Land Of The Flea

British prisoner: ‘People are dying’ in Guantanamo Bay from systemic torture

"Aamer has never been charged or faced trial. Moreover he was cleared for release by the Bush administration in June 2007, a decision that was re-affirmed three years later. The British government has lobbied Washington on his behalf, stating on Sunday: 'we want him released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency'. The UK Foreign Office said it continued to monitor Aamer’s condition but stressed any decision to release him remained in the hands of the US government. In the meantime, the father of three continues to languish in a cell. He has never seen his youngest son, Faris, born while Aamer was in captivity, now living with family in London." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBritish prisoner: ‘People are dying’ in Guantanamo Bay from systemic torture

Guantanamo Gulag and the Human Rights Lie

"The US military running the Guantanamo Bay prison have cracked down hard on the dozens of prisoners who have, in desperation, engaged in secret hunger strikes so that they may die in peace making their point about the American gulag without being force-fed by US authorities. Of the 166 who remain in indefinite detention, without charge or trial, 86 have been 'cleared for release.' But they will not be released. They will most likely be held until they die. Many have likely already gone insane, as they were captured with no evidence, given no trials, tortured, and forced to live in a tropical Siberia. Yet the US has the gall to hector and lecture [other countries] about 'human rights.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGuantanamo Gulag and the Human Rights Lie

Libertarianism and The Congressional Vote on Attacking Syria

"MSM tends to offer up the explanation of 'war weariness,' but it is much deeper than this. After, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bengazi, the U.S. people see the USG and its military as bunglers with likely hidden agendas. It still remains unclear why some of these military efforts, and the mysterious operations at Benghazi, were really launched (Or the real reason the USG desires to launch an attack against Syria.) MSM acts as a pretty good propaganda machine for the military that promotes the idea of a spit and polish operation, more powerful than any other on earth, but when it comes to real world confrontations, as we see, the US military has problems against even a rag tag bunch of mountain men." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLibertarianism and The Congressional Vote on Attacking Syria

The US Uses Gas To Kill Civilians

"The US government itself has used similar weapons openly as recently as the FBI/ATF attack on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco Texas in the spring of 1993. While domestic and world reaction to the Davidian massacre ranged from shock to horror, in 1993 there were no bellicose calls for military attack on the US by other nations for this blatant violation of the rules of war, the Geneva Conventions, and legal due process. France, Britain, China and Russia did not propose UN authorization for military retaliation. Nor did the US government ever apologize but instead gave medals and honors to the government killers responsible for these horrific deaths." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe US Uses Gas To Kill Civilians

$652 million project ‘GENIE’: U.S. conducted 231 ‘offensive cyberoperations’

"The revelation is based on a classified intelligence budget provided to the paper by fugitive leaker Edward Snowden, as well as on interviews. Under a $652 million project code-named 'GENIE,' US specialists hack foreign computer networks to secretly put them under American control. This involves placing 'covert implants' in computers, routers and firewalls, it said, adding that by year’s end 'GENIE' is projected to control at least 85,000 'malware' plug-ins in machines around the globe. US intelligence services make 'routine use' of government-constructed malware around the globe that 'differs little in function from the ‘advanced persistent threats’ that US officials attribute to China.'" Continue reading →

Continue Reading$652 million project ‘GENIE’: U.S. conducted 231 ‘offensive cyberoperations’

Microsoft and Google to sue over U.S. surveillance requests

"The companies announced the lawsuit on Friday, escalating a legal battle over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa), the mechanism used by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other US government agencies to gather data about foreign internet users. Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, made the announcement in a corporate blog post which complained of the government’s 'continued unwillingness' to let it publish information about Fisa requests. The companies denied the NSA had 'direct access' to their systems but said they were legally unable to disclose how many times they have been asked to provide information on users." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMicrosoft and Google to sue over U.S. surveillance requests

Snowden reveals US intelligence’s black budget: $52.6 billion on secret programs

"Despite the hefty cost of operating the secret operations amid sequestration, excerpts from the summary leaked by Snowden show that the US still has significant setbacks keeping it from achieving its intelligence goals. For one, the disclosure in and of itself demonstrates the intelligence community’s inability to prevent sensitive information from being leaked. For those nations of upmost interest, the intelligence community is investing heavily on 'offensive cyber operations' launched by the CIA and NSA to hack foreign competitors, steal data and sabotage servers, at a time when, domestically, so-called cybercriminals are prosecuted at an alarming rate for comparably less harsh crimes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden reveals US intelligence’s black budget: $52.6 billion on secret programs

Lawyers’ Heaven: Big Banks’ Legal Bills Total $100 Billion.

"The six biggest U.S. banks, led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Bank of America Corp., have piled up $103 billion in legal costs since the financial crisis, more than all dividends paid to shareholders in the past five years. Bank of America, led by Chief Executive Officer Brian T. Moynihan increased its legal costs by $3.3 billion in the first half to a total of $19.1 billion. That’s the amount allotted to lawyers and litigation, as well as for settling claims about shoddy mortgages and foreclosures, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The sum, equivalent to spending $51 million a day, is enough to erase everything the banks earned for 2012." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawyers’ Heaven: Big Banks’ Legal Bills Total $100 Billion.

U.S. seeking $6 billion from JPMorgan to settle mortgage claims

"U.S. government housing finance authorities are pressing JPMorgan Chase & Co for at least $6 billion to settle lawsuits over bonds backed by subprime mortgages, according to a person familiar with the matter. The FHFA litigation is among a raft of legal issues JPMorgan is trying to work through in addition to investigations over its $6.2 billion 'London Whale' derivatives loss of last year. The FHFA, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, sued JPMorgan over some $33 billion of securities two years ago and also sued at least 16 other financial institutions. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were seized by the government in 2008 and received $187.5 billion to stay afloat." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. seeking $6 billion from JPMorgan to settle mortgage claims