There are flames in Athens now. How long will they take to reach Wall Street and the City?
Three people died when an Athens bank went up in flames Wednesday as tens of thousands of Greeks took to the streets to protest harsh spending cuts aimed at saving the country from bankruptcy. Tear gas drifted across the city’s center as hundreds of rioters hurled paving stones and Molotov cocktails at police, who responded with heavy use of tear gas. At least two buildings were on fire. The fire brigade said the bodies were found in the wreckage of a Marfin Bank branch, on the route of the march in the city center.
Demonstrators chanting “thieves, thieves” attempted to break through a riot police cordon guarding Parliament and chased the ceremonial guards away from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the building.
Now, what is the point of “saving the country” from bankruptcy? Will Greece simply cease to exist if it goes bankrupt? Does a junkie die when he is no longer permitted to keep purchasing narcotics from his pusher? The molotov-throwing rioters chanting “thieves” appear to have a more accurate perspective on the global financial system than the hand-wringing editorial writers at the Wall Street Journal. Not a correct one, mind you, but one that is nevertheless more accurate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking forward to the chaos since it isn’t going to be fun for anyone who isn’t young, male, unprincipled, and heavily armed. But it certainly isn’t going to be averted or ameliorated by stealing more money from the public and handing it over to bankers.
I just want to know one thing. Where is the techno remix? And as for Max Keiser, well, you can’t help but think of Chuck D listening to him lay down that heavy rap.
An interesting note relating to the connection of today’s Greek riots to the historical Cinco de Mayo from Wikipedia: “In late 1861 Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, under the Treaty of London (1861) sent troops to Mexico, alongside Spanish and English forces, to collect debts owed by a previous Mexican government. President Benito Juárez had announced the annulment of these debts, and vowed to pay nothing to European powers. Napoleon’s troops occupied the port city of Veracruz on December 8, 1861…. The Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862, was a single, important victory for the Mexican people over the occupying French Army.”
Given the general European disarmament, I can only conclude that bin Laden will soon be spotted in Athens, thereby requiring an immediate invasion and occupation.