BRICS

By Johan Galtung

Recently, members of The Commonwealth of Nations (still often referred to as The British Commonwealth) met in London to discuss the feasibility of a post-Brexit trade deal. The idea that Britain ought to have closer trade relations with The Commonwealth rather than Europe is not a new idea, in fact it predates the European Union by half a century.
The idea first came to pass in the late 19th century. Liberal Imperialist politician turned Conservative/Unionist Joseph Chamberlain proposed tariff reform often called Empire Free Trade/Imperial Preference.

The anti-Russia brigade in Washington come in many stripes from the supremely stupid like Maxine Waters to the dangerously fanatical like John McCain. But they have one thing in common, they are not hurting Russia, they are embarrassing and reducing the geopolitical weight of the United States.

“Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power.” George Orwell in “Notes on Nationalism” (1945)

Maria de Jesus Oliveira da Costa, known as “Tia Zelia,” takes down an autographed photo given to her by Brazil’s impeached President Dilma Rousseff, to show it to journalists at her restaurant in Brasilia, Brazil, where photos of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also hang. (AP/Eraldo Peres)
BRASILIA, Brazil — Harsh austerity. A 20-year public spending freeze. A non-elected government. A coup backed by the United States and corporate world.

Beijing claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, a maritime region believed to hold a wealth of untapped oil and gas reserves [Xinhua]
China on Friday fired back at US Defense Secretary James Mattis for what it said was erroneous statements regarding islands in the South China Sea.
“The Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, which is a unchangeable historical fact,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

There has been a backlash against Trump’s executive order against seven predominantly Muslim countries, but the president says the system is working [Xinhua]
There are fears on both sides of the Pacific that the executive order signed by President Donald Trump to ban visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries will adversely affect America’s tech industry.
Neflix chief Reed Hastings, for example, has said that “Trump’s actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all”.

The TPP has not been popular among many Republicans and some sectors of the US workforce. People attend a rally protesting the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Maui, Hawaii, the United States, July 29, 2015 [Xinhua]
International media pundits are warning that America’s retreat from the Asia-Pacific as it abandons the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not only indicative of US President Donald Trump’s commitment to isolationist and protectionist policies, but also paves the way for other countries to step in and fill the vacuum.

Global economic growth will hit 3.4 per cent in 2017, the IMF said, but the world’s second-largest economy will grow by only 6.5 per cent in 2017 [Xinhua]
China’s fiscal stimulus has helped edge its GDP growth upward, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday, but India’s domestic consumption retreated in the face of demonetization and pushed economic growth down.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, a man the West tends to mock or underestimate, has just delivered on yet another of his promises: further cooperation and extended relations with Russia.
Two Russian ships, the anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Tributs and the sea tanker Boris Butoma, have sailed into Manila harbour on a goodwill visit.
The move is a sign of extended friendship between the two countries and could well be the beginning of ever closer relations.