In Memoriam

Vo Nguyen Giap
Legendary General of the Vietnamese People

August 25, 1911 - October 4, 2013

In Memoriam
• Vo Nguyen Giap, Legendary General of the Vietnamese People
• Biography of General Vo Nguyen Giap

United States
• Federal Workers Oppose Government Lock Out
- Voice of Revolution -
• Debt Ceiling Showdown and Possible
Emergency Measures by Obama
• Obama and Monopoly Financiers Meet

U.S.-EU Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement
• Big Business Corporate Power Grab - Colin Todhunter
- Global Research -

Vo Nguyen Giap, Legendary General of
the Vietnamese People Passes Away

With profound sorrow the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) received the news that the legendary Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap passed away in Ha Noi on October 4, due to old age. He was 103.

General Giap worked with President Ho Chi Minh throughout the period during which the heroic Vietnamese people fought for and secured their liberation. Under Ho Chi Minh's brilliant leadership he made lasting contributions to his people and nation. Against the greatest odds, they built up their liberation army and tactics which defeated first the French colonial occupiers and then the U.S. imperialist invaders despite their massive military power and all the crimes they committed in that country.

General Giap was dearly loved and respected by his people and held in the highest regard by the international communist and workers' movement and the many friends of Viet Nam and her people. To this day General Giap's contributions to modern guerilla warfare are studied all over the world while his bravery and convictions and his dedication to the Communist Party and its leadership inspired generations of Vietnamese youth to take up the sacred cause of their homeland.

A special communiqué released on October 5 by the Communist Party of Viet Nam's Central Committee (CPVCC), the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the CPVCC's Military Commission said the General died at the Central Military Hospital 108 at 6:09 PM on October 4. A state funeral will be held for the General on October 11-13.

On this occasion, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) expresses its deepest sympathies to the Vietnamese Communist Party and the people of Viet Nam. The example General Giap set throughout his lifetime inspires the youth of today.

Biography of General Vo Nguyen Giap

General Vo Nguyen Giap, who was a former Politburo member, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Defence Minister and Commander in Chief of the Viet Nam People's Army, passed away on October 4 at the age of 103.

General Vo Nguyen Giap (real name Vo Giap, alias Van) was born on August 25, 1911, in Loc Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, the central province of Quang Binh .

General Vo Nguyen Giap. (VNA)

In 1927, he participated in the Tan Viet (New Viet Nam) Revolutionary Party (a predecessor of the Dong Duong Communist Party and now the Communist Party of Viet Nam).

In 1930, he was arrested and imprisoned for two years by the enemy. After being released, he continued to be involved in revolutionary activities, developing revolutionary bases among the youth.

In 1936, he worked as an editor for the Party's newspapers, including Lao Dong (Labour), Tieng noi chung ta (Our Voice), Tien len (Advance), and Thoi bao Co Giai phong (Liberation Flag Times). He was appointed to be the chair of the Bac Ky (North) Press Committee.

In June, 1940, he was admitted to the Dong Duong Communist Party and sent abroad to meet comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh).

In 1941, he returned to the country, taking part in activities to prepare for an armed uprising in the Cao-Bac-Lang revolutionary base.

In December, 1944, Nguyen Ai Quoc assigned him the task of setting up the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army (now the Viet Nam People's Army).

From May 1945, he was commander of the new armed revolutionary forces (then they were merged to be the Viet Nam liberation army).

In June 1945, he was assigned by Nguyen Ai Quoc to set up the provisional Commanding Committee of the liberated area.

In August 1945, he was appointed to the Party Central Committee and the National Uprising Committee. At the Tran Trao National People's Congress, he was elected to the Viet Nam National Liberation Committee and Minister of Interior Affairs in the provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

In March 1946, he was military chairman, member of the coalition government. Then he became Secretary of the Central Military Commission when the commission was formed.

In October 1946, he was Minister of Defence and authorised by President Ho Chi Minh to be Commander in Chief of the Viet Nam People's Army and Militia.

In January 1948, he was conferred the highest ranking of General, Commander in Chief of the Viet Nam People's Army.

President Ho Chi Minh, General Giap and others during the anti-colonial war against the French at Dien Bien Phu. (VNA)

In Feburary, 1951, he was elected to the Party Central Committee at the second National Party Congress and the Party Central Committee then elected him to the Political Bureau.

