From Volume 7, Issue 5 of EIR Online, Published Jan. 29, 2008
Asia News Digest

Cardinal Sin Defies Vatican Order in Philippines Coup

Jan. 21 (EIRNS)—Cardinal Sin, the recently deceased Archbishop of Manila, may finally be called to task for his criminal role in the destruction of the Philippines.

Sin, an asset of George Shultz and Paul Wolfowitz, and the Synarchy within the Roman Catholic Church, called the "masses" out to the streets to overthrow not one, but two Philippine Presidents—Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001—on behalf of the international financial institutions. It has now been revealed that Sin had been ordered by the Vatican to cease and desist, in the days leading up to coup #2, in January 2001. A "highly placed source" has reported to the Inquirer, the leading establishment newspaper of the Philippines, that a letter from the Vatican was delivered to Sin two days before the Estrada government was overthrown, to "withdraw the Catholic Church's participation" in the ongoing coup. In fact, it was Sin, working with the military faction aligned with Shultz's puppet Fidel Ramos, who had called those under his direction out onto the streets, to "stay here until evil is conquered by good." In fact, the vast majority of the population still supported Estrada.

The unnamed source told the Inquirer that the Vatican "was worried about its apostolic mission in Russia, China and Vietnam," concerned that Sin's political intrigue "might create apprehensions that it's risky to let the Catholic Church come in, because it might meddle."

Sin, the source added, responded that he would resign rather than follow the directive from the Vatican. Sin proceeded with the coup, returning the country to obedience to IMF dictates, where it remains today.

Lyndon LaRouche and EIR, long before the 1986 coup, and again before the 2001 coup, had revealed the role of Shultz and related networks in London who played Ramos and Sin, to give the appearance of "people's power" to the U.S.-run military coups. Over the last few years, a growing number of Filipinos, including many who had been pulled into the "people's power" ploy, have come to recognize the truth about the coups, and the destruction of the nation which has been the result.

EIR was recently informed by sources who were in government at the time of the more disastrous 1986 coup against President Marcos, that a similar effort had been launched by forces within the Vatican to stop Sin's crucial role in that Shultz-run "regime change"—a story which may soon come to light as well.

Korea-Russian Cooperation in Siberian Development

Jan. 25 (EIRNS)—South Korea is calling on Russia and North Korea to join in the development of eastern Siberia. President-elect Lee Myung-bak, who will be inaugurated on Feb. 25, sees the future of his country as being closely connected with Russia and trilateral cooperation with North Korea, Yonhap press reported. Lee Jae-oh, the President's special envoy to Russia, was in Moscow and Vladivostok this past week to promote the policy. In Moscow he delivered a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and met 13 ministerial-level officials. On Jan. 21, he told Russia's Novosti press service: "If we unite North Korea's workforce, Russia's resources and capital and [South] Korean technology, then we can achieve tremendous and long-lasting results in the development of east Siberia." He emphasized South Korea's capabilities in oil refining and transport. "If we join the plentiful oil and natural gas resources of east Siberia together with the industrial and technological powers of Korea, then both countries could become mutually beneficial partners."

Lee Jae-oh went to Vladivostok Jan. 23-24, to discuss joint development of the Trans-Korean Railway and the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and of Siberian oil fields. He told the Vladivostok press that "Russian officials expressed support for the [Lee Myung-bak's] plan to forge a prosperous northeast Asian economic community, especially as it will help in persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov also suggested forming a committee as a communication channel between Seoul and Moscow to closely cooperate on the development of the Far East region."

The two Koreas will hold their first railway cooperation talks of 2008 on Jan. 29-30, South Korea's Unification Ministry announced today. In December, North Korea had agreed to trilateral talks with Russia and South Korea on linking the Trans-Korean Railway with the Trans-Siberian. In the future, this rail link could deliver up to 200,000 containers per year.

Karzai Rejects British Lord Ashdown as Viceroy

Jan. 26 (EIRNS)—Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has taken another step against the British colonization of his country, by rejecting British Lord Paddy Ashdown as the UN "super-envoy" to Afghanistan, pointing to Ashdown's demand for imperial power over his nation. Attending the economic summit in Davos, Switzerland, Karzai met U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Conservative Party leader David Cameron, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, telling them all that he would not accept Ashdown.

This follows two other recent actions against the Brits: Karzai yesterday blamed the British Army for the virtual takeover of Helmand Province by the Taliban. He particularly denounced the British replacement of the governor of the province, accused by the British of being a warlord, but who had kept the Taliban in check, according to President Karzai. This follows his expulsion of two MI6 intelligence agents in December, who were negotiating collaboration with the elements of the Taliban behind Karzai's back.

Ashdown, who headed the Liberal Democratic Party in England in the 1990s, also served as UN High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002-06, where he prevented reconstruction in the devastated region, by allocating credit preferentially to free-market, private sector interests, earning the popular title "Viceroy of Bosnia." When it was reported on Jan. 17 that he would be appointed UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan, to coordinate Western reconstruction and aid, the official announcement was delayed while he demanded more power.

Sichuan Province To Become Rail Hub

Jan. 22 (EIRNS)—China's central Sichuan province plans to become the central rail transport hub for all of western China, with links to all Eurasia, provincial governor Jiang Jufeng announced at the opening of the provincial people's congress on Jan. 22. Railways will connect Sichuan with Europe and Southeast Asia.

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