you let this happen

We Can Win the Fight to Prosecute Bush's Torture Lawyers

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:10:23 -0400

We Can Win the Fight to Prosecute Bush's Torture Lawyers :

Remember that a serious attempt at accountability is a tremendous deterrent to future crimes and abuses even if it fails. And remember that they will not tell us we are succeeding until we already have. This is the moment for action. This is the time to pressure your representatives, to work the media, to be the media, to organize your groups and friends and neighbors. This is the moment to punch a hole through the wall that has separated those of us who are subject to laws from those who have not been.

Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:31:28 -0400

Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1:

Army units returning from Iraq will go on active duty in the United States, preparing to deal with civil unrest, natural disasters and terrorists attacks. They will field the Army’s “first ever nonlethal package” including tasers.

ABC News: Female Soldiers More Likely to Be Raped than Killed in Action, Says Rep.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:49:06 -0400

ABC News: Female Soldiers More Likely to Be Raped than Killed in Action, Says Rep.

Sex, drugs and oil: corruption scandal rocks US agency

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:34:59 -0400

Sex, drugs and oil: corruption scandal rocks US agency:

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Department of the Interior employees who handled billions of dollars in oil contracts improperly engaged in sex with energy company employees, a report released Wednesday said.

The report drafted by the department’s inspector general Earl Devaney deplored “a culture of ethical failure” in which regulators received gifts including ski junkets and golf outings.

The investigation uncovered a “culture of substance abuse and promiscuity,” Devaney said in a memo to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.

The alleged misconduct involved at least 13 current and former employees of the department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) accused of rigging contracts and accepting gifts and engaging in “illicit sexual encounters” with subordinates and industry representatives, Devaney said….

Halliburton sued for human trafficking

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:57:50 -0400

Halliburton sued for human trafficking:

Thirteen Nepali men were recruited and held against their will for thirteen months in a human trafficking scheme engineered and perpetrated by Halliburton and its Jordanian contractor, according to a lawsuit filed yesterday in California federal court.

In Iraq, Troops Down, Contractors Up

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:04:02 -0400

In Iraq, Troops Down, Contractors Up:

The U.S. military continues its long, steady draw down of troops from Iraq — just yesterday, Marine Corps Commandant announced he’s handing over responsibility for Anbar province to Iraqi forces. Meanwhile, “the United States is spending more money than ever on private security contractors in Iraq,” USA Today reports. “This year, spending on contractors, who protect diplomats, civilian facilities and supply convoys, is projected to exceed $1.2 billion… Most of that bill — about $1 billion — is State Department spending, which is up 13 percent over 2007.”

The Houston Plan

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:49:17 -0400

The Houston Plan:

The origin of the Patriot Act can be traced to the Golden Times of the Nixon Era.

From Wikipedia:

“The Huston plan was an American domestic spying program which originated in the Nixon administration. The plan, named for Nixon advisor Tom Huston who drafted it^[1], specifically ordered American intelligence agencies to spy on American civilians - in particular, Anti-Vietnam War activities and civil rights activists.

“J. Edgar Hoover had been doing that stuff for years without any express order. And he didn’t want an express order, and he certainly didn’t want a document floating around with his signature on it saying that he was pledging to do it. But Huston had persuaded Nixon to insist upon this because Nixon felt that the intelligence agencies were dragging their feet. Well, the document was staffed around, and Hoover wrote all these disclaimers, and footnotes which he attached to it, and so did the Army. The Army said, “We can’t do this sort of thing. We have no security. We’re all over the newspapers.” And they were, because my agents were coming out about once every two weeks with a news story. All around the country Army intelligence agents were telling what they knew to TV stations, to print reporters in Chicago sometimes, various newspapers, and the Army was leaking like a sieve. Very embarrassing.”^[2]

To Provoke War, Cheney Considered Proposal To Dress Up Navy Seals As Iranians And Shoot At Them

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:37:44 -0400

To Provoke War, Cheney Considered Proposal To Dress Up Navy Seals As Iranians And Shoot At Them:

HERSH: There was a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don’t we build — we in our shipyard — build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up.

Might cost some lives. And it was rejected because you can’t have Americans killing Americans. That’s the kind of — that’s the level of stuff we’re talking about. Provocation. But that was rejected. “

Lame-Duck Attorney General Wants New Declaration of War — and Takes Aim at the Constitution

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:57:31 -0400

Lame-Duck Attorney General Wants New Declaration of War — and Takes Aim at the Constitution:

Mukasey has offered a multi-part plan to violate the Constitution. He demanded that Congress declare a new “armed conflict” (which is Bush-speak for a new declaration of war) that would give a president worldwide power to declare anyone a terrorist and hold the person forever - without ever charging anyone with a crime. Mukasey also asked Congress to enact the Bush Administration’s scheme for undermining the recent Supreme Court decision restoring constitutional habeas corpus protections to the detainees at Guantanamo. The main goal of the proposed new Bush rules restricting habeas rights is to try to block federal judges from ever learning the truth about the deliberate and widespread use of torture and abuse inflicted on detainees. Judges would not be allowed to see evidence of torture and abuse and would instead simply have to trust that a president is holding the right people as terrorists.

ledgergermane: Wikileaks - Wikileaks “Photo of a detainee held...