From September 1955 to December 1979, he was Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister.

At the third National Party Congress in September 1960 and the fourth National Party Congress in December 1976, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee and the Political Bureau.

At the fifth and sixth National Party Congresses, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee.

From April 1981 to December 1986, he was Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

In recognition of his great contributions to the Party and country's revolutionary cause, General Giap was conferred with the Gold Star Order, the Ho Chi Minh Order, the 70-year Party membership badge and other noble orders and medals of Vietnam and foreign countries and organisations.

Federal Workers Oppose Government Lock Out

Federal workers rally against government lock out, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, October 4, 2013. (AFGE)

An estimated 800,000 federal workers have been locked out of their jobs, as the federal government shut down at midnight September 30. This occurred when Congress failed to pass a new budget for fiscal 2014, which began October 1. Federal workers across the country, from many different departments, such as the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, National Institute of Health, Small Business Administration, have all been forced out of their jobs indefinitely. Many more workers are being forced to stay on the job without pay and without knowing for how long or when they will be paid.

It remains unclear how long the shut down will last, though at present there are few signs even temporary funding for two months can be passed in Congress. It is estimated that $1.6 billion per week in wages are being lost, harming these workers, their families and the economy as a whole.

Federal workers across the country organized picket lines and protests, demanding an end to the lock out and that they not be the ones to bear the burden of a dysfunctional Congress unable to pass a budget. Actions occurred in DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Los Angeles and many other cities. Demonstrators brought out that federal workers have already sustained a wage freeze for three years, had increases in their retirement contributions, and forced unpaid days off. They emphasized that they provide important services to the public and that they and the public are the ones targeted by the government shutdown. As one worker in St Louis put it, "As taxpayers, we pay for those services, and we want those services to continue." He added, "Right now we don't have a voice in it, and the people who are supposed to be representing us," do not have the workers in mind. It is estimated that concessions imposed on federal workers have already provided about $122 billion to the federal government -- most of it handed over to the monopoly financiers in the form of debt payments.

Workers are demanding the federal government not force them to pay for a crisis they did not create. They are demanding an end to the lock out and that funding be provided for social services first and foremost, as their loss impacts the most vulnerable in society like women and children. Some question the fact that Congress, for example, did pass emergency funding September 30 to pay the 1.4 million active duty troops. It did not consider the budget savings -- and contribution to world peace -- from bringing all U.S. troops home. Salaries for Congresspeople could also be suspended. Dept payments to the Wall Street financiers could be frozen.

Instead, nearly three-quarters of the workforce have been furloughed in many departments that provide much needed social services, such as assistance with housing and healthcare, the Women's Infants And Children (WIC) programs providing food for impoverished women and children, daycare and more. Disaster relief for Colorado and in New York for recovery from Superstorm Sandy has stopped. All of these basic needs are considered "non-essential" by the government.

The Congressional Research Service reports that the federal departments considered "essential" and remaining open include: national security, payment of some benefits (though checks will be delayed depending on the length of the shut down), air traffic control, border protection, care of prisoners, law enforcement, tax collection, maintenance of the power distribution system, and preservation of the money and banking system.

In addition to the direct impact on federal workers, state revenues and programs will also be impacted, which then impacts services their funding provides. The metro DC region, home to many federal workers and an estimated 700,000 jobs that could be impacted by the lock out, could lose $200 million a day. Maryland, for example, expects to lose $5 million a day in lost income-tax and sales-tax revenue during the shutdown, $15 million a day in lost economic activity if the shutdown lasts two weeks. Virginia expects even more. Similar estimates exist for cities and states across the country. As well, state workers whose wages depend in part on federal funding will also be sent home without pay.

The Governor of Arkansas painted a picture common across the country, saying the shut down "Will greatly hinder the ability of the Arkansas Department of Human Services to investigate claims of child abuse and neglect. More than 85,000 meals for Arkansas children will not be provided and protection for nursing-home residents will be reduced. Two-thousand newborn babies will not receive infant formula through the Department of Health's WIC program."

