Imperial Hubris

Documents reveal U.S. sells arms to Bahrain’s anti-democracy government crackdown

"Despite Bahrain’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, the U.S. has continued to provide weapons and maintenance to the small Mideast nation. Defense Department documents released to ProPublica give the fullest picture yet of the arms sales: The list includes ammunition, combat vehicle parts, communications equipment, Blackhawk helicopters, and an unidentified missile system. Defense Department spokesman Paul Ebner declined to offer any more detail. 'We won’t get into specifics in any of these because of the security of Bahrain,' said Ebner." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDocuments reveal U.S. sells arms to Bahrain’s anti-democracy government crackdown

Texas lawmaker wants to make federal weapons ban illegal in Texas

"Don't mess with Texans or their guns. That’s how state Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands) sees it. Toth wants to make any new federal weapons ban illegal in the state of Texas. 'This is a hardened state. This isn't a good place for a criminal to show up and start shooting,' said Rep. Toth. So, he’s proposing legislation that would make any federal law banning semiautomatic firearms or limiting the size of gun magazines unenforceable in the Lone Star State. 'We want to make sure this legislation protects the Second Amendment gun rights and the Tenth Amendment which is state sovereignty rights of Texans.'" Continue reading →

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Navy wants drones stashed on the seafloor

"The U.S. Navy wants to pack aerial drones and other intelligence-gathering technology into special containers built to withstand deep ocean pressures and distribute them around the world’s seas. The containers will rise to the surface when called into service from a remote location. These 'upward falling payloads' are seen as readying the Navy to address conflicts in corners of the world where it is too expensive or complex to establish a forward operating area, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) explained in a call for proposals. The containers would be stealthily deployed well ahead of time and designed to stay put on the seafloor for years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNavy wants drones stashed on the seafloor

Americans Used to Tar-and-Feather Tax Collectors

"Last September, Deputy IRS Commissioner Steven Miller promised a Republican-controlled congressional subcommittee that the agency would not enforce the Obamacare mandate. He lied, of course. Despite the fact that the agency is not a legislative body, last December it created 159 pages of Obamacare-related regulations. Since the rules are invasive and deliberately confusing, it’s not surprising that many business owners are looking for ways to minimize their exposure to the IRS’s scrutiny. This has prompted the agency to warn that it will soon issue 'anti-abuse rules' intended to punish business owners who use existing regulatory loopholes found in the law." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmericans Used to Tar-and-Feather Tax Collectors

Medical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence

"A man who owned several medical marijuana dispensaries in California that ostensibly operated legally under state law was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison on charges that he violated federal law restricting production and sales of the drug. Aaron Sandusky did not try to fight the charges, admitting to producing and selling medical marijuana in a manner approved by state law. 'I want to apologize to those with me and their families who have been victimized by the federal government who has not recognized the voters of this state,' Sandusky said in court. 'I want to apologize to the families who are suffering and who have to go through this.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMedical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence

Medical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence

"A man who owned several medical marijuana dispensaries in California that ostensibly operated legally under state law was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison on charges that he violated federal law restricting production and sales of the drug. Aaron Sandusky did not try to fight the charges, admitting to producing and selling medical marijuana in a manner approved by state law. 'I want to apologize to those with me and their families who have been victimized by the federal government who has not recognized the voters of this state,' Sandusky said in court. 'I want to apologize to the families who are suffering and who have to go through this.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMedical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence

DEA Raids Three LA Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

"DEA agents raided three Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries Wednesday afternoon, according to a preliminary report from Americans for Safe Access California director Don Duncan. More details were not forthcoming by press time. According to Duncan, the DEA struck LA Wonderland on West Pico Boulevard, the Downtown Collective on South Hill St. near downtown, and the Iron Works in Venice. The federal government has unleashed the DEA on dispensaries under both the Bush and the Obama administrations. One Southern California dispensary operator, Aaron Sandusky, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison just this Monday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDEA Raids Three LA Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Billions in Afghan aid could be wasted: U.S. inspector

"Billions of dollars in American assistance to Afghanistan could ultimately go to waste without better planning and security in the war-torn nation, a US investigator said Thursday. Despite US commanders’ talk of progress in Afghanistan, Sopko said that it was becoming more difficult for inspectors to head into the field to ascertain that US money was being well spent. Sopko accused both the Pentagon and the US Agency for International Development of lacking long-range plans on where and why they were building projects and of often failing to ensure quality standards." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBillions in Afghan aid could be wasted: U.S. inspector