Imperial Hubris

Revealed: Al-Qaeda’s 22 Tips For Dodging Drones

"In support of Ibyan province (Yemen) Military Research Workshop. I have said in my article 'Strategies of Capabilities for Ansar al-Sharia' that the American retaliation against the Mujahideen military movements in Ibyan province will be restricted to the war of the drone. My expectations have been assured after the recent New York Times leakage that the CIA will handle the situation, and for this, it set up a secret military base for the drones in a neighboring country. It is important now that we understand this American army strategy and discuss ways to disable this strategy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRevealed: Al-Qaeda’s 22 Tips For Dodging Drones

Police Chief Wants Citizens As ‘Reserve Force’ To Defend Against Feds

"Law enforcement officers at the local level are making their stand and they want you to be a part of that. While I’ve written on various sheriffs that have made their own stance to protect their citizens from anyone attempting to confiscate guns, I recently ran across Police Chief Mark Kessler of the Gilberton Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania. He wants citizens to join with his police department in building a 'reserve force' that will aid his police force should the need arise to resist Federal authorities when it comes to the Second Amendment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice Chief Wants Citizens As ‘Reserve Force’ To Defend Against Feds

A City of Fear: A Visit to Timbuktu after Its Liberation By French Troops

"Colonel Gèze set up his headquarters in a camouflage tent across from the runway. Following the airstrikes by the French Air Force, his men entered Timbuktu without meeting any resistance. The colonel still feels a little uneasy about their speedy victory. Gèze can't say how many people were killed in the air strikes. His soldiers didn't take any prisoners, either. Still, even though the jihadists have left Timbuktu, Gèze hasn't defeated them. Perhaps they have gone to Mauritania or Algeria. The officer shrugs his shoulders. 'We're keeping our eyes and ears peeled and are questioning our informants,' he says. 'The Islamists have to be hiding out somewhere.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA City of Fear: A Visit to Timbuktu after Its Liberation By French Troops

Julian Assange on Real Time With Bill Maher: NDAA Kill List

"WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange weighed in on the brewing controversy surrounding the Obama administration's targeted killing program Friday night during an appearance on 'Real Time With Bill Maher.' Assange railed against the revelation, made by NBC News earlier this week, that the U.S. government reserves the right to extrajudicially kill U.S. citizens, as long as they are perceived to be 'imminent' terror threats -- with 'imminence' being given an especially broad definition." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJulian Assange on Real Time With Bill Maher: NDAA Kill List

Pentagon’s New High-tech Warfare Medal Draws Backlash

"The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyberwar experts or others who are directly involved in combat operations, but who are not physically in theater and facing the physical risks that warfare historically entails. The new medal, announced Wednesday by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, will have precedence over — and be worn on a uniform ahead of — the Bronze Star with Valor device, awarded to troops for specific heroic acts performed under fire in combat. It is the first new forcewide medal recognizing combat achievement since the Bronze Star was created in 1944." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPentagon’s New High-tech Warfare Medal Draws Backlash

‘Anything That Moves’: Civilians And The Vietnam War

"On March 16, 1968, between 347 and 504 unarmed Vietnamese civilians were gunned down by members of the U.S. Army in what became known as the My Lai Massacre. The U.S. government has maintained that atrocities like this were isolated incidents in the conflict. Nick Turse says otherwise. In his new book, Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam, Turse argues that the intentional killing of civilians was quite common in a war that claimed 2 million civilian lives, with 5.3 million civilians wounded and 11 million refugees." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Anything That Moves’: Civilians And The Vietnam War

Pepe Escobar: The illusory state of the Empire

"Obama's legacy may be in the process of being forged. We might call it Shadow War Forever - coupled with the noxious permanence of Guantanamo. The Pentagon for its part will never abandon its 'full spectrum' dream of military hegemony, ideally controlling the future of the world in all those shades of grey zones between Russia and China, the lands of Islam and India, and Africa and Asia. Were lessons learned? Of course not. Obama can afford to be self-confident because the Drone Empire is safe. Most Americans seem to absent-mindedly endorse it - as long as 'the terrorists' are alien, not US citizens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPepe Escobar: The illusory state of the Empire

Western powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

"Major powers plan to offer to ease sanctions barring trade in gold and other precious metals with Iran in return for Iranian steps to shut down the nation's newly expanded Fordow uranium enrichment plant, Western officials said on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWestern powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

Western powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

"Major powers plan to offer to ease sanctions barring trade in gold and other precious metals with Iran in return for Iranian steps to shut down the nation's newly expanded Fordow uranium enrichment plant, Western officials said on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWestern powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks