Latest Posts
Companion Posts:
Back to Part I: Wikileaks, Whistleblowers, and Dismantling Psychopathic Empire in the 21st Century
Dysfunctional Tragedy Inherent in the Function of War
Hunt For Justice -or- Bagging the Collective Parasites
Slaying Of The Gmork
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Astrologically, I am not at all surprised that the complex and explosive War with Wikileaks v. World Leaders v. Pentagon v. Media has manifest in great amplitude. Planet Pluto (destruction and transformation) transiting the constellation of Capricorn (government, patriarchy, etc.) is as much as I need to say on that subject. But, this brief post is not about Astrology; it is about gathering our thoughts and taking the opportunity at hand to transform our world from the energy of darkness to the energy of Enlightenment. I look for the first three weeks in Dec 2010 to introduce some truly unique and inspiring pathways for positive Change to emerge; an energetic Change that repressive, oligarchical regimes cannot survive.
It is self-evident that the US government has at the very least been complicit in aiding and abetting Iraqi-on-Iraqi torture and that the US has used privately contracted mercenaries that have been shown to commit horrendous civilian murders – ALL at the expense of the American taxpayer. Yet, the US is not the only country that needs to be brought to account for such vicious and amoral attitudes in war; it seems by the Wikileaks-leaked Iraq reports, all “Coalition of the Willing” countries have got to bring their own officials to account over the same sorts of heinous acts, as well as Iraq, Iran, and–though not specifically shown by these latest Wikileaks’ reports–the Mossad/Israel. For Americans, however, it is time we clean our own house by picking up the dirty laundry and washing away the filth.
Pres. Obama: You can’t beat back an informed citizenry. Please join the world and bring Evil to Justice, from 911 right to today.
I am collecting here information that I hope the reader will read and take a moment to reflect upon. This resource collection is ongoing.
Wikileaks Cable Viewer
§ ≈∞ ≈∞ ≈∞ ≈ §
02/01/12
Courthouse News Service:
Group Says FBI Snoops on Wikileaks Supporters
“The Electronic Privacy Information Center sued the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and National Security Division, and the FBI, in a FOIA complaint in Federal Court.”
“EPIC claims that the “DOJ had not provided any factual basis for the claim that the withheld documents were actually compiled for law enforcement purposes and that disclosure would interfere with enforcement proceedings.”
“EPIC wants to see the records. It is represented by Ginger McCall. “
It is glaringly obvious that TPsTB behind this Crusade against Wikileaks and Bradley Manning is about protecting dark elements behind this govt not only condoned, but cheered on war crimes. Wikileaks shined the light of Truth into their eyes and these elements are paralyzed with fear of being caught—but these offenders of humanity will be caught.
01/21/12
NYT – Bits:
A Move to Investigate the Investigators in Wikileaks Case
“On Friday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation asked a federal court in Virginia to reveal the names of the other Internet companies from whom the Justice Department solicited information about the three people: Jacob Appelbaum, an American citizen; Birgitta Jonsdottir of Iceland; and Rop Gonggrijp of the Netherlands.”
“The brief filed Friday seeks to unseal court orders sent to other companies seeking information about the three people. Aden Fine, an attorney with the A.C.L.U., said in a statement, ‘This case is just one example of the unfortunate recent trend to make our court processes less open and transparent.’ “
It is impossible to make this government honest and respectful of its citizenry anymore without a complete overhaul—exposing corruption and supporting legitimate whistleblowers everywhere.
01/20/12
CBS 60 Minutes: Julian Assange, the man behind Wikileaks
CBS 60 Minutes: Julian Assange, the man behind Wikileaks Jan 20 2012
When Steve Kroft first interviewed Assange last January, he was already under investigation by the Justice Department for publishing classified material and possible violations of the Espionage Act. He was also under house arrest in Britain fighting extradition to Sweden in connection with two sexual assault cases, which he has called part of a smear campaign against him.”
“None of that has changed and the battle between the freedom to publish and government’s need to keep secrets continues. In what is still his most extensive television interview, Assange talked to ’60 Minutes’ about the idea behind WikiLeaks and the prospect of facing criminal charges in the United States.”
It is one thing to, say, publish strategic information on current troop movements during a just war. It is quite another to expose secrets kept by the government when it involves rampant corruption and war crimes. The government’s “need to keep secrets” in this case was simply to keep the public from catching them, and their global allies, with their devilish hands in a great big jar of corrupted, morally rotten cookies. The investigation and prosecution of the personnel involved in murdering those innocent people in the “Collateral Murder” video should immediately have been pursued transparently by this government. Instead, they went after the very people who want the people to know about the perversion we are paying with our taxes.
01/10/12
WakeUp World:
Leaked Cable: US to Start ‘Trade Wars’ with Nations Opposed to Monsanto, GMO Crops
“The United States is threatening nations who oppose Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) crops with military-style trade wars, according to information obtained and released by the organization WikiLeaks. Nations like France, which have moved to ban one of Monsanto’s GM corn varieties, were requested to be ‘penalized’ by the United States for opposing Monsanto and genetically modified foods. The information reveals just how deep Monsanto’s roots have penetrated key positions within the United States government, with the cables reporting that many U.S. diplomats work directly for Monsanto.” (emphasis embedded in article)
Democracy Now! reported on this leaked cable about a year ago. Also see: Planet Earth In Flux: Monsanto
01/05/12
Real News: Whistle Blower Threatened with 35 Years in Prison, Warns of Developing Tyranny“Thomas Drake blew the whistle on a massive domestic information gathering scheme and was called “an enemy of the state” (speech at Sam Adams Awards) .”