Federal workers as well as many others consider the government's designation of what is and is not "essential" to be false and anti-people. Picket signs expressed the view that the interests of the public and their needs for food, healthcare and housing are vital necessities that government is duty-bound to provide. The fight not only on the shutdown but the budget as a whole is one where the issue of whose interests and rights are essential and to be served, and whose are not is at issue. As workers step up efforts to defend their rights and those of the public, this problem of how to contend with a dysfunctional government and stop those in power from imposing these brutal attacks on the public can be addressed.

* Voice of Revolution is a publication of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization.

Debt Ceiling Showdown and Possible Emergency Measures by Obama

President Obama has repeatedly stated that he will not allow the U.S. government to default on its loans. The statements are being made in the context of the showdown in Congress as to whether to raise the debt ceiling, currently set at $16.7 trillion. The debt ceiling operates as a cap on the amount the U.S. government can borrow, commonly done by securing investments in U.S. Treasury Bonds. The Treasury Department, for -example, is expected to ask investors for $120 billion in loans October 17 -- also the day the department has said it will have insufficient funds to pay all its obligations, such as payroll, Social Security, Medicare, as well as debt payments.

At present Congress remains unable to pass any budget appropriations, even short-term funding to reopen the government. More than 800,000 workers remain locked out and many more are working without pay. And despite warnings of "financial catastrophe" by Obama and financiers and calls to end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, so far it does not look like Congress will do so.

What then does President Obama have in mind when he says he will not allow a default? Speaking in his Weekly address September 21, before the shutdown, he said: "The most basic Constitutional duty Congress has is passing a budget. But if it doesn't pass one before September 30th -- a week from Monday -- the government will shut down

"Second: Congress must authorize the Treasury to pay America's bills. This is done with a simple, usually routine vote to raise what's called the debt ceiling. Since the 1950s, Congress has always passed it, and every President has signed it -- Democrats and Republicans, including President Reagan. And if this Congress doesn't do it within the next few weeks, the United States will default on its obligations and put our entire economy at risk

"The United States of America is not a deadbeat nation. We are a compassionate nation. We are the world's bedrock investment. And doing anything to threaten that is the height of irresponsibility. That's why I will not negotiate over the full faith and credit of the United States. I will not allow anyone to harm this country's reputation, or threaten to inflict economic pain on millions of our own people, just to make an ideological point."

Speaking October 1 he said, "Congress has to stop governing by crisis. They have to break this habit. It is a drag on the economy. It is not worthy of this country.

"For example, one of the most important things Congress has to do in the next couple of weeks is to raise what's called the debt ceiling This is what Congress is supposed to do as a routine matter . Let me repeat: I will not negotiate over Congress's responsibility to pay its bills it's already racked up. I'm not going to allow anybody to drag the good name of the United States of America through the mud "

In a CNBC interview October 2, speaking of the need to raise the debt ceiling he said, "If we get in the habit where a few folks, an extremist wing of one party, whether it's Democrats or Republicans -- are allowed to extort concessions -- based on a threat of undermining the full faith and credit of the United States, then any president who comes after me, not just me -- will find themselves unable to govern effectively. And that's not something that I'm going to allow to happen."

What Is Obama Prepared to Do?

So what measures will Obama take to "not allow that to happen?" Are conditions being prepared for emergency measures by the president in the name of national security -- that the threat of default is so severe that executive action is called for? Will the president lay claim to the power of the purse in the name of a dysfunctional and "irresponsible" Congress?

For the past two weeks financiers like the heads of Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan have been endlessly repeating that a default would harm the U.S. and world economy and be "catastrophic," with "extreme adverse" consequences as the financiers put it. They are concerned that government payments on the debt will not be made and even put forward the view that these debts must be government's first payments in the event of default. It is their unjust claims on the economy and public purse that they are worried about. It is much like when monopolies declare bankruptcy -- everyone is supposed to support that first the financiers involved get paid, while the workers' pensions and healthcare are cut or eliminated. For the government, the cuts would be to Social Security, Medicare, federal payroll and more while debt payments are guaranteed. Workers have long experience with the fact that the bankruptcies are used to steal their pensions and healthcare, cut wages in half, eliminate jobs and eliminate unions. They do not solve any problems the people face and in fact increase them while further harming the economy.

