Al Burke, Nordic News Network, February 12th 2019
Naturalised citizen replaces Stefan Löfven as head of government
Available as PDF document in both English and Swedish
To dismiss and replace Löfven was not an easy decision, he readily concedes. ”Of course I thought long and hard before arriving at the conclusion that it is not possible to evade one’s responsibility to society and humanity. I am morally obligated to appoint myself as Sweden’s prime minister. It’s as simple as that,” he explains.
The reason for this inescapable decision is well known to all true Swedes: The Löfven government has zero legitimacy, as it is the latest in an uninterrupted series of regimes which during the past two decades have betrayed and abandoned fundamental values and principles that constitute the essence of Swedish society.
Among other things, they have adopted a devastating neoliberalism at home, and incorporated the previously peace-loving Sweden into the United States’ murderous world empire, with all that implies.
The great majority of the Swedish people are strongly opposed to that tragic development. And yet it continues.
That is why Al Burke, after long and thoughtful consideration, has decided to replace the Löfven government. He does so in accordance with the rules of neodemocracy, the doctrine which has long been applied in practice by the USA and its vassal states — among which Sweden is now included — and has recently been firmly established in the case of Venezuela.
As that case illustrates, neodemocracy prescribes that anyone at all may appoint him- or herself as prime minister. It makes no difference if the current occupant of the office has been elected by the people. That minor detail can be dealt with by proclaiming that the election was fraudulent, that the entire procedure was unfair, or simply by ignoring the issue entirely. The main thing is to drum in the message that the elected prime minister and government are completely illegitimate.
Facts are unimportant
Fortunately, it is not necessary to document any of that; and the existence of reliable evidence to the contrary has no significance whatsoever. That neodemocratic principle was perhaps enunciated most clearly by President Bush I when he refused to consider all the death and destruction perpetrated by the USA around the globe: ”I don’t care what the facts are!”
The Löfven government is among those that have, in obedience to the USA, legitimated neodemocracy by recognizing the relatively unknown politician who declared himself to be Venezuela’s new prime minister — without even participating in any election for that office.
”My neolegitimacy as Sweden’s new leader is thus firmly grounded in principles that the deposed government has itself applied,” Al Burke points out.
For the time being, the old terminology will continue to be used for strategic reasons. ”Familiar buzzwords like ’democracy’ and ’legitimate’ have a calming effect on the masses,” he explains, ”and they are very useful to collaborating media in their important work of promulgating and consolidating the neodemocratic order.”
Obvious need
The need to establish a new order, or rather to restore the good old one, has long been obvious. As far back as year 2000, a speech by Al Burke in Stockholm could include the following:
[The Swedish government has] adopted the European Union’s neoliberal policy which prescribes a shrunken public sector, tax reductions, maximal privatisation, etc. Now increasing, as a matter of course, are class divisions, poor dental health, worker burnout, gaps in the public sector and many other symptoms
of beginning decline….
Regarding foreign policy, developments are at least equally troubling. According to EU adherents, membership in the union would give Sweden the opportunity to ”participate and influence”. Powerful influence has indeed been exerted, but in the opposite direction: In one area after another, Sweden has abandoned its previously admired foreign policy — the policy which, according to UN Secretary General Perez de Cuellar, made Sweden ”synonymous with peaceful stability and human compassion.”…
Thus, the answer to the question, ”Where has Sweden gone to?”, is evident:
It has gone into the European Union. That circumstance has led to the ongoing slide into NATO and an increasingly discernible recognition of Pax Americana…
The most important thing that Sweden has done to erase its previous peace-advocating profile has been to do nothing at all concerning USA’s crimes against international law and human rights. Instead of clearly and emphatically protesting, as during the Palme years, the government looks on and ”understands” why the superpower drops bombs on defenceless humans, etc.…
Anders Ferm reportedly once said that, ”Olof Palme made us larger than we were.”
I am not so sure about that. The fact is that Olof’s foreign policy efforts were based on deeply rooted values that a majority of the Swedish people shared then and, by all indications, still share today. I would say, rather, that Palme helped the Swedes to fulfil their potential.
