US intelligence agency...Al-Harati’s Tripoli Brigade was one of a number of military units put together in conjunction with the NTC to participate in the pro-imperialist overthrow of the regime of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi...From the first, the brigade appears to have been developed...as a well-trained assault force, designed to operate alongside NATO for an attack on Tripoli.

By Jordan Shilton - 2 December 2011

Tuesday’s decision to declare neo-fascist Anders Behring Breivik insane was driven by the political interests of the Norwegian and European ruling elite...This decision has nothing to do with concern over Breivik’s mental state. Rather, it is motivated by the fear in ruling circles that even a limited investigation of the events leading up to July 22, which a trial would undertake, would raise uncomfortable questions for those with connections to Breivik.

It warned 87 European banks to expect downgrades. Moreover, Fitch revised America's debt outlook to negative. Nonetheless, its AAA rating is unchanged. For how long is another issue.

In Germany, rulers and ruled agree: “We” have built a solid economy, lowered wages for over a decade in exemplary fashion, and strengthened the competitiveness of “our” economy. We have solid growth and our debts are under control. Now “we” must rescue the lazy Greeks, Portuguese, Irish, and who knows who else with new loans, because they have been “living beyond their means.” Even if the self-righteous German view has recently triumphed in Brussels and gains approval from the rest of Europe – not a single word in it is true.

Class war across Europe rages.

Sunday, November 27, 2011 - Common Dreams

While workers protest against austerity measures on the streets, cash-strapped Europeans are feeling the pain at home, struggling to pay for heating as winter approaches, reviving soup kitchens for the poorest and getting rid of costly pets...The debt crisis now ravaging the euro zone has seen governments cut spending, including to welfare programs, and raise taxes. Unemployment is rising and many Europeans are planning for a bleaker future.

Eurozone economies are cratering. Every fix tried so far failed. Combining 17 dissimilar countries under one monetary/fiscal system assured disaster waiting to happen.

By Mike Epitropoulos - Znet

The mainstream press around the world is jubilantly covering the change in leadership in both Greece and Italy, as the people in those countries and the other “PIIGS” continue to have harsh austerity measures imposed upon them...In both cases, the Troika...have been putting heavy pressure on these already-conservative governments to step up the speed and severity of cuts in social spending, cuts in the public sector and wages, and of course privatizations.

From inception, Eurozone planning was flawed. Uniting 17 dissimilar countries under rigid rules failed.

By Rob Evans and Paul Lewis - The Guardian

[Former undercover cop Mark] Kennedy has admitted that he infiltrated a Danish community centre that had housed progressive causes for more than a century, obtaining intelligence that helped police to storm it and close it down in violent raids...Kennedy said he went to 22 countries in total during his seven years under cover, pretending to be an environmental activist. The list also includes Spain, Poland, France, and Belgium.

By Mark Weisbrot - November 11, 2011

Some of us have been warning for months about the crisis scenario that is accelerating today in Europe. In particular, I have noted that the European authorities were pushing Italy down a dangerous path, in similar fashion to what they did to Greece. The formula is deadly: force budget tightening on an economy that is already shrinking or on the edge of recession. This shrinks the economy further, causing government revenue to fall and making still further tightening necessary to meet the target budget deficit.

They met. They talked. They agreed to talk more and solved nothing.

By Christoph Dreier - 8 November 2011

As the [European Union] presses for a new government in Greece to prepare further austerity measures, it is becoming clear that the government crisis and the attacks on the working class in Greece were the prelude to a new round of social cuts throughout Europe...After Portugal announced further austerity measures and Italy agreed on massive social cuts and its observation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week, Ireland and France followed suit, announcing further cuts in their already-truncated budgets.