For the public treasury it is no different. The financiers want their hands on all of it. Guaranteeing their debt payments is one aspect of this, as are cuts to social programs. As Obama himself indicates, the financiers' demand to pay debts will be utilized to further cut Social Security and Medicare. With CNBC Obama said, "It's important for us to deal with our long-term entitlement spending," which means more cuts to social programs.

Potential for Presidential Control of the Purse

As can be seen from the quotes above, Obama is also targeting governance. He emphasizes that he will not allow a default. He targets Congress, and what he calls "extremists" of either party. He speaks to the ability of the president to govern effectively and the need to end governing by crisis. He has broad backing from the financiers to act to guarantee debts to them are paid.

A situation also exists where people are broadly and justly angered with Congress. This stems not so much from the debt ceiling showdown itself, but rather that Congress is dysfunctional as a governing body. Needed legislation such as that on immigration is not passed and budgets and laws passed repeatedly force workers to carry the burden of an economic and political crisis they did not create. Obama can manipulate this anger in the situation, as he strives to gain support for emergency measures by the executive to reopen government and raise the debt ceiling. The appearance is given that such action would prevent threats to Social Security and Medicare and payroll payments. The reality will be presidential control of the purse strings so as to guarantee even more payments to the rich on the backs of the people.

This is further seen by the fact that Obama raises the issue of governing by crisis and not "getting in the habit" of allowing "extremists" to "extort concessions." He was elected by the rulers in part to complete arrangements for presidential rule in service to the private monopoly interests. Congress, and elected governance more generally, stand in the way of the monopolies taking over direct control of the public treasury. From the perspective of the most powerful monopolies, the current situation presents an opportunity for emergency measures by the president that give the executive the power of the purse. And as Obama himself states, this is not just about him but about "any president who comes after me."

Such emergency measures have already been taken at the state level, in Michigan for example with emergency managers and elsewhere using control boards. Now the possibility exists for such action at the federal level. Once such measures are put in place, they are not likely to be removed. And Obama already has in place executive orders giving him broad powers in the name of a national emergency.

The danger is that with the anger toward Congress and disinformation about the economy, resistance by the people to such executive actions will be blocked and diverted. Worse, various organizations among the workers could well support the president.

Instead, executive measures to grab the power of the purse must be firmly opposed. The opportunity exists for workers to seriously discuss the need to change governance in a manner that favors their interests. Legislative powers need to be expanded and presidential powers restricted. This serves to defend public right while restricting monopoly right and these efforts by the monopolies for unrestricted control of the public purse. Legislative powers need to be modernized by empowering the people themselves to govern and decide.

It is also time to look seriously at the fact that a new direction for the economy is needed. This necessity is kept hidden by all the talk about having to pay the financiers and the supposed "catastrophe" if they are not paid. The wealth is produced by the workers in a socialized economy and they have a right to claim that wealth and decide how best to utilize it for the benefit of society. It is the privatization of public interests by the monopoly owners that is a disaster for the economy and people. Standing against that control and for the rights of the people is the way to begin solving the current problems. An important step toward such a new direction is the stand to: Stop Paying the Rich, Increase Funding in Social Programs! Freeze the Debts and Stop War Funding! Defend the Rights of All!

Obama and Monopoly Financiers Meet

President Obama and chief executives from the major monopoly financial institutions met October 2. The current government shutdown and upcoming showdown on raising the debt ceiling were main topics of discussion. So too were demands by the financiers for major cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

The financiers emphasized that there would be "extremely adverse" consequences if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling by October 17. There is currently a cap on government debt (or borrowing) of $16.7 trillion. October 17 is the date the Treasury Department has given for when it will no longer have sufficient funds on hand to pay government obligations, like payroll, Social Security, Medicare and veterans benefits.

The Department has been maneuvering since May with public funds so as to keep paying its obligations. This has included, for example, not paying into the federal pension fund as required. October 17 is the day given for when even these moves will fall short. It is also the point where the government could default on its loans, which exist mainly in the form of Treasury bonds. Large debt payments are due on October 24 and October 31. The financiers are especially concerned about these payments. Their "experts" have also put forward the view that if there is a default, the government should first of all pay its debts to these monopoly financiers and then worry about Social Security and payments due to the people.