12/20/11
Guardian UK:
Seven judges to hear Julian Assange extradition appeal
“The large number of judges employed reflects ‘the great public importance of the issue’, according to a statement from the UK’s highest court.”
“The supreme court said there would be a two-day hearing of the appeal by the Australian-born founder of WikiLeaks beginning on 1 February.”
12/05/11
SMH:
Assange can continue extradition fight
“A British court has given WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange permission to continue his legal battle to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crimes allegations. The decision means Assange does not face immediate deportation.”
“British judges said on Monday that Assange could apply to the Supreme Court to hear one specific point of his legal case – but there is no guarantee that the higher court will accept his request.”
Our U.S. Government is sooo on the brink of delegitimizing itself; they had better leave Assange alone and drop this Crusader against Truth because if not, this, like many other stupid moves lately, will become another boomerang come smashing back into their faces.
12/04/11
Australian Sen. Scott Ludlam – Assange London support “Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam prior to his trip to London where he will be supporting Julian Assange for his December 5th European Arrest Warrant Hearing.”
12/01/11 The Spy Files: “On Thursday, December 1st, 2011 WikiLeaks began publishing The Spy Files, thousands of pages and other materials exposing the global mass surveillance industry”
Wikileaks press conference: Julian Assange Eric King Jacob Appelbaum
11/30/11 Bureau of Investigative Journalism: The State of Surveillance
Wikileaks releases The Spy Files exposing the global mass surveillance industry Dec 01 2011
“A secretive multi-billion dollar industry is offering cutting-edge systems that enable governments to identify, track and monitor people through their phones and computers, a cache of hundreds of surveillance brochures and other marketing materials reveals.”
“These brochures and other marketing material, known as the ‘Spy Files’, are released today by WikiLeaks and London-based human rights group Privacy International. They shine a light on this shadowy industry, which is worth $5bn (£3.2bn) and is growing fast. These brochures are not readily available: instead, they are handed out to key contacts – often government agencies and police forces – at trade shows that are closed to the public and the press.”
12/01/11 WaPO: Trade in surveillance technology raises worries “Several years of industry sales brochures provided to The Washington Post by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, and released publicly Thursday, reveal that many companies are selling sophisticated tools capable of going far beyond conventional investigative techniques.” [emphasis mine]
11/26/11
WikiLeaks press conference on Dec. 1st
“On December 1st, WikiLeaks will host a press conference which will expose extraordinary privacy threats to journalists, sources and others as well as launch a new phase for WikiLeaks, just over a year after the Cablegate release. “
11/11/11
Guardian UK:
US court verdict ‘huge blow’ to privacy, says fomer WikiLeaks aide
“Last month the Inter-Parliamentary Union , which represents MPs from 157 countries, unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the move by the Justice Department. The IPU said the move threatened free speech and suggested it could violate Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which upholds the right of everyone to freedom of opinion and expression.”
“The Justice Department also sought the information without a search warrant. US authorities used a 1994 law called the stored communications act to demand that Twitter provide the internet protocol addresses of users, a move that would give the location of the computer they used to log onto the internet. They also asked for bank account details, user names, screen names or other identities, mailing and other addresses.”
It is absolutely critical to investigate our Justice Department thoroughly. This is all about TPTB intimidating activists and truth seekers into fear, trying to stave off organizing opposition and getting the TRUTH out to the masses. If this is deceit is not nipped in the bud NOW, the next step will be to demand access to private information about ANY in-the-street protester!! There can be no other reason for TPTB to access your bank account except to incite further intimidation by manipulating your own money against you. STOP THE MADNESS.
11/09/11
SMH:
Assange’s mother to protest at Obama visit
“The mother of Australian-born whistleblower Julian Assange on Wednesday said she would picket a visit of US President Barack Obama to the capital, Canberra, to rally support for her son.”
11/01/11
Denver Post:
Wikileaks’ Julian Assange loses extradition appeal
“LONDON—WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lost his appeal against extradition to Sweden to answer sex crime allegations, but said Wednesday he will now consider whether to take his protracted fight to Britain’s highest court. “
In the end, Julian Assange will be vindicated and free. Stay strong, Mr. Assange. Let’s keep him strong. We are entering a period now where those who are attacking this man mercilessly in order to protect the evil they do will be brought before the Highest courts of Justice in this world—soon, very soon.
10/27/11
Letter to the U.S. government on WikiLeaks “Citizens from around the world joined together to “speak” an open letter to the US government about its poor handling of WikiLeaks, its abuses of secrecy, and its egregious behavior in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars on film. Michael Moore joined us in this project.”
10/14/11
Main Justice:
Senate Judiciary Panel Approves Plan to Protect Judiciary Whistleblowers
10/09/11
WSJ:
One Judge Who Is Leading the Charge Against Secret Orders:
One Judge Who Is Leading the Charge Against Secret Orders: Oct 09 2011
“U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith of the Southern District of Texas published a paper in 2009 called ‘Kudzu in the Courthouse: Judgements Made in the Shade’ that argues that the secrecy of electronic surveillance orders means that “each magistrate judge has effectively become a law unto himself.”
” ‘We diminish our legitimacy when we do things under a blanket of secrecy,’ Judge Smith said in an interview. ‘The only way people can get confidence in what we’re doing is if they can get access to what we are doing and know why we are doing it.’ ” [emphasis mine]
Our govt has been in the process of delegitimizing itself for at least ten years now, in many aspects. That’s going to change—it may take some months but it is going to be cleaned up whether PowersThatBe want thqt or not.
09/29/11
HealthyState:
Why Wendell Potter Turned Whistleblower
“Wendell Potter, the health insurance VP turned health insurance whistleblower, took a leap of faith. He told audience members at a talk in Clearwater Tuesday he was tired of being a tool, in more ways than one.”
