Imperial Hubris

Boots on the ground in Egypt: trading one dictator for another [2011]

"Sure, Hosni Mubarak is now standing trial after 3-decades of looting and pillaging his country’s wealth. For most Egyptians, this is viewed as a major victory; there is a feeling of intense optimism here on the streets of Cairo, and even though nothing is fundamentally different, expectations are high. Mubarak was a symbol of tyranny, and a great deal of blood was shed to topple his regime. Unfortunately, Egyptians have essentially replaced one form of dictatorship with another. There is now one person in charge of Egypt– military Supreme Commander Mohamed Hussein Tantawi." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBoots on the ground in Egypt: trading one dictator for another [2011]

Jimmy Carter: U.S. Has ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

“Recent legislation has made legal the president’s right to detain a person indefinitely on suspicion of affiliation with terrorist organizations or ‘associated forces,’ a broad, vague power that can be abused without meaningful oversight from the courts or Congress. In addition to American citizens’ being targeted for assassination or indefinite detention, recent laws have canceled the restraints in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow unprecedented violations of our rights to privacy through warrantless wiretapping and government mining of our electronic communications.” Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJimmy Carter: U.S. Has ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

Snowden leaks now threaten U.S.-EU cooperation on travel, financial data

"The European Union is threatening to suspend two agreements granting the United States access to European financial and travel data unless Washington shows it is respecting EU rules on data privacy. Struck in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks and regarded by Washington as important tools in the fight against terrorism, the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) provides the U.S. Treasury with data stored in Europe on international financial transfers, and the Passenger Name Record agreement covers data provided by passengers when booking tickets and checking in for flights. All such information is passed to Homeland Security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden leaks now threaten U.S.-EU cooperation on travel, financial data

Nicaragua, Venezuela willing to take in Edward Snowden

"The quest by NSA leaker Edward Snowden for a safe haven has taken a turn toward Latin America, with offers for asylum coming from the leftist presidents of Nicaragua and Venezuela. But there were no immediate signs that efforts were under way to bring him to either nation after Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua made their offers during separate speeches in their home countries Friday. The offers came one day after leftist South American leaders gathered to denounce the rerouting of Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane over Europe amid reports that the fugitive American was aboard." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNicaragua, Venezuela willing to take in Edward Snowden

Jimmy Carter: ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

"Recent legislation has made legal the president’s right to detain a person indefinitely on suspicion of affiliation with terrorist organizations or 'associated forces,' a broad, vague power that can be abused without meaningful oversight from the courts or Congress. In addition to American citizens’ being targeted for assassination or indefinite detention, recent laws have canceled the restraints in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow unprecedented violations of our rights to privacy through warrantless wiretapping and government mining of our electronic communications." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJimmy Carter: ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

Clashes erupt as Islamists push back in Egypt

"Enraged Islamists pushed back Friday against the toppling of President Mohammed Morsi, as tens of thousands of his supporters took to the streets vowing to win his reinstatement and clashed with their opponents in violence that killed 30 and drove the divided nation toward an increasingly dangerous showdown. The clashes accelerated after the supreme leader of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood defiantly proclaimed that his followers would not give up street action until the return of the country's first freely elected president, swept out of power days earlier by the military. Morsi opponents called out the public to defend against the Brotherhood." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingClashes erupt as Islamists push back in Egypt

Israeli security strip searches Arab journalist at U.S. July Fourth party

"Security guards for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strip searched an Arab journalist working for the U.S.-funded Alhurra network at the the U.S. ambassador’s Fourth of July celebration in Tel Aviv, the network said on Thursday. The AP report said that Jallad was forced to remove his shoes and sit in the sun for half an hour. He was then taken to a room and ordered to remove his pants and submit to a body inspection. After 90 minutes, he was allowed to enter the event. The network said that Jallad had previously covered Netanyahu on many occasions and had a government-issued press card." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsraeli security strip searches Arab journalist at U.S. July Fourth party

Michael Scheuer: For Egypt’s Islamists war is a legitimate option

"What should concern Americans most about the near certainty of war in Egypt, and thus the broadening of the mujahedin’s overall war against the West, is whether Obama’s administration — in league with pro-Israel Republican and Democratic senators, Britain, and Israel — used its intelligence services to help the leaders of Egypt’s anti-democratic opposition to organize, fund, and train the democracy-killing forces that filled Cairo’s streets with demonstrations and prompted the Egyptian army to use that most democratic of all tools — a military coup." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMichael Scheuer: For Egypt’s Islamists war is a legitimate option

US Egypt Policies Don’t Pass the Laugh Test

"Let’s review US policy toward Egypt to see the foolish hypocrisy of the government’s interventionism: First the US props up the unelected Hosni Mubarak for decades, spending tens of billions of dollars to keep him in power. Then the US provides assistance to those who in 2011 successfully overthrew Mubarak. Then the US demands an election. The Egyptians held an election that was deemed free and fair and shortly afterward the US-funded military overthrows the elected president. Then the US government warns the military that it needs to restore democracy – the very democracy that was destroyed by military coup! All this they do with a straight face.." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Egypt Policies Don’t Pass the Laugh Test

Catholic Priest Allegedly Beheaded in Syria by Al-Qaeda-Linked Rebels Who Take Pictures and Cheer

"The Catholic news service quotes local sources who report that the radical Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, or Al-Nusra Front, was behind the savage killing. Dozens of men and boys are seen cheering on as three men are seated on the ground awaiting their grisly fate. The men are methodically beheaded one at a time by men holding what appears to be a simple kitchen knife after which the heads are placed on top of the bodies. A frenzy ensues, with dozens drawing out their smartphones to capture the bloody scene. Catholic Online is raising alarm that western nations are providing support to the rebels who have shown a proclivity toward persecuting Christians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCatholic Priest Allegedly Beheaded in Syria by Al-Qaeda-Linked Rebels Who Take Pictures and Cheer