The world picture is dramatic. Schiller Institute leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche, giving a briefing today, chose to begin with the tumult in Europe. In France, the latest prime minister resigned today, the fourth in barely more than one year. Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation within an hour of presenting his new cabinet, which the National Assembly found unacceptable. Many cabinet members were retreads from the recent past. President Emmanuel Macron faces appointing another loser to office, or calling elections and losing. In Central Europe, the electorate in Czechia yesterday ousted the incumbent—a backer of the European Union stance for endless war and austerity. The voters put in an alternative candidate, Andrej Babis, who opposes the war-making. In neighboring Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised the outcome of the Czech election, saying on X, “Truth has prevailed! … A big step for the Czech Republic, good news for Europe….”
In southern Europe over the weekend, huge crowds poured into the streets, demanding the genocide stop in Gaza, and many protesting the EU’s backing for perpetual war in Ukraine. In Spain on Saturday, Oct. 4, some 100,000 demonstrated in Madrid, 70,000 in Barcelona. In Italy, organizers report there were 1 million demonstrators in Rome on Saturday.
In the Americas, events are ominous. Washington is escalating rhetoric of all kinds about the claimed “legitimacy” of peremptory U.S. military action against Venezuelan interests. On Oct. 5 the Venezuelan government authorities issued an open message to Washington, warning of the danger of a false-flag incident, after finding a plot in motion to place explosives in the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. On Oct. 5, the foreign ministers of Venezuela and Russia spoke about the growing threat. It is reported in Argentina’s media that U.S. President Donald Trump has called on three nations to participate with the U.S. in a joint military task force in the Caribbean: Argentina, El Salvador and Ecuador, whose slim military capacities, it may be said, are no match for their political postures.
There are informed, though speculative, warnings that the widely publicized meeting of some 800 top U.S. commanders Sept. 29-30, at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Virginia outside Washington, D.C., was more than just a grandstand for U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth and President Trump to pump up dumping “PC” and “woke.” Was it a cover for private sessions of the Southern Command, over contingencies for a U.S. assault in the Caribbean, and Centcom, over contingencies for a U.S. assault on Iran, as some suggest?
Moreover, Secretary Hegseth is conveying that the fierce “warrior ethos” he demands in the Western Hemisphere is also what is required on the home front. The Trump Administration is deploying federal forces in selected cities, and fighting any opposition in court. Meantime, there is no action by Washington at all for economic development domestically or in the Western Hemisphere. The financial vulture complex continues to reign unchallenged, with now even crypto incorporated in its operations. This will not last.
These two sets of updates—from Europe and the Americas—are parts of the backdrop to the very important process begun today in Egypt, where negotiations have begun on initiating actions to end the conflict in Gaza, in which Israel is committing genocide. In Sharm el-Sheikh, “indirect talks” started today between the Israeli and Hamas delegations, mediated by host Egypt, on arrangements for the release and exchange of hostages and prisoners. This is part of “phase one” of ongoing measures to be worked out.
Now is the time to put forward to the world community, ever more forcefully and broadly, the “Oasis Plan” approach for the region, issued decades ago in 1975 by statesman-economist Lyndon LaRouche. The vision for resolution of conflict it contains, comes from universal principles of serving the mutual interest of peoples, in having conditions of plentiful water, power, food, productive economic activity, health care, transportation, science and culture.
Leaders of the Global Majority met in the framework of these principles in early September in China and Eastern Russia, at the Sept. 1 meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State and the Sept. 3-6 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, as well as on Sept. 3 at the 80th anniversary commemoration of the end of World War II in Beijing.
There is follow-on to the deliberations there. On Nov. 17-18 Russia will host the SCO Council of Heads of Government to monitor progress on the initiatives by the heads of state in September. Helga Zepp-LaRouche points out that Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated last week that those of the West or Global North are welcome to join humanity in this shared direction. He specifically said at the Valdai Club meeting in Sochi on Oct. 2: The door is open.
The meeting this week of the International Peace Coalition (IPC) will feature expert reports and discussion on the Oasis Plan. The 123rd weekly meeting of the IPC, co-founded two years ago by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, will take place on Friday, Oct. 10.