“In 2007, Potter witnessed a mobile free clinic in rural Virginia near his hometown. What he saw – people being treated on the ground and even in barns – appalled him. He started to think maybe health insurance wasn’t the right place for him.”
09/22/11
The Dissenter:
Wikileaks Cable: UN Special Rapporteur Urged US Government to Intervene Before Troy Davis
A communications log published by WikiLeaks from Philip Alston, US Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, shows Alston took direct interest in Davis’ case. Alston sent an email to the US Mission in Geneva, Switzerland on September 12, 2008, just before the Georgia Pardons and Paroles Board was to review the case. Alston recounted the Davis defense’s “numerous unsuccessful attempts to obtain a hearing to present post-conviction evidence.”
“Human rights violations being perpetrated by state governments in the form of executions, where defendants are not being given proper review, are earning increased international attention. Like the torturing of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, the abuse by state governments has become increasingly problematic. In July, Texas Governor Rick Perry refused to respect the objections of the US government and went ahead with the execution of Humberto Leal Garcia, a Mexican national.”
Yet…..
09/21/11 Amnesty International: The State of GEORGE HAS JUST MURDERED TROY DAVIS
09/20/11
CBS:
ATF ‘Fast and Furious’ secret audio recordings reveal concerns about whistleblower
ATF 'Fast and Furious' secret audio recordings reveal concerns about whistleblower Sep 20 2011
“In a series of secretly recorded audio tapes believe to have been recorded last March and obtained by CBS News, an Arizona gun dealer and an ATF agent involved with ATF’s “Fast and Furious” operation worried about the unraveling scandal.”
“The tapes were made just weeks after CBS News broke the story in February.”
Whistleblower ATF Agent Larry Alt Exposes Operation “Fast & Furious”
09/19/11 FPJ: Wikileaks Ethiopia Files: Ethiopia Bombs Itself, Blames Eritrea “Recently released Wikileaks Ethiopia files expose how Ethiopian security forces planted 3 bombs that went off in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on September 16, 2006 and then blamed Eritrea and the Oromo resistance for the blasts in a case that raises serious questions about the claims made about the bombing attempt against the African Union summit earlier this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.”
“This exposes the history of how the Ethiopian regime has planted bombs and then blamed Eritrea and the Ethiopian resistance. The lies that make up the official version of this alleged terrorist attack raises serious questions about the credibility of the recently released report by the UN via its US State Department affiliate, the Monitoring Group for Eritrea and Somalia, which blames the Eritreans and the OLF for the January bombing attempt at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Identical lies about a nearly identical “terrorist attack”, all accepted as fact by the western media. This should also deliver another body blow to the Obama White House and its claims that Eritrea supports terrorism in the Horn of Africa.” [emphasis mine]
And don’t think for a second that the Eastern governments are the only ones capable of killing their own.
09/07/11
BBC:
Council of Europe Report – Dick Marty rendition report condemns ‘cult of secrecy’
“The Council of Europe investigated how countries like Britain, Germany, Romania and Lithuania assisted the US with the rendition of terror suspects. It said a ‘cult of secrecy’ had helped Western governments cover up abuses.”
“Defending ‘whistleblowers’, it singled out US soldier Bradley Manning, accused of passing secrets to Wikileaks. He had ‘acted as a whistleblower and should be treated as such’, CoE rapporteur Dick Marty wrote in the report, which was due to be submitted to the CoE’s Parliamentary Assembly.” [emphasis mine]
09/02/11
Independent UK:
US troops did execute Iraqi civilians, leaked letter claims
US troops did execute Iraqi civilians, leaked letter claims Sep 02 2011
“More than five years after the American military denied claims that its troops had executed at least 10 Iraqi civilians in cold blood, new evidence has emerged in a WikiLeaks diplomatic cable casting serious doubt on the US version of events.”
“A UN complaint contained in the latest batch of cables published by the whistle-blowing organisation suggests that in 2006 US troops killed at least 10 civilians, including five children and an elderly woman, in the central town of Ishaqi before ordering an air strike which destroyed the house where the alleged killings took place.”
In the Comments section at the bottom of this report, I think “FredUp” says it best: ” At some point all US claims of “a few bad eggs” in the military, unavoidable/unintentional civilian deaths and “in the fog of war”, reaches a critical mass showing, far from an aberration, this behaviour is in fact the norm for them.
The doctrine of command responsibility applied to Saddam, Gaddafi, Serbian generals and the like, is never applied to Western powers for their crimes.The fact that membership of the UN Security Council provides this immunity is the cause. Why would the West ever change their ways when they know they’ll always get away with it?
Abolishing the UN Security Council is our only hope for justice.”
Salon Com:
Wikileaks: Breach has exposed unredacted US cables
“In a 1,600-word-long editorial posted to the Internet, WikiLeaks accused the Guardian’s investigative reporter David Leigh of divulging the password needed to decrypt the files in a book he and another Guardian journalist, Luke Harding, published earlier this year.”
WikiLeaks said the disclosure had jeopardized the “careful work” it was doing to redact and publish the cables.”
Facts and myths in the WikiLeaks/Guardian saga
Guardian UK: WIkileaks site comes under cyber attack
08/25/11
Wikileaks Press:
US Espionage investigation against Wikileaks: Patriot Act ordered unsealed
“WikiLeaks have just received a copy of the recently unsealed court Order from the United States, signed by a US magistrate judge on the 4th of January 2011. Using the terms of the PATRIOT Act the Order was issued to Dynadot, the domain registrars for wikileaks.org, for all information they hold on WikiLeaks, Julian Assange and wikileaks.org.”