At the meeting, the financiers emphasized the need to raise the debt ceiling. "There's no debate that the seriousness of the U.S. not paying its debts ... is the most serious thing we have, and we witnessed that in August '11 and you saw the ramifications: a slowdown in the economy," said Brian Moynihan, chief executive of Bank of America.

Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein said, "There is precedent for a government shutdown. There's no precedent for default. We're the most important economy in the world. We're the reserve currency of the world," said Blankfein. He added, business leaders wanted Washington to understand "the long-term consequences of a shutdown ... certainly the consequences of a debt ceiling (not being raised), and we all agree that those are extremely adverse."

The last time the U.S. came close to default, the financiers lowered the U.S. credit rating as a means to ensure the debt ceiling was raised and government debt payments to these financiers were met. This time, they are saying failure to raise the debt ceiling poses even greater risks to the U.S. and world economies.

Among other executives present at the meeting were Michael Corbat of Citigroup, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co, Robert Benmosche of AIG, James Gorman of Morgan Stanley, and John Stumpf of Wells Fargo, along with Vice President Joe Biden.

The financiers do not bring out that speaking economically, freezing payments on debt or even canceling them and using the public funds instead to increase funding for social programs, would greatly benefit the economy. Monopoly financiers bent on making profits at any cost to the people would cry foul. Similarly, if the government stopped its payments to the military monopolies and for war, that too would contribute to the economy and world peace. But these alternatives are not to be discussed and instead the current crisis is being used to push for guaranteeing the Wall Street financiers are paid in full.

Big Business Corporate Power Grab

The Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) between the US and EU intends to create the world's largest free trade area, 'protect' investment and remove 'unnecessary regulatory barriers'. Corporate interests are driving the agenda, with the public having been sidelined. Unaccountable, pro-free-trade bureaucrats from both sides of the Atlantic are facilitating the strategy[1]

In addition to the biotech sector and Big Pharma, groups lobbying for the deal have included Toyota, General Motors, IBM and the powerful lobby group the Chamber of Commerce of the US. Business Europe, the main organisation representing employers in Europe, launched its own strategy on an EU-US economic and trade partnership in early 2012. Its suggestions were widely included in the draft EU mandate.

An increasing number of politicians and citizens groups have criticised the secretive negotiations and are demanding that they be conducted in an open way. This is growing concern that the negotiations could result in the opening of the floodgates for GMOs and shale gas (fracking) in Europe, the threatening of digital and labour rights or the empowering of corporations to legally challenge a wide range of regulations which they dislike.

One of the key aspects of the negotiations is that both the EU and US should recognise their respective rules and regulations, which in practice could reduce regulation to the lowest common denominator. The official language talks of 'mutual recognition' of standards or so-called reduction of non-tariff barriers. For the EU, that could mean accepting US standards in many areas, including food and agriculture, which are lower than the EU's.

The US wants all so-called barriers to trade, including controversial regulations such as those protecting agriculture, food or data privacy, to be removed. Even the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee, in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, made it clear that any agreement must reduce EU restrictions on genetically modified crops, chlorinated chickens and hormone-treated beef.

The public in Europe does not want such things. People want powerful corporations to be held to account and their practices regulated by elected representatives who they trust to protect their interests, the public good. However, the TAFTA seems an ideal opportunity for corporations to force wholly unpopular and dangerous policies through via secretive, undemocratic means. They have been unable to do this in a democratic and transparent manner, so secret back room deals represent a different option.

Corporate demands include an "ambitious liberalisation of agricultural trade barriers with as few exceptions as possible." Food lobby group Food and Drink Europe, representing the largest food companies (Unilever, Kraft, Nestlé, etc.), has welcomed the negotiations, with one of their key demands being the facilitation of the low level presence of unapproved genetically modified crops. This is a long-standing industry agenda also supported by feed and grain trading giants, including Cargill, Bunge, ADM and the big farmers' lobby COPA-COGECA. Meanwhile, the biotech industry on both sides of the Atlantic is offering its "support and assistance as the EU and the US government look to enhance their trade relationship."

