Winning Hearts & Minds

Greek police report riot at immigrant detention camp

"Riot police were dispatched on Saturday to put down a riot at Greece’s main migrant detention camp where detainees hurled stones at officers and set fire to their living quarters, authorities said. Television footage showed fires blazing at the Amygdaleza detention camp outside Athens, where some 1,200 mainly Asian migrants are kept under police guard. Amygdaleza is one of several detention camps set up since last year to assist in the repatriation of thousands of undocumented migrants. The police spokesman said rioting began when the detainees were told that their maximum stay in the camp would be extended to 18 months from a year previously." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGreek police report riot at immigrant detention camp

Judge blocks BART union’s proposed strike in San Francisco through October

"A judge on Sunday blocked a threatened San Francisco-area rail worker strike that could have disabled a critical part of the region’s transportation system serving 400,000 daily passengers. The BART rail system was shut down for 4-1/2 days in July when union workers walked off the job, creating severe roadway congestion and forcing commuters to miss work or crowd onto a limited number of other public transportation options. BART management says the average employee gets an annual salary of $79,500 plus $50,800 in benefits, and it is concerned the cost of benefits will continue to climb after increasing by nearly 200 percent in 10 years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJudge blocks BART union’s proposed strike in San Francisco through October

Son of ex-American abroad: ‘It’s like watching a house on fire’

"In the midst of all the frenetic, shallow coverage about 'tax dodgers fleeing the country', it’s nice to see that at least one newspaper ran a front-page story which honestly portrays the various motivations that Americans abroad had for leaving the country and the reasons that they ultimately cite when they take the big step of giving up citizenship. It covers all the various reasons: tax savings, flight from U.S. militarism, government harassment of political activists abroad, and the desire to become a full member of another society. Surprised you didn’t catch this one on Twitter or Google News? This article is from four decades ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSon of ex-American abroad: ‘It’s like watching a house on fire’

Ron Paul: Why Are We At War In Yemen?

"The US government is clearly at war in Yemen. It is claimed they are fighting al-Qaeda, but the drone strikes are creating as many or more al-Qaeda members as they are eliminating. Resentment over civilian casualties is building up the danger of blowback, which is a legitimate threat to us that is unfortunately largely ignored. Also, the US is sending mixed signals by attacking al-Qaeda in Yemen while supporting al-Qaeda linked rebels fighting in Syria. This cycle of intervention producing problems that require more intervention to 'solve' impoverishes us and makes us more, not less, vulnerable. Can anyone claim this old approach is successful?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul: Why Are We At War In Yemen?

Ted Koppel: ‘Can You Imagine A Day When We’ll Be Without The TSA?’

"'The terrorists have achieved more with one phone call than we have achieved with all our response,' Koppel said. 'Terrorism is imply the weapon by which the weak engage the strong,' Koppel said. 'They cause the strong—in this case us—to overreact. We are the ones who went into Iraq and spent about a trillion and a half dollars doing it, losing 4,500 men and women, god knows how many tens of thousands injured. We are the ones who created a bureaucracy. The TSA has what—57,000 people operating within the TSA? Can you imagine a day when we will ever be without that bureaucracy? All imposed upon ourselves.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTed Koppel: ‘Can You Imagine A Day When We’ll Be Without The TSA?’

Dotcom: Surveillance and Copyright Extremism Will Cost United States Dearly

"'The US government and the other Five Eyes partners (UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) have an agreement to push for new spy legislation that will provide them with backdoors into all Internet infrastructure and services. The NZ government is currently aggressively looking to extend its powers with the GCSB and the TICS act, which will force service providers with encryption capabilities to give them secret decryption access,' Dotcom explains. 'The US is on a path of destroying its massive lead in the Internet economy. Mass surveillance and copyright extremism will cost the US economy more than any terrorist attack or piracy,' Dotcom says." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDotcom: Surveillance and Copyright Extremism Will Cost United States Dearly

Disabled veteran kicked off boardwalk because of service dog

"A North Wildwood police officer issued Jared and his wife a summons because of the dog. Goering said, 'I expected to get more respect from him because of the jobs that we both have to do.' 'He mockingly asked if all veterans get service dogs,' said Jared’s wife, Sally Goering, 'his dog is medically necessary and he is a service dog.' In 2009, Jared was serving in Afghanistan when his vehicle was blown up by IEDs, twice, within 36 hours. Now, Jared uses his 3-year-old service dog, Gator, short for Navigator, to help him walk, and to get up and down stairs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDisabled veteran kicked off boardwalk because of service dog

After gun enthusiast’s arrest, rifle-toting protestors gather outside McAllen PD

"Horton, the open carry advocate, visited the Public Safety Building on Wednesday afternoon and told police he wanted to take a photograph of himself holding an assault-style rifle, according to police. Officers warned Horton not to bring weapons onto the premises and he left. Horton returned later, apparently intending to photograph himself holding a rifle. Officers arrested him for trespassing and carrying a weapon where prohibited, according to the news release. Police later dropped the trespassing charge and Horton was released on a $25,000 bond." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAfter gun enthusiast’s arrest, rifle-toting protestors gather outside McAllen PD

McCain: Young Americans admire Snowden, see him as ‘some kind of Jason Bourne’

"A deep distrust of government has led young Americans to hold up NSA leaker Edward Snowden as a hero, Sen. John McCain said Sunday. 'There’s a young generation who believes he’s some kind of Jason Bourne,' the Arizona Republican said during on 'Fox News Sunday,' referring to the lead character in the Bourne movie trilogy who battled his own government, particularly the CIA. 'Right now there’s kind of a generational change. Young Americans do not trust this government,' Mr. McCain said. 'Without trusting government you can’t do a lot of things.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMcCain: Young Americans admire Snowden, see him as ‘some kind of Jason Bourne’

Sputtering War on Drugs In Afghanistan

"By the Pentagon’s own definition, the U.S. and its allies have failed to curb the drug trade in Afghanistan that provides 90 percent of the world’s heroin and is the main source of funding for the Taliban. The United Nations has pledged to fill the counter-narcotics vacuum left by the withdrawing allies, but that effort will be dependent on continuing contributions from donor states. To continue anti-drug efforts past 2014, the U.S. must include DEA agents with the long-term residual force that President Obama plans to leave behind post-2014, according to the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSputtering War on Drugs In Afghanistan