The U.S. should stop pursuing Wikileaks altogether. They simply exposed Truth, uncovering corruption that has permeated politicoeconomic mafiosos all over the world. Wikileaks opened the door to Knowledge and should be applauded. The corruption is so obvious now, whistleblowers are much more likely to feel comfortable enough to go straight to proven, honest independent press. If the October Surprise I keep “sensing” in America does manifest, getting rid of the PATRIOT ACT will be a demand high on the list.
08/23/11
Wikileaks Press:
U.S. helped Pfizer take on Ecuadoran presidential candidate
“A cable sent to Washington from Ecuador forms the basis of an article published by El Comercio on U.S. influence in the country. The U.S. in 2006 decided to revoke the U.S. visas of then Ecuadoran presidential candidate Xavier Neira and seven others, including two judges, two lawyers and a former official of the Intellectual Property Institute, all of which where involved in a legal case against Pfizer. The decision coincided with the upcoming presidential elections, as well as with an impending court decision on a case filed against U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer for unfair competition, thereby achieving a double aim: It undermined Neira’s chances at political success, while strengthening Pfizer’s position in the legal case.”
Next on my boycott list – Pfizer products
06/16/11
Herald Com:
Julian Assange says Wikileaks work hampered
” ‘A lot of our resources are tied up in dealing with the situation in the United States and the grand jury and this Swedish extradition case and the banking blockade placed on us by Visa, Mastercard, Bank of America and so on,’ Assange said. ‘So, while we are still producing publications every day, a lot of those resources have been taken away to deal with these events.’ “
This is an excellent example of how the PowersThatBe insisted on figuratively slaying the messenger instead of listening to the message. THAT is one of the reasons they completely missed the coming of the Arab Awakening; trying to cut down a tree when they completely missed the forest on the horizon that bloomed the Arab Spring and flushed out an infestation of Evil (Gaddafi, Assad, Mubarak, and other politicocorporate criminals). Whatever you may think of JA, the world needed a strong, in-your-face personality completely open the eyes of the masses and give them the grand push to Be The Change.
06/09/11
The Nation:
Wikileaks Haiti: Cable Depicts Fraudulant Haiti Election
“The United States, the European Union and the United Nations decided to support Haiti’s recent presidential and parliamentary elections despite believing that the country’s electoral body, ‘almost certainly in conjunction with President Preva’l, had ‘emasculated’ the opposition’ by unwisely and unjustly excluding the country’s largest party, according to a secret US Embassy cable.”
Wikileaks: U.S. Fought To Lower Minimum Wage In Haiti So Hanes And Levis Would Stay Cheap ” A Wikileaks post published on The Nation shows that the Obama Administration fought to keep Haitian wages at 31 cents an hour. (This article was taken down by The Nation due to an embargo, but it was excerpted at Columbia Journalism Review.)
Companion Post:
Haiti’s 2010 Cataclysmic Earthquake, News and Viewpoints
06/02/11
Online Journalism News:
Julian Assange wins Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism
“The prize is awarded annually to a journalist whose work has ‘penetrated the established version of events and told and unpalatable truth that exposes establishment propaganda, or “official drivel” ‘, as Martha Gellhorn called it.”
“As publisher and editor, Julian Assange represents that which journalists once prided themselves in – he’s brave, determined, independent: a true agent of people not of power.”
05/22/11
AJE:
Wikileaks: A battle to ‘carve up’ the Arctic
Wikileaks: A battle to ‘carve up’ the Arctic May 21, 2011
“”The twenty-first century will see a fight for resources,” Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin was quoted as saying in a 2010 cable. “Russia should not be defeated in this fight.”
“Along with exposing an estimated 22 per cent of the world’s oil, ice melting due to global warming will open new shipping lanes, the arteries of global commerce, which nations are competing to control. And Russia certainly is not the only country eyeing the frozen prize.”
“But verbose rhetoric about conflict could be linked to politicians who want to support the military-industrial complex and boost their own stature, rather than actual fears of impending violence, cables suggest. [emphasis mine]
I live in a community of people with expertisein architecture, civil engineering, design graphics, and research/documention. Fully %75 of us have been pushed out of our jobs due to the economy. We put our talents together and have a vegetable garden and a working plan for sustainable living off the grid. Getting off the grid does not have to mean living like cave people. Smart planning and environmental responsibility can be done while maintaining a comfortable, easy lifestyle. THINK BIGGER. Stop feeding the agressions of these military, economic, and political parasites. While the young people around the world are rising up in massive protests and toppling corruption in governments around the world, we older people should be supporting ways to show them how to sustain themselves in new, responsible, self-sustaining, and fulfilling communities.
Related posts:
Planet Earth In Flux: 2010-2012
Humanity’s Ride Through The Galactic Car Wash (Revisited)
ClimateGate Chronology of Deceit—Silence Was Betrayal
Our Changing Solar System and Beyond
04/25/11
Independent UK:
Wikileaks: Many at Guantanamo ‘not dangerous’
Wikileaks: Many at Guantanamo 'not dangerous' April 25 2011
“Files released by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks have revealed that the US believed many of those held at Guantanamo Bay were innocent or only low-level operatives.”
“The files – published in the Guardian among other newspapers – showed that US military analysts considered only 220 of those ever detained at Guantanamo to be dangerous extremists.”
“Another 380 were deemed to be low-ranking foot soldiers who travelled to Afghanistan or were part of the Taliban.”
“At least another 150 people were innocent Afghans or Pakistanis – including drivers, farmers and chefs – rounded up during frantic intelligence gathering in war zones.”
“Mistaken identity (-). These were then detained for years due to mistaken identity or because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, the memos say.”
Related posts:
Slaying Of The Gmork
Hunt For Justice -or- Bagging the Collective Parasites
Dysfunctional Tragedy Inherent in the Function of War
04/20/11
Haaretz:
Wikileaks Exclusive – Netanyahu urged Olmert to initiate Israeli attack on Iran
Wikileaks Exclusive - Netanyahu urged Olmert to initiate Israeli attack on Iran (AP photo) April 20 2011
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed willingness to join Ehud Olmert’s government in 2007 if Israel initiated an attack on Iran, a document from the Israeli WikiLeaks collection has revealed.”
“One of Netanyahu’s advisers, whose name was not revealed in the message, spoke with American officials on the matter. ‘The adviser commented that the possibility of a national unity government, bruited in the press, is a possibility, but only if Olmert initiated such a move in order to galvanize Israel for action against Iran. He said that in such a scenario, Netanyahu would probably accept an offer of the Foreign Ministry,’ wrote Sievers.” (emphasis mine – “galvanize Israel for action”, huh? Like creating a false flag?)
Related posts:
Israel: Developing Pressure on the Bully in the Bloc Updated 04/18/11
Israeli Commandos Attack Gaza Aid Flotilla
On Israel’s Seizure and Kidnap in 2009 of “Spirit of Humanity”
03/17/11
Forbes:
Top lawmaker protests “whistleblower” demotion
“The Homeland Security Department demoted a senior career employee who confidentially complained to the inspector general that political appointees were improperly interfering with requests for federal records by journalists and watchdog groups.”
“The new Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee told the Obama administration the decision appears ‘to be an act of retaliation’ and warns that ‘Obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime.’ ” [emphasis mine]
Good start. BTW, “Homeland Security” sounds soooo 1930s Germany – While we are Awake and standing, we need to rethink this entire mindset of “us” v. “them” in the 21th century, IMHO.
03/15/11
GAP:
Blow the Whistle On Risch
“Last December, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act—a popular, bipartisan bill that would have protected public workers who exposed corruption, waste, and illegality—died a sudden and surprising death, not by vote, but by a legislative tactic called an anonymous hold. Basically, one senator killed that bill, and doesn’t have to be publicly accountable to his constituents for doing so.”
“NPR’s ‘On the Media’, along with the Government Accountability Project, set out to identify the secret senator, by asking listeners to contact their senators and ask, ‘Were you the person responsible for killing the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act?’ As of yesterday, the field has been narrowed down to three—Jon Kyl of Arizona, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, or James Risch of Idaho. One of these men refused to protect government whistleblowers, and doesn’t want the people who voted for him to know that he did it, or why. If you’re a resident of Arizona, Alabama, or Idaho, maybe you can help unravel the mystery. ” [emphasis mine]
Risch’s arrogance is stunning – left-wing news is not “legitimate”? Where do these gnomes come from? Neptune?
WaPo:
IRS pays Enron whistleblower $1.1 million
” ‘If the IRS had pursued this information in 1999 when my client first informed them of these abusive tax shelters, the government might have realized the depth of Enron’s problems and perhaps taken steps that might have helped avoid a total meltdown,’ lawyer Erika A. Kelton of the Washington firm Phillips & Cohen said in a news release.”
03/13/11
P.J. Crowley resigns over Manning remark
Crowleys public criticism angered some at the Pentagon and across the administration (AP photo) March 13, 2011
“State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley has resigned after publicly crossing swords with the Pentagon over the treatment of an Army soldier [ Bradley Manning] accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified military reports and sensitive diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks.”
“The chain of events that led to Crowley’s exit was set in motion Thursday when Crowley appeared at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology seminar and called the Pentagon’s handling of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is detained at the brig at Quantico, “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”
Truth is busting out all over. I sincerely hope Mr. Crowley now sees his way to contribute to the Awakening rather than being an accomplice in deceit.
02/24/11
BBC:
Wikileaks’ Julian Assange to be extradicted to Sweden
“At Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south London, District Judge Howard Riddle said the extradition would not breach Mr Assange’s human rights.
“Mr Assange said the ruling, which he will challenge, was due to a ‘European Arrest Warrant system run amok’.“
The United States said the case was solely a matter for Britain and Sweden. ‘Notwithstanding claims to the contrary, the US is not involved,’ State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a Twitter message.”
01/25/11
MSNBC:
U.S. can’t link Army private to Assange
“U.S. military officials tell NBC News that investigators have been unable to make any direct connection between a jailed army private suspected with leaking secret documents and Julian Assange, founder of the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.”
“The officials say that while investigators have determined that Manning had allegedly unlawfully downloaded tens of thousands of documents onto his own computer and passed them to an unauthorized person, there is apparently no evidence he passed the files directly to Assange, or had any direct contact with the controversial WikiLeaks figure.”
01/24/11
Washington Post Ombudsman:
Can the Post regain its legacy of excellence?
“I’ve pondered that question while crafting this column, my last as ombudsman. So, too, have many of the tens of thousands who e-mailed or called during my two-year term as the readers’ representative. A dominant theme has been that The Post’s journalistic quality has declined. It’s a view I share.”
“(I)t has become riddled with typos, grammatical mistakes and intolerable “small” factual errors that erode credibility. Local news coverage, once robust, has withered. The Post often trails the competition on stories. The excessive use of anonymous sources has expanded into blogs. The once-broken system for publishing corrections has been repaired, but corrections often still take too long to appear. The list goes on.” [emphasis mine]
That irritating caveat, speaking-anonymously-because-they-are-not-authorized-to-talk-about-it jive is totally unjustified. If they are willing to talk, they should be willing to be identified. A story is not a story if it cannot provide a proper source, IMHO.
Palestinians lash out at Qatar, Al-Jazeera TV
“A senior Palestinian official has accused the Gulf state of Qatar of using its Al-Jazeera TV channel to undermine the West Bank’s Palestinian leadership with a news report about Mideast peace talks.”
“Al-Jazeera aired late Sunday what it said were leaked documents showing the Palestinians agreed to deep concessions on two of the thorniest issues in negotiations with Israel: Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees. Yasser Abed Rabbo, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said on Monday the news network engaged in ‘media games … to trick and mislead the simple citizen.’ “
The “simple” citizen? I beg your pardon, but it is the “simple” citizen who deals with the most complex and deeply affecting issues that Powers That Be simply dish to them.
01/17/11
Common Dreams:
Whistleblower Rudolf Elmer to hand over Swiss bank documents to Wikileaks
“The offshore bank account details of 2,000 “high net worth individuals” and corporations – detailing massive potential tax evasion – will be handed
Whistleblower Rudolf Elmer to hand over Swiss bank documents to Wikileaks (Photograph: Rene Soobaroyen for the Guardian) January 16 2011
over to the WikiLeaks organisation in London tomorrow by the most important and boldest whistleblower in Swiss banking history, Rudolf Elmer, two days before he goes on trial in his native Switzerland.”
“Elmer, who after his press conference will return to Switzerland from exile in Mauritius to face trial, is a former chief operating officer in the Cayman Islands and employee of the powerful Julius Baer bank, which accuses him of stealing the information. He is also – at a time when the activities of banks are a matter of public concern – one of a small band of employees and executives seeking to blow the whistle on what they see as unprofessional, immoral and even potentially criminal activity by powerful international financial institutions.”
Update 11/17/11: The CD with the information has now been turned over via The Frontline Club to Wikileaks
01/14/11
WSJ:
Wall Street Journal: Treasury cannot sanction WikiLeaks or Julian Assange
“The Treasury Department said it doesn’t have enough evidence to place sanctions on Wikileaks or its leader Julian Assange, Dow Jones Newswires reported.”
“Responding to Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who asked the department to add it to its blacklisted entities list maintained at the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Treasury said none of its current programs can reach either Wikileaks or Assange. The Treasury administers but doesn’t create the criteria for sanctions; that power comes either legislatively or by executive order.”
The USG vengeance against Wikileaks/Assange is utterly breathtaking and really unveils the absolute corruption and evil embedded in the halls of congress.
Wikileaks disclosures play key role in (Tunisian dictator) Ben Ali’s outing
Also see: Hunt for Justice or Bagging of the Parasites on Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution
01/11/11
Crikey:
Assange legal team’s skeleton argument on strong ground
“Julian Assange’s lawyers are going for the jugular in their attack on the Swedish and UK government’s attempts to extradite Assange to Sweden where there is an investigation under way concerning his alleged in involvement in sexual offences. Not only do Assange’s lawyers run the usual arguments about the offences not being extradition offences — that is, there are no like charges in English law — but they say that the Swedish prosecutor who wants Assange extradited has no authority to do so, and that the whole thing is an abuse of process.”
12/23/10
The Echo:
Secrecy is the problem, not Wikileaks
“Oxford University Internet analyst John Naughton says that what WikiLeaks is really exposing is the extent to which the western democratic system has been hollowed out. It is not that what it publishes will endanger lives or make government impossible. It is that it forces power out into the open. That is why those in power are attacking it. WikiLeaks worries them because it protects its sources and gives the evidence directly and in great detail and scale to the citizen.” [Emphasis mine]
12/16/10
Assange is released from High Court:
“And here’s the text of Assange’s full statement delivered outside the court on his release:”
Assange is released from High Court: Dec 16 2010
“It’s great to smell the fresh air of London again.
First, some thank yous. To all the people around the world who have had faith in me, who have supported my team while I have been away. To my lawyers, who have put up a brave and ultimately successful fight, to our sureties and people who have provided money in the face of great difficulty and aversion. And to members of the press who are not all taken in and considered to look deeper in their work. And I guess finally, to the British justice system itself, where if justice is not always the outcome at least it is not dead yet.
During my time in solitary confinement in the bottom of a Victorian prison I had time to reflect on the conditions of those people around the world also in solitary confinement, also on remand, in conditions that are more difficult than those faced by me. Those people also need your attention and support.
And with that I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal, as we get it, which we have not yet, the evidence from these allegations. Thank you.”
12/14/10
Poynter Org:
Columbia j-school staff: WikiLeaks prosecution ‘will set a dangerous precedent’
“Journalists have a responsibility to exercise careful news judgment when classified documents are involved, including assessing whether a document is legitimately confidential and whether there may be harm from its publication.”
“But while we hold varying opinions of Wikileaks’ methods and decisions, we all believe that in publishing diplomatic cables Wikileaks is engaging in journalistic activity protected by the First Amendment. Any prosecution of Wikileaks’ staff for receiving, possessing or publishing classified materials will set a dangerous precedent for reporters in any publication or medium, potentially chilling investigative journalism and other First Amendment-protected activity.” ..read entire statement
News Com Australia:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted bail by UK court, but in jail pending appeal
“Julian Assange has won his battle for bail, but he is not a free man just yet. Swedish prosecutors announced they would appeal against the ruling, meaning Mr Assange could remain in custody for at least another two days. ‘We have heard Sweden wants to put Mr Assange through more trouble expense and hurdles,’ he said outside court after the appeal had been made. ‘It is an unfortunate state of affairs but given but given their history of the past treatment of Mr Assange, it’s hardly surprising.’ “
<img class=”alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-24340″ title=”pippilong12″ src=”http://mayavision2012.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/pippilong121.jpg?w=150″ alt=”" width=”24″ height=”24″ / Sweden/US appear to be prepared to do the most ridiculous, embarrassing, infantile things to try to make an “example” out of Mr. Assange. Well, give these governments enough rope and they eventually will hang themselves.