New Report

If the pro-free-market bureaucrats and corporations get their way and successfully bar the public from any kind of meaningful information input into the world's biggest trade deal ever to be negotiated, Europeans could end up becoming the victims of one of the biggest corporate stitch ups ever. Left unchallenged, it will allow huge private interests to dig their profiteering snouts into the trough of corporate greed at the expense of ordinary people.

And that's not hyperbole. Such a view is confirmed by the release of a new report on the eve of the second round of negotiations that are due to begin in Brussels next week.

The report, published by the Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B),[2] reveals the true human and environmental costs of the proposed TAFTA. 'A Brave New Transatlantic Partnership' highlights how the European Commission's promises of up to 1% GDP growth and massive job creation through the EU-US trade deal are not supported even by its own studies, which predict a growth rate of just 0.01% GDP over the next ten years and the potential loss of jobs in several economic sectors, including agriculture.

The report also explains how corporations are lobbying EU-US trade negotiators to use the deal to weaken food safety, labour, health and environmental standards as well as undermine digital rights. Attempts to strengthen banking regulation in the face of the financial crisis could also be jeopardised as the financial lobby uses the secretive trade negotiations to undo financial reforms, such as restrictions on the total value of financial transactions or the legal form of its operations.

"Big business lobbies on both sides of the Atlantic view the secretive trade negotiations as a weapon for getting rid of policies aimed at protecting European and US consumers, workers and our planet. If their corporate wish-list is implemented, it will concentrate even more economic and political power within the hands of a small elite, leaving all of us without protection from corporate wrongdoings."

The report also warns that the agreement could open the floodgate to multi-million Euro lawsuits from corporations who can challenge democratic policies at international tribunals if they interfere with their profits.

Pia Eberhardt, trade campaigner with Corporate Europe Observatory and author of 'A transatlantic corporate bill of rights':

"The proposed investor rights in the transatlantic trade deal show what it is really about: It's a power grab from corporations to rein in democracy and handcuff governments that seek to regulate in the public interest. It's only a matter of time before European citizens start paying the price in higher taxes and diminished social protection."

Consumer watchdogs, digital rights and trade activists, environmentalists and trade unions are preparing to fight the corporate dystopia put forward in the EU-US trade deal.

Luis Rico of Ecologistas en Acción, a member of the Seattle to Brussels network:

"We hope that the disturbing evidence we provide will show why all concerned citizens and parliamentarians on both sides of the Atlantic need to urgently mobilise against the proposed EU-US trade deal. We have to derail this corporate power grab that threatens to worsen the livelihood of the millions of people already seriously affected by the financial crisis and by the crippling consequences of Europe's austerity reforms."

Do we want increasingly bad and unhealthy food, our rights at work being further eroded, the environment being damaged in the chase for profit, ever greater reckless gambling in the financial sector or our elected representatives being by-passed via international tribunals? Of course we don't.

Where is the democracy surrounding this proposed TAFTA? Where is ordinary people's protection from the 'free' market corporate-financial cabals that ultimately drive global economic policy and geo-political strategies? By translating corporate power into political influence at the G8, G20, WTO, NATO or elsewhere, whether it is by war, threats, debts or coercion, secretive and undemocratic free trade agreements are but one tool that very powerful corporations use in an attempt to cast the world in their own image.[3, 4]

The TAFTA is little more than an attempt at a corporate power grab masquerading as something that promotes growth, freedom, harmony and job creation. Those claims are bogus. It must be stopped

Please note: More concerns from environmental and consumer groups will be raised in a press conference on Monday, 7 October, 11am in the International Press Center, Résidence Palace, in Brussels. On Tuesday, 8 November, 9am, a protest stunt will take place in front of the Berlaymont building, 200 Rue de la Loi, Brussels.

1. http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-eu-free-trade-agreement-a-corporate-stitch-u p-by-any-other-name/5339789
2. The Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B) includes development, environmental, human rights, women and farmers organisations, trade unions and social movements working together for a truly sustainable, just and democratic trade policy in Europe. Corporate Europe Observatory is one of its members.
3. http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-great-eu-india-corporate-heist-uncovering-the-free-trade-agenda/5342267
4. http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-eu-india-free-trade-agreement-corporate-driven-neocolonial-plunder/5338049

Vo Nguyen Giap Legendary General of the Vietnamese People

Vo Nguyen Giap, Legendary General of the Vietnamese People Passes Away