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:31:53 -0400

ledgergermane:

Wikileaks - Wikileaks

“Photo of a detainee held by the United States, with his face wired, lips sewn, red eyes and torso sacked. According to digital camera metadata the image was taken on Feb 9, 2003 03:49:25. The 6 Aug 2004 is also mentioned in relation to this photo. The facial wiring is clearly non-medical. The location of the detainee is unknown, possibly the US Bagram Theater Internment Facility in Afghanistan.”

Court Confirms President's Dictatorial Powers

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:43:01 -0400

Court Confirms President's Dictatorial Powers:

On July 15, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled by 5 votes to 4 in the case of Al-Marri v. Pucciarelli that the President can arrest U.S. citizens and legal residents inside the United States and imprison them indefinitely, without charge or trial, based solely on his assertion that they are “enemy combatants.”

Nine Reasons to Investigate War Crimes Now

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:35:30 -0400

Nine Reasons to Investigate War Crimes Now:

“Retired General Antonio Taguba, the officer who led the Army’s investigation into Abu Ghraib, recently wrote in the preface to the new report, Broken laws, Broken Lives:

“There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account.”…

Cheney wanted testimony cut, ex-EPA official says

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:48:51 -0400

Cheney wanted testimony cut, ex-EPA official says :

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney’s office pushed for major deletions in congressional testimony on the public health consequences of climate change, fearing the presentation by a leading health official might make it harder to avoid regulating greenhouse gases, a former EPA official maintains.

When six pages were cut from testimony on climate change and public health by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last October, the White House insisted the changes were made because of reservations raised by White House advisers about the accuracy of the science.

But Jason K. Burnett, until last month the senior adviser on climate change to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson, says that Cheney’s office was deeply involved in getting nearly half of the CDC’s original draft testimony removed…

Ex-congressman finds second career as international arms trader

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:47:49 -0400

Ex-congressman finds second career as international arms trader :

“Wired’s Sharon Weinberger, also author of last week’s FP web exclusive, recently reported that former Pennsylvania Congressman Curt Weldon has found a new job brokering arms deals between Russian and Ukrainian arms suppliers and the Iraqi and Libyan governments.Though he’s currently under FBI investigation for corruption during his time in office, Weldon hasn’t let that slow his private-sector activities. He’s now the head of Defense Solutions, a Pennsylvania-based firm that is starting to make a name for itself as a weapons-trading middleman…

Telecom Amnesty Opponents Back New Amendment

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:51:51 -0400

Telecom Amnesty Opponents Back New Amendment:

With the telecoms all but assured of amnesty for their participation in illegal spying, there’s now one last amendment in their way—the Bingaman amendment.

Keating Five

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:41:05 -0400

Keating Five:

The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators, Alan Cranston (D-CA), Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ), John Glenn (D-OH), John McCain R-AZ) (, Donald W. Riegle (D-MI), were accused of improperly aiding Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of an investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB).

Bill Moyers Journal: It Was Oil, All Along

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:20:37 -0400

Bill Moyers Journal: It Was Oil, All Along:

“Here’s a recent headline in the NEW YORK TIMES: “Deals with Iraq Are Set to Bring Oil Giants Back.” Read on: “Four western companies are in the final stages of negotiations this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose to power.”

There you have it. After a long exile, Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP are back in Iraq. And on the wings of no-bid contracts – that’s right, sweetheart deals like those given Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater. The kind of deals you get only if you have friends in high places. And these war profiteers have friends in very high places…”

Want to know if waterboarding is torture? Ask Christopher Hitchens

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:17:52 -0400

Want to know if waterboarding is torture? Ask Christopher Hitchens :

“In August’s edition of Vanity Fair, you can read all about it, and see more photographs of the “wheezing, paunchy, 59-year-old scribbler”, his head hooded, being subjected to this most terrifying of ordeals by veterans of the US Special Forces. A video is due to be posted soon at vf.com, though that may be a bit too much to bear…”

Half of Americans Open to Internet FCC

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:52:38 -0400

Half of Americans Open to Internet FCC :

“Half of adults in the United States believe the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should regulate the Internet like it does radio and television, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 49 per cent of respondents agree with the idea, while 35 per cent disagree.”

“In June 2006, U.S. president George W. Bush signed the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005, saying, “By allowing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to levy stiffer and more meaningful fines on broadcasters who violate decency standards, this law will ensure that broadcasters take seriously their duty to keep the public airwaves free of obscene, profane and indecent material. American families expect and deserve nothing less.”

The swing vote exists. 16% of population are not sure whether the FCC should regulate the internet. Talk to people you know about Internet Censorship.

A Backlog Of Cases Alleging Fraud

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:06:15 -0400

A Backlog Of Cases Alleging Fraud:

More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drugmakers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistle-blowers, according to lawyers involved in the disputes.