Yearly Archives: 2013

Paul Craig Roberts: Lawlessness Is The New Normal

"Europe headlines are that 'NSA surveillance threatens the EU free trade deal' and 'Merkel demands explanations.' The protests are the necessary public posturing of puppets and will be regarded as such by Washington. The French government says the trade talks should be temporarily suspended 'for a couple of weeks to avoid any controversy.' However, the German government says, 'We want this free trade agreement and we want to start the talks now.' In other words, what Merkel describes as 'unacceptable Cold War-style behavior' is acceptable as long as Germany gets the free trade agreement." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPaul Craig Roberts: Lawlessness Is The New Normal

Russia chides France, Spain and Portugal over Morales aircraft incident

"Russia has blasted the European countries which barred the Bolivian presidential aircraft from entering their airspace as unfriendly action, adding that such moves could compromise passengers’ safety. Russian diplomats added that they will continue to press for unconditional observation of international rules that guarantee the personal immunity of heads of state that prevent any attempts on their life, freedom and dignity. The Bolivian presidential aircraft had to land in Vienna, Austria, and remain grounded for 12 hours as France, Spain and Portugal closed their airspace for transit over a suspicion it could have been carrying NSA leaker Edward Snowden." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussia chides France, Spain and Portugal over Morales aircraft incident

Argentina Applies Law That Jails Hoarders as Bread Price Surges

'Interior Commerce Secretary Guillermo Moreno announced the measure in the official gazette today. The 1974 law allows authorities to freeze prices and obliges companies to maintain supply. Those in breach are subject to fines and imprisonment. 'If the law on supply is applied, the one who should go to jail is Moreno himself,' former Economy Minister Martin Lousteau said in an interview with Radio Mitre today. 'He’s to blame for the lack of wheat in Argentina.' Argentine wheat production has decreased since 2006, when President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s predecessor and late husband Nestor Kirchner set export quotas." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArgentina Applies Law That Jails Hoarders as Bread Price Surges

17 Dead, More than 200 Injured As Morsi Supporters Rally To Reject ‘Coup’

"It seems the turmoil in Egypt is far from over as hundreds of thousands (if not more than a million) protesters rallied on Friday to reject the military's removal and arrest of President Mohamed Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders. Egypt's health ministry reports that 17 people were killed and more 200 were injured in clashes between pro- and anti-Morsi protesters on Friday. You can watch live feeds from the protests here, and Business Insider has a correspondent on the ground. Some of the most intense clashes came on the October 6th bridge in Cairo, where gun shots were heard and a car has been set ablaze." Continue reading →

Continue Reading17 Dead, More than 200 Injured As Morsi Supporters Rally To Reject ‘Coup’

Egyptian nightmare for Erdogan

"True, the danger of a military coup in Turkey at the moment is close to zero, if only because Erdogan has locked up an entire army college (some 330 officers) on charges of plotting against him. But the parallels between the two countries run far beyond the superficial. For the record, so too did Egyptian still-President Mohammed Morsi try to purge the army last year, although he only removed a few top generals. The Turkish and the Egyptian governments - both democratically elected - have cracked down on the press, rolled back some civil liberties and planned to change the constitutions in ways many citizens found unacceptable." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgyptian nightmare for Erdogan

Military Plans to Maintain Power in Egypt after Coup

"Behind the scenes, the military, led by General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, plans to continue running the show. Since it took power in a coup in 1952, the military has remained the most important political player in Egypt. Neither Mubarak's fall in 2011, nor the short rule by Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, have changed this. At 58, el-Sissi is the country's youngest general. He has never fought in a war, and only knows about conflicts with Israel from the stories of others. He belongs to a generation that was invited to receive military training in the West. In 1992 he was in Britain, and in 2006, the United States." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMilitary Plans to Maintain Power in Egypt after Coup

It Is Now Common Knowledge That US Drones Bomb Civilian Rescuers

"That tactic is known as the 'double tap,' which bombs multiple targets in relatively quick succession — meaning that the second strike often hits first responders. In 2007 the FBI said the tactic as commonly used by terrorist organizations such as Hamas. Last year a study by NYU and Stanford detailed the U.S. use of the double tap, providing first-hand accounts of its devastating effect on rescuers and humanitarian workers. Last June the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Christof Heyns said he considers secondary strikes to be 'war crimes.' The fact that it is now normalized as a common tactic of the U.S. drone war is stunning." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIt Is Now Common Knowledge That US Drones Bomb Civilian Rescuers

Missouri governor vetoes bill to nullify federal gun laws

"The legislation would have made it a misdemeanor crime for federal agents to attempt to enforce any federal gun regulations that 'infringe on the people's right to keep and bear arms.' It also sought to invalidate some specific federal laws, including a 1934 law that imposed on tax on transferring machine guns or silencers. The measure would have made it a misdemeanor to publish the names of gun owners. Missouri's age to obtain a conceal-carry permit would have been lowered to 19 instead of the current 21, and the bill would have allowed people with concealed gun permits to openly carry firearms up to 16 inches long." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMissouri governor vetoes bill to nullify federal gun laws

Texting while judging: Judge texted assistance to prosecutors during trial(s)

"Not only is the judge who texted advice to prosecutors still on the bench, the assistant prosecutor accused of passing on her texts has herself been elected state district judge! Further evidence that the mechanisms for holding prosecutors and judges accountable for misconduct in Texas simply aren't effective or functional. A report by a court observer from the DA's office found that this was 'not the first time' the judge had provided such ex parte assistance and the lead prosecutor said her second chair was 'in her ear all the time regarding information she believes to be given her by Judge Coker via text during trial,' not just in this case but in others." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexting while judging: Judge texted assistance to prosecutors during trial(s)

Students DESTROY NSA Recruiters Over Illegal Spying and Lies

"When NSA recruiters went to the University of Wisconsin earlier this week to pitch language students on working for the agency, they got more than they bargained for. The informed students turned the question-and-answer session into a hearing. On trial were the NSA's lies, their legality, and how they define 'adversary'. The students recorded audio of the exchange on an iPhone proving that the language-analyst NSA recruiters were left tongue-tied." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingStudents DESTROY NSA Recruiters Over Illegal Spying and Lies