That may be open to discussion, but one thing is certain: Palme’s successors have made us smaller than we are.”Sverige — folkhem eller rivningskåk?”
Speech to Gamla Stan’s Social Democratic AssociationSå mycket kunde man konstatera redan för snart två decennier sedan, och under de gångna åren har förfallet bara fortsatt oavbrutet. Därför blev Al Burke till slut illa tvungen att agera.
Example: Venezuela
”There are undoubtedly many others who are more qualified than I to shoulder the responsibility,” he says. ”But the years have passed and no one has succeeded in arresting the deplorable development. Something must be done.”
But now that so much time has passed it won’t be easy to repair the damage. The difficulties become apparent if a comparison is made with the case of Venezuela. Among other things, Al Burke has not been recruited by the world’s strongest superpower which
– for twenty years has conducted a devastating economic war in order to generate discontent among the population and make effective government impossible
– has seized vital economic resources from the elected government and transferred them to the superpower’s chosen puppet
– threatens to attack militarily if the elected prime minister does not resign — the same kind of threat that has been carried out by the USA so many times before in Latin America and elsewhere
– has a constantly demonstrated capacity to induce the larger part of Sweden’s and the entire world’s most influential media to keep quiet about all that and a great deal more, while spreading all sorts of malicious nonsense about the elected leader targeted for removal.
Integritet och självständighet
The details of Al Burke’s political programme will be presented after the neodemocratic transition is complete. But the principal features can be summarised as follows:
With regard to domestic policy, ”the Swedish model” will be restored. That will require heavy investment in socio-economic equality and general welfare, which in turn necessitates a strong public sector in all appropriate areas, including child care, education, health care and much more.
With regard to foreign policy, Sweden’s integrity and independence will be restored as soon as possible. What that implies is indicated by the photos below, which illustrate the difference between Stefan Löfven’s and Al Burke’s interests and priorities
For more information regarding the new prime minister’s interests and priorities, see the ”References” below.
During a state visit to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven
listens attentively to the reigning tyrant, Crown Prince Muhammed
bin Nayef. The Löfven government has rejected all appeals to end
Sweden’s lucrative arms trade with that country, despite its
horrific war of aggression against Yemen and much more.
Al Burke in conversation with Madame Nguyen Thi Binh, Vietnam’s
then-vice president and previously a leading figure in the resistance movement
against the French and USA empires. The main subject was the first international
conference on the Vietnam War’s long-term consequences which he was preparing
to be held in Stockholm in July of 2002 (see References below).
Several years earlier, Madame Binh in conversation with Olof Palme,
whose forceful criticism of the USA’s murderous assault on Vietnam was
one of many reasons for UN Secretary General Perez de Cuellar’s tribute
at Palme’s funeral: "Throughout the world today, the name of Sweden
is synonymous with peaceful stability and human compassion."
* * *
References
Sweden
Nordic News Network
http://www.nnn.se/nordic.htm
Disinformation Digest
http://www.nnn.se/disinfo.htm
The Swedish Cult of America
http://www.nnn.se/nordic/americult/amcult.htm
Remember Vietnam
http://www.nnn.se/vietnam.htm
Environmental Conference: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
http://www.nnn.se/environ.htm
Asbjørn Wahl, ”In Defence of General Welfare.” Nordic News Network, 4 July 2001
http://www.nnn.se/n-model/wahl-1.htm
Asbjørn Wahl, ”What Can Be Learnt from the Nordic Model?” Nordic News Network
http://www.nnn.se/nordic/wahl-model.pdf
Al Burke, ”Sverige — folkhem eller rivningskåk?” Nordic News Network, 2000-04-18
http://www.nnn.se/nordic/nordic-model/rivhem.pdf
