Obama Media Lapdogs Change G-20 Press Focus to War, War, War

TND Media Context Review / By Eric Dubin /

It’s amusing to watch mainstream Western media outlets cover the current G-20 meeting as if the entire event was set to discuss Obama’s effort to build a coalition of the willing.  Coverage by the Washington Post offers a ripe example.

Headline:  “Obama arrives at G-20 summit in Russia hoping to build support for strike on Syria.”

The first two paragraphs provide flavor for the whole story:

ST. PETERSBURG — President Obama arrived in Russia on Thursday to begin a two-day summit hosted by Syria’s chief benefactor where he hopes to persuade skeptical world leaders to support a U.S.-led military strike on Syria.

Obama began making his case in a private meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying the two leaders agreed that a reported chemical weapons attack on civilians last month by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces could not go unpunished.  (Click here to read more.)

The story goes on to describe the administration’s coalition building efforts, but fails to make a single mention about the meeting’s actual agenda.  The G-20 meeting was called to discuss the reserve status of the U.S. dollar, and its use in global trade settlement.  Important, to be sure.  But the Post couldn’t find a fly-speck of column space to report that context.  The Post did manage to publish a picture of Obama smiling with Putin.  Considering Obama’s strained relationship with Putin, it’s fair speculation flashing those pearly whites took considerable effort.

War and the Petrodollar

Some have speculated that the US is out to strike Syria as a means of preserving the Petrodollar system.  There is some truth to that argument.  The entire US international relations strategy is built in service of critical geostrategic advantages, and the status of the dollar as the world reserve currency and primary trade settlement currency is of paramount importance.

The irony of this week can’t be understated.  While the BRICS nations meet at the G-20 to further the development of institutions and treaty-based agreements to trade outside the dollar system, America attempts to flex its military power to preserve the dollar system in a round-about way.

The revolt amongst the BRICS is a form of blowback against the dollar.  Furthermore, Middle East instability has advanced to the point where even the intermediate-term hold on power of the Saudi royal family could potentially be destabilized following a strike on Syria.  The contradictory aspects of US policy are on full display.