Lew Rockwell remembers the subtle procedures of the East German STASI in the late 1970s.
"The goal was to destroy dissidents and potential dissidents socially and emotionally without resorting to arrest and imprisonment. The Stasi collected information about the victim’s private life, and proceeded to ‘disintegrate’ their careers and their family and private life.
"Damaging lies (or truths) would be conveyed to employers until the target was rendered unemployable. Relationships with spouses and kids would be poisoned with gossip by operatives, professional failure, and financial stress. Friends would be warned away through the grapevine.
"The goal was to destroy the reputation of the target and make him so preoccupied with his personal difficulties and emotional turmoil that he had no will to question the government of the DDR. It was done covertly, and often victims weren’t believed even if they discovered [the covert campaign].”
-- Lew Rockwell, Jr.
Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. Ecclesiastes 4:13
Question:
Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Luke14:31
Answer:
A king who watches too much FOX TV, reads too many Marvel comics, pays attention to the New York Times, and watches too many Hollywood political thrillers.
The narrow strait is the most important chokepoint for the world's oil supply. Some 21 million barrels — or $1.2 billion worth of oil — pass through the strait every day.
Will a closed Strait hurt Iran? In terms of international oil sales, yes, but in terms of daily life, no. Iran pumps 3.5 million barrels of crude oil per day. The situation at this hour: