Jordanians ‘suspicious’ about U.S. troop movements

"Jordanians are suspicious about US weapons and troops being deployed to the kingdom, even if Washington seeks to help its ally protect itself from a possible spillover of Syrian violence, experts say. The United States has kept F-16 warplanes and Patriot missiles in the country since a joint military exercise ended on June 20. A US defence official said Washington has expanded its military presence in the country to 1,000 troops. MP Khalil Atiyeh says lawmakers reject the presence of foreign forces. 'As deputies representing Jordanian people, we do not accept US or any other foreign troops in Jordan. Jordanians do not think there are threats from Syria.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingJordanians ‘suspicious’ about U.S. troop movements

The best second passport for Edward Snowden…

"If Mr. Snowden had been able to procure a second passport prior to stepping into the limelight, he would likely not be in this predicament as he could have been traveling on his other passport. This is one of the hidden virtues of having a second passport. You might never ‘need’ one. But should such a need ever arise, it can really be a life saver. In Mr. Snowden’s case, the best option on the table would have been Brazil. If Snowden had become a Brazilian (which anyone can do– via 2-4 years of residency, or marriage, or even having a child), he could be happily living out his days on the beach in Fortaleza, rather than being stuck in a Russian transit zone." Continue reading

Continue ReadingThe best second passport for Edward Snowden…

Homeland Security Is A Racket Twice Over

"Since the government has created the problem of terrorism while fraudulently denying that it has, and then in building up the DHS has fraudulently offered a non-solution to solve the problem of its own making, the DHS is a racket twice over. Actually, since the DHS's activities actively invade everyone's rights, it is a racket thrice over. None of us would have any expectation of systematic terrorism against Americans in America if there were not a U.S. empire that systematically intrudes in lands where it doesn't belong. Retaliations from these places take time, sometimes decades. The U.S. is breeding new terrorists all the time and in more and more places." Continue reading

Continue ReadingHomeland Security Is A Racket Twice Over

Edward Snowden and Joshua Glover

"The comparisons to Edward Snowden are obvious: 'why did Glover flee Missouri? Why didn't he stay in Missouri and 'work within the system' to gain his liberty?' Yeah, the same way so many other slaves had secured their freedom! With the help of its lapdog media - with which neither Booth nor Glover had to contend - the federal government demands of Russia what it demanded of Wisconsin in the mid-19th century: the return of one of its subjects." Continue reading

Continue ReadingEdward Snowden and Joshua Glover

Marine’s 11-year war crimes conviction overturned

"Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins, 29, was jailed six years ago after a court martial found him guilty of orchestrating the murder of a 52-year-old Iraqi man in the town of Hamdania. Hutchins was convicted of leading an eight-strong squad which kidnapped the father of 11 from his home in a night-time raid, frogmarched him to a ditch and shot him. The group then placed an AK-47 and a shovel beside the dead man’s corpse to make it look as if he had been shot while planting a roadside bomb. Lawyers for Hutchins argued investigators had erred when the Marine was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for seven days." Continue reading

Continue ReadingMarine’s 11-year war crimes conviction overturned

UN Releases 2013 World Drug War Report

"I found this paragraph absolutely stunning: 'We have to admit that, globally, the demand for drugs has not been substantially reduced and that some challenges exist in the implementation of the drug control system, in the violence generated by trafficking in illicit drugs, in the fast evolving nature of new psychoactive substances, and in those national legislative measures which may result in a violation of human rights. The real issue is not to amend the Conventions, but to implement them according to their underlying spirit.' Read that again and realize the enormity of what he is saying." Continue reading

Continue ReadingUN Releases 2013 World Drug War Report

How the Empire Works

"Former US intelligence asset John Perkins described how he and fellow 'Economic Hit Men' were used by Washington in a global loan-sharking scheme. The case of Yemen is instructive. In 1991, Yemen refused to vote in the UN in favor of the first Iraq War. Washington retaliated by cutting of all financial aid. Saudi Arabia expelled about a million Yemeni workers whose remittances were vital to the country’s economy. Yemen, which had barely become unified, descended into civil war and dictatorship. Today Yemen is ruled by a compliant puppet dictator who eagerly supports Washington’s drone warfare campaign against his subjects. Such are the ways of empire." Continue reading

Continue ReadingHow the Empire Works

Major Counter-Terrorism Expert: Hastings Car Crash “Consistent with a Car Cyber Attack.”

"Counter-terrorism expert Richard Clarke says that the circumstances of Michael Hasting’s car crash were 'consistent with a car cyber attack.' While hastening to add that he was not saying the crash was a purposeful attack, Clarke stated that 'There is reason to believe that intelligence agencies for major powers' know how to remotely seize control of a car. Clarke served during both Bush presidencies and under Bill Clinton. Just what is a 'car cyber attack'? The answer can be found in two alarming papers by researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego, 'Experimental Security Analysis of a Modern Vehicle,' ... " Continue reading

Continue ReadingMajor Counter-Terrorism Expert: Hastings Car Crash “Consistent with a Car Cyber Attack.”

China’s state newspaper praises Edward Snowden for ‘tearing off Washington’s sanctimonious mask’

"The strongly worded front-page commentary responded to harsh criticism of China from the US for allowing Snowden to flee. 'Not only did the US authorities not give us an explanation and apology, it instead expressed dissatisfaction at the Hong Kong special administrative region for handling things in accordance with law,' wrote Wang Xinjun, a researcher at the Academy of Military Science. 'In a sense, the United States has gone from a 'model of human rights' to 'an eavesdropper on personal privacy', the 'manipulator' of the centralised power over the international internet, and the mad 'invader' of other countries' networks,' the People's Daily said." Continue reading

Continue ReadingChina’s state newspaper praises Edward Snowden for ‘tearing off Washington’s sanctimonious mask’

Moscow exchange launches first precious metals trading

"The stock exchange is going to start trading gold and silver by the end of this year, and platinum and palladium in 2014. Trading physical metals is expected to boost liquidity in the market and attract more participants. Russia has so far only been trading futures on gold and silver, not dealing with real metals. Gold has been occasionally sold on the over-the-counter market and the only benchmark for price was the Central bank’s quotations, Gazeta.ru reports. Now gold will get the market price in rubles. Credit institutions licensed to conduct operations with precious metals and non-banking professional brokers will be the main players on the market." Continue reading

Continue ReadingMoscow exchange launches first precious metals trading