Al Burke, ”Saker och ting med deras rätta namn.” Nordic News Network, 2001-02-28
http://www.nnn.se/nordic/palme/palmetal.pdf
Venezuela
Jeremy Fox et al. ”International Observers to Venezuela’s Election Pen Letter
to the EU”. Venezuela Analysis, 26 June 2018
https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/13899
Noam Chomsky et al. ”An Open Letter to the United States: Stop Interfering
in Venezuela's Internal Politics.” Common Dreams, 24 January 2019
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/01/24/open-letter-united-states-stop-interfering-venezuelas-internal-politics
Michael Selby-Green, ”Venezuela crisis: Former UN rapporteur says US sanctions
are killing citizens”. The Independent, 26 January 2019
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/venezuela-us-sanctions-united-nations-oil-pdvsa-a8748201.html
Eugenio Martinez, ”Forbes called Venezuela elections ‘model for the world’.” Skwawkbox, 26 January 2019
https://skwawkbox.org/2019/01/26/hunt-issues-maduro-election-ultimatum-but-forbes-called-venezuela-elections-model-for-the-world/
Romain Migus, "Ongoing Coup in Venezuela: What If Same Scenario Happens in France". Telesur, 26 January 2019
https://www.telesurenglish.net//opinion/Ongoing-Coup-in-Venezuela-What-If-Same-Scenario-Happens-in-France-20190126-0007.html?utm_source=planisys&utm_medium=NewsletterIngles&utm_campaign=NewsletterIngles&utm_content=32
Craig Murray, ”The Coup in Venezuela Must Be Resisted”. Information Clearing House, 28 January 2019
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50990.htm
Ronan Burtenshaw, interview with Guillaume Long. Telesur, 29 January 2019
https://www.telesurenglish.net/opinion/Guillaume-Long-Do-Right-wing-Govts-Have-the-Stomach-for-Post-Coup-Chaos-in-Venezuela-20190129-0005.html
Dan Cohen & Max Blumenthal, ”How the US Regime Change Laboratory Created Venezuela’s Coup Leader”. GrayZone, 29 January 2019
https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/29/the-making-of-juan-guaido-how-the-us-regime-change-laboratory-created-venezuelas-coup-leader/
Medea Benjamin & Nicolas J.S. Davies, ”Venezuela: The U.S.'s 68th Regime Change Disaster”. Common Dreams, 4 February 2019
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/04/venezuela-uss-68th-regime-change-disaster
Joe Emersberger, ”Did Venezuela’s President Really ‘Steal’ the 2018 Election from
an Unknown Who Didn’t Run?” The Canary, 5 February 2019.
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/02/05/did-venezuelas-president-really-steal-the-2018-election-from-an-unknown-who-didnt-run/
Gregory Shupak, ”US Media Ignore — and Applaud — Economic War on Venezuela”. Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting, 6 February 2019
https://fair.org/home/us-media-ignore-and-applaud-economic-war-on-venezuela/
Lucas Koerner, ”Venezuela: Coup d’Etat or Constitutional Transition?” Venezuela Analysis, 6 February 2019
https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14304
George Galloway, ”EU states fold like cheap tents to US demands on Venezuela….”
RT, 6 February 2019
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/450794-italy-support-venezuela-eu/
Interview with Michael Hudson about Venezuela. Unz Review, 8 February 2019
http://www.unz.com/tsaker/saker-interview-with-michael-hudson-on-venezuela/
Ellen Brown, ”The Venezuela Myth Keeping Us From Transforming Our Economy”. TruthDig, 8 February 2019
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-venezuela-myth-keeping-us-from-revolutionizing-our-economy/
Eric Zuesse, ”What the Press Hides From You About Venezuela”. OffGuardian,
9 February 2019
https://off-guardian.org/2019/02/09/what-the-press-hides-from-you-about-venezuela/
Adam Johnson, “Western Media Fall in Lockstep for Cheap Trump/Rubio Venezuela Aid PR Stunt.” Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting, 10 February 2019
https://fair.org/home/western-media-fall-in-lockstep-for-cheap-trump-rubio-venezuela-aid-pr-stunt/
Örjan Appelqvist, ”Venezuela, demokratin och folkrätten”. The Transnational, 2019-02-05
https://transnational.live/2019/02/05/venezuela-demokratin-och-folkratten/
Mikael Westerlund, ”På vilken grund erkänner Sverige Guaidó?” Svenska Dagbladet,
6 February 2019
https://www.svd.se/pa-vilken-grund-erkanner-sverige-guaido