WL Central:
Australian media figures in support of WikiLeaks
Visa, Mastercard, PostFinance under investigation
12/12/10
Mail Online:
WikiLeaks ‘rape’ victims had hidden agendas … and I’ve seen the proof says Julian Assange’s lawyer
“Björn Hurtig, who is representing Mr Assange in Sweden, said the papers, which form part of the official Swedish investigation, reveal both women had ‘hidden agendas’ and lied about being coerced into having sex with Mr Assange, 39.”
” ‘If I am able to reveal what I know, everyone will realise this is all a charade,’ he said. ‘If I could tell the British courts, I suspect it would make extradition a moot point.But at the moment I’m bound by the rules of the Swedish legal system, which say that the information can only be used as evidence in this country. For me to do otherwise would lead to me being disbarred.’ Hurtig, a top sex-crime defence lawyer, is ready to fly to London and present the evidence when Mr Assange appears in court this week – if he is given the all-clear.”
12/10/10
Crikey:
Assange accuser may have ceased co-operating
Assange accuser may have ceased co-operating Dec 10 2010
“Anna Ardin, one of the two complainants in the rape and sexual assault case against WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange, has left Sweden, and may have ceased actively co-operating with the Swedish prosecution service and her own lawyer, sources in Sweden told Crikey today.”
“Ardin, who also goes by the name Bernardin, has moved to the West Bank in the Palestinian Territories, as part of a Christian outreach group, aimed at bringing reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. She has moved to the small town of Yanoun, which sits close to Israel’s security/sequestration wall. Yanoun is constantly besieged by fundamentalist Jewish settlers, and international groups have frequently stationed themselves there.”
12/09/10
Brisbane, Australia provides first of worldwide protests in support of Julien Assange and Wikileaks
12/08/10
Perth Now:
Julian Assange held in UK jail on Swedish rape charge
“The 39-year-old Australian was refused bail after a British judge ruled that there was a danger he might flee the country because the judge felt he had
Julian Assange held in UK jail on Swedish rape charge Dec 08 2010
weak links to the UK and access to large amounts of money and support through his activity with the whistleblowing website. Senior District Judge Howard Riddle remanded Mr Assange in custody until December 14, when the extradition hearing will begin on whether the internet activist should be forced to return to Sweden to face the sex charges.”
“Mr Assange denied the charges and high-profile support John Pilger said outside the court that the allegations were a political stitch-up designed to stop him from publishing more embarrassing cables about US military operations and diplomacy.”
12/02/10
Democracy Now! U.S. Facing Global Diplomatic Crisis Following Massive WikiLeaks Release of Secret Diplomatic Cables
“The whistleblowing website WikiLeaks has begun releasing a giant trove of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables that is sending shockwaves through the global diplomatic establishment. Among the findings: Arab leaders are urging the United States to attack Iran; Washington and Yemen agreed to cover up the use of U.S. warplanes to bomb Yemen; the United States is using its embassies around the world as part of a global spy network and asking diplomats to gather intelligence; and much more.”
“We host a roundtable discussion with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg; Greg Mitchell, who writes the Media Fix blog at The Nation; Carne Ross, a British diplomat for 15 years who resigned before the Iraq war; and As’ad AbuKhalil, a professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus.” Rixstep:
A huge shift has taken place in US government form.
More and more people are suddenly aware again there’s meaning to life, that life can truly be worth living again. And all this even as the intensity of Cablegate increases and the desperation of those exposed does so as well.
Time Magazine: TimeFrames Issue: What Really Happened 2000 - 2010 Dec. 6, 2010
11/26/10
11/24/10
The Local (Sweden):
Swedish court rejects Assange appeal
BOYCOTT, DIVEST, SANCTION SWEDEN-YOU HAVE THE POWER!
11/22/10 Russia Today:
RT crew arrested in US filming at ‘School of Assassins’ 11/18/10 Press release by counsel for Julian Assange – LONDON, 2pm Thursday November 18, 2010
“We are now concerned that prosecutor Marianne Ny intends to apply for an arrest warrant in an effort to have Mr. Assange forcibly taken to Sweden for preliminary questioning. Despite his right to silence, my client has repeatedly offered to be interviewed, first in Sweden before he left, and then subsequently in the UK (including at the Swedish Embassy), either in person or by telephone, videoconferencing or email and he has also offered to make a sworn statement on affidavit. All of these offers have been flatly refused by a prosecutor who is abusing her powers by insisting that he return to Sweden at his own expense to be subjected to another media circus that she will orchestrate. Pursuing a warrant in this circumstance is entirely unnecessary and disproportionate. This action is in contravention both of European Conventions and makes a mockery of arrangements between Sweden and the United Kingdom designed to deal with just such situations. This behavior is not a prosecution, but a persecution. Before leaving Sweden Mr. Assange asked to be interviewed by the prosecution on several occasions in relation to the allegations, staying over a month in Stockholm, at considerable expense and despite many engagements elsewhere, in order to clear his name. Eventually the prosecution told his Swedish lawyer Bjorn Hurtig that he was free to leave the country, without interview, which he did.”
