State Terrorism

Talk of CIA prisons censored at Guantanamo hearing

"US authorities censored part of a preliminary hearing Monday at a Guantanamo military tribunal that touched on CIA secret prisons where suspected 9/11 plotters say they were tortured. Reporters watched the proceedings against the five 9/11 suspects at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba behind a thick, sound-proof glass wall and listened to piped-in audio with a 40-second delay. But when a defense lawyer mentioned the CIA secret sites at Monday’s hearing, a red light flashed on and the sound from the courtroom was cut off. The audio from the proceedings was replaced by white noise, preventing journalists from listening." Continue reading →

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U.S. military plans to build drone base in North Africa

"The US military plans to set up a base for drones in northwest Africa to bolster surveillance of Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the region as well as allied Islamist extremists, a US official told AFP on Monday. The base for the robotic, unmanned aircraft would likely be located in Niger, on the eastern border of Mali, where French forces are currently waging a campaign against Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. If the plan gets the green light, up to 300 US military service members and contractors could be sent to the base to operate the drone aircraft, according to the New York Times." Continue reading →

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Ben Swann: President Obama Wants To Protect Children? Why Not End U.S. Drone Strikes?

"Ben Swann of Full Disclosure takes a look at statements by President Obama that he wants to prevent even one more child’s death at the hands of a mass shooter. Ben is asking why the President isn’t ending a drone strike policy that is responsible for 11 times the number of child deaths." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBen Swann: President Obama Wants To Protect Children? Why Not End U.S. Drone Strikes?

Pakistan Unhappy Over Reports US Drone Strikes Will Continue

"Leaders in Pakistan are outraged at reported U.S. plans to continue controversial drone strikes against suspected al-Qaida-linked sanctuaries on Pakistani soil. They are calling it 'close to a perpetual war,' and say it is exactly opposite to what President Barack Obama stated in his inaugural speech on Monday. U.S. drone strikes on targets in Pakistani regions along the border with Afghanistan remain highly controversial and are deeply unpopular in Pakistan. Pakistan publicly condemns the drone campaign and wants the U.S. to end it, saying that it not only violates the country's sovereignty, but that collateral damage caused by the strikes is fueling militancy in the region." Continue reading →

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Who Says You Can Kill Americans, Mr. President?

"Presidents had never before, to our knowledge, targeted specific Americans for military strikes. There are no court decisions that tell us if he is acting lawfully. Mr. Obama tells us not to worry, though, because his lawyers say it is fine, because experts guide the decisions and because his advisers have set up a careful process to help him decide whom he should kill. He must think we should be relieved. Oddly, under current law, Congress and the courts are involved when presidents eavesdrop on Americans, detain them or harshly interrogate them — but not when they kill them." Continue reading →

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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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War is Peace: The Second Obama Term

"From President Obama's second inaugural address: 'We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war.' Secretary of State nominee John Kerry before Senate confirmation hearing this week: 'The president has made it definitive -- we will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And I repeat here today: our policy is not containment. It is prevention, and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance.'" 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

Rare trees turned into firewood as Syrian civilians struggle for warmth

"Beset by a freezing winter and stifling fuel and electricity shortages, Syrian civilians desperate to stay warm in a northern forest have no choice but to cut down trees for firewood. Once a tourist destination for Syrians and other Arabs across the Middle East, the formerly pristine national park to the north and west of the city of Idlib is being systematically stripped bare. Bald, muddy swathes of fresh-cut land now stretch in many directions, with men using chainsaws to bring trees down and dozens of pick-up trucks coming and going for loads of lumber." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRare trees turned into firewood as Syrian civilians struggle for warmth