Navy SEALs Kick Nine Yards of Ass

Fundamentals: It is possible that the only realistic engine for global economic growth is China. Therefore we have to dig deeper into the recent GDP data out of China, even though we don't want to. The new methodology eliminates one layer of corrupt government officials, but leaves one layer in place. That makes you think it is about 50% more accurate than the old method.

Private economists have been aware of the kinkiness of Chinese data for years and have come up with their own formulas and methodologies. The best so far is measuring electricity output. This data is not filtered through the government at all and comes to us straight from utilities and consumers like state owned factories. State owned Chinese companies that float shares on the stock market are by and large pretty honest. So here we have good solid data. The most recent Chinese electricity figures show production has been flat quarter on quarter. The GDP data that everybody got so excited about showed an increase well over 7%, not flat. This is very scary.

Long War: In Syria: Independent UN examiners and better media scrutiny than before tells us that the so-called massacre at Tremseh was a simple battle with both sides taking hits, not an atrocity, not a genocide, not a massacre. I said exactly that at the time in this blog the other day. The CIA is manipulating the media in a fantastic manner. Totally awesome.

The rebel FSA army (good guys) is tearing apart Assad Syrian Army (bad guys). The fighting is pushing into the capital city. Assad's army is getting knocked back. This is the most savage fighting yet in the war. The Navy SEALs are kicking nine yards of ass.

Assad has taken all his chemical weapons out of storage and is getting ready to use them. He wants to carve out a separate little country on the coast, where his Alawite clansmen can create a new home and survive the massacre that the Sunni majority will mete out to his people otherwise. In other words, Assad knows he is destined to lose this war and wants to salvage something out of it. That something is the survival of his people. Assad knows what he is up against: the full might of the new Petraeues CIA, a terrifying and implacable foe.