military industrial complex

UN to investigate legality of U.S drone strikes

"A newly-announced UN inquiry into the rise of drone strikes and targeted killings around the world has drawn measured optimism and concerns from national security experts and the international human rights community. While 51 states possess the technology to use drones, according to Emmerson, the US is responsible for the vast majority of the world’s drone strikes and the practice of targeted killing has become a central component of the Obama administration’s efforts to combat al-Qaida. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, CIA drone strikes in Pakistan alone have resulted in as many as 3,461 deaths, including up to 891 civilians." Continue reading →

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‘Rise of the Drones’ Is Mostly a PBS Infomercial for the Military Defense Industry

"The widely-acclaimed PBS program, NOVA, premiered a documentary on unmanned aerial vehicles or drones. The documentary, 'Rise of the Drones,' was produced to explore how the technology is revolutionizing warfare and creating the next generation of cutting-edge surveillance. It was created to provide a glimpse at how the technology has advanced and how innovations might progress in the future. Before the documentary began, PBS noted the program had received funding from the David H. Koch Foundation for Science. It also received 'additional funding' from Lockheed Martin." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Rise of the Drones’ Is Mostly a PBS Infomercial for the Military Defense Industry

NATO deploys Patriot as warplanes hit Syria capital

"NATO declared that a Patriot missile battery went operational on Turkey’s border with Syria on Saturday, as a watchdog reported regime warplanes launched raids on a Damascus district. Ankara and NATO have stressed the deployment is for defensive purposes only, while Damascus and its ally Moscow have criticised the measure. The US-made missiles can take out cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft. Britain, meanwhile, pledged a multi-million dollar aid package to help Syrian civilians, nearly half of which would be channelled through agencies in Jordan where a record 6,400 refugees arrived on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNATO deploys Patriot as warplanes hit Syria capital

The Pentagon Targets the “Far Right”

"A paper published by West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center suggests that the Pentagon considers the Posse Comitatus Act to be a dead letter. The paper claims that people who 'espouse strong convictions regarding the federal government, believing it to be corrupt and tyrannical,' are potential terrorists akin to al-Qaeda. Similar assumptions were woven into a recent homeland security drill in Portsmouth, Ohio, in which elements of the Ohio National Guard’s 52nd Civil Support Unit play-acted an incident in which two school employees angered by the government’s crackdown on gun rights plotted a terrorist attack." Continue reading →

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Women to assume combat roles in U.S. military

"Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta issued an order on Wednesday removing the military’s ban on women in combat roles. Panetta’s order overturns a 1994 rule barring women from combat roles in the military and directs military officials to begin crafting a plan to fully integrate all of the jobs currently available. The military loosened some rules on women in combat last February, saying an additional 14,000 jobs in the Army and Marine Corps were being opened up to women, but not all. Wednesday’s order should do exactly that, the AP noted, opening an additional 230,000 jobs — including special forces roles — that were not previously available to women." Continue reading →

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Sex is major reason military commanders are fired

"Sex has proved to be the downfall of presidential candidates, members of Congress, governors and other notables. It's also among the chief reasons that senior military officers are fired. At least 30 percent of military commanders fired over the past eight years lost their jobs because of sexually related offenses, including harassment, adultery, and improper relationships, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press. The figures bear out growing concerns by Defense Department and military leaders over declining ethical values among U.S. forces." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSex is major reason military commanders are fired

VA spending more on erectile dysfunction drugs for vets

"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has almost tripled spending on erectile dysfunction drugs in the past six years as war-related psychological disorders contribute to sexual difficulties. The surge in drug spending reflects the number of troops returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, said Jason Hansman, senior program manager for health and mental health programs at the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a New York-based nonprofit group. Both conditions can limit sexual functioning, he said." Continue reading →

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U.S. Navy ship stranded on World Heritage-listed coral reef ignored warnings

"A US Navy minesweeper that has been stuck on a World Heritage-listed coral reef in the Philippines since last week ignored warnings to avoid the area, a government official said on Monday. The comments from the superintendent of Tubbataha marine park, Angelique Songco, added to growing anger in the Philippines over the incident, for which the US Navy has apologised but may still face fines. Park rangers radioed the USS Guardian to advise it was nearing the Tubbataha Reef on Thursday, but the ship captain insisted they raise their complaint with the US embassy, Songco told reporters." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. Navy ship stranded on World Heritage-listed coral reef ignored warnings

New £150million F-35 combat jet is banned from flying in bad weather because it could explode

"The Telegraph has reported the revelations were disclosed in a leaked report from the Pentagon's operational test and evaluation office, which states that, until a device in the fuel tank is redesigned, test-flying within 25 miles of thunderstorms is 'not permitted'. Several other problems have been identified with the plane, including a fault in the design of the fuel tank which means it is unable to rapidly descend to low altitude. A handful of cracks were also discovered in the tested aircraft during examinations by the United States Air Force and the aircraft's manufacturer Lockheed Martin." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew £150million F-35 combat jet is banned from flying in bad weather because it could explode