“Eva Finne’s decision to drop the “rape” investigation was reversed after the intervention of a political figure, Claes Borgstrom, who is now acting for the women. The case was given to a specific prosecutor, Marianne Ny.” Some background on Claes Borgstrom connections :
Claes Borgstrom [prosecuting lawyer], connections with Swedish govt. Partner in law firm is Thomas Bodström, “son of Lennart Bodström, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs 1982–1985 in the Olof Palme government.” Bodström, has been heavily criticized by advocates of privacy and liberal think-tanks for his “work towards giving the police the possibility of monitoring people that might be involved in minor crimes.”
Claes Borgstrom is brother to journalist/author Annette Kullenberg and journalist/priest Kerstin Vinterhed.
BOYCOTT, DIVEST, SANCTION SWEDEN. 11/16/10 Reuters:
INTERVIEW-UN expert urges full U.S. torture investigation
“The new U.N. torture expert urged the United States on Tuesday to conduct a full investigation into torture under the Bush administration and prosecute offenders as well as senior officials who ordered it.“
“A previous investigation by a U.S. special prosecutor into torture allegations was limited in scope, and congressional inquiries focused on the Pentagon but not the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to Mendez. ‘There is a lot more to the story than has been revealed. It is important to get to the bottom of what happened and under whose orders, and if necessary to bring charges,’ he added.
“Mendez dismissed as ‘very disingenuous’ comments by former President George W. Bush, who in his memoir “Decision Points” strongly defends the use of waterboarding as crucial to his efforts to prevent a repeat of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.”
Had Pres. Obama immediately initiated such an investigation into Bush admin and a new Independent investigation of 9/11, he probably would not have had a Republican congress now–because by doing so, we would have discovered the REAL cause of these illegal wars and our subsequent economic disaster. How embarrassing for an American population that values morality and restraint to be pitifully neglected and abused by our own govt to the point that outside entities must intervene. Tom Spender:
Wikileaks puts ICC credibility on the line
“Afghanistan war logs leaked by Wikileaks could eventually be used in a war crimes trial with Americans in the dock, according to Luis Moreno-Ocampo, prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC). He was speaking at a Q&A session attended by my friend James Reinl in New York.”
“Afghanistan is a party to the treaty that established the ICC, which is based in The Hague. The ICC is thus empowered to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Afghanistan when the national authorities are unwilling or unable to investigate themselves.” 11/14/10 ABC Australia:
Wikileaks registers company in Iceland
“Wikileaks is now mulling over whether to use the firm to fundraise or for information gathering, Kristinn Hrafnsson said.
” ‘We want WikiLeaks to have a global presence and having a business in Iceland is part of this plan,’ said Hrafnsson of the new entity, called Sunshine Press Productions. ‘We have registered Sunshine Press Productions as a business in Iceland… but we don’t have an office or activity at the moment,’ he added.” Daily Mail UK:
Bank raid could have been warning against planned WikiLeaks Russian corruption expose says Alexander Lebedev
“Millionaire newspaper magnate Alexander Lebedev could have been targeted in a raid by secret service agents as a warning against co-operating with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to expose Russian corruption. “
“Asked if that could have provoked the raid, he said: ‘It is just a guess – one of the possibilities. But I don’t think the information [on Russian corruption] is being contained in one place. The information is all over the world, in dozens of jurisdictions such as Belize, Luxembourg, Monaco, involving lots of front companies and what I call “dirty lawyers”.’
Mr Lebedev declared yesterday that ‘the fight against corruption should be compared to the fight against apartheid’.” 11/13/10 
Invictus:
UK Guardian Releases British Torture Tape
“The UK Guardian yesterday released a videotape of a 2007 interrogation of a suspected Iraqi insurgent, one of 1,253 tapes made by interrogators at a secret British military center near Basra, run by the Joint Forces Interrogation Team (JFIT). The release came only days before the U.S. Justice Department investigation into the CIA’s destruction of videotapes of the torture of three high-value detainees at secret black site prisons was closed, with no charges brought. The news about torture was not a complete surprise as revelations last month showed torture techniques were taught to British interrogators in secret training manuals.” 11/12/10 ABC News:
WikiLeaks registers company in Iceland
“”The new firm appears to be WikiLeaks’ first known legal presence in a country, though its Internet site functions thanks to servers based in Sweden. Iceland, which is currently considering far-reaching freedom of information legislation, counts among the countries where WikiLeaks has its most solid base.”
“In June, the country’s parliament voted unanimously in favour of the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI), a resolution developed with the help of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange – who travels regularly here – and aimed at protecting investigative journalists and their sources.”
Companion Post: Iceland Centerstage: On Volcanic Blow, Economic Woe, Information Flow 11/11/10 Global Policy Brief:
Punish the Whistleblowers, reward the passive onlookers; the staggering double standards around U.S.policy
“The US Justice Department has announced that it would not press charges over the destruction of CIA videotapes depicting the “enhanced interrogation” of terrorism suspects. In 2005, Jose Rodriguez Jr, a top CIA official, authorized the destruction of 92 tapes showing two detainees being repeatedly waterboarded. Although the CIA was instructed by a court law not to destroy evidence of torture, CIA officials argue that their motive was innocent: they were only trying to protect the identity of the interrogators.”
“Accusing Wikileaks of having blood on its hands was not enough. Now the US government has seemingly launched a campaign of harassment and intimidation against Wikileaks and its supporters. Meanwhile, in the name of “looking forward,” charges are being dropped against the people responsible for covering up the systematic torture of detainees. How long will it be before looking backward becomes a crime?” Washington Times:
Iceland Investigates possible U.S. Embassy spying
“The government of Iceland is investigating whether the U.S. Embassy is spying on Icelandic citizens. The Icelandic Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has launched an inquiry after other Nordic countries said they were investigating the practice in their countries.”
Marietje Schaake on EU-US Data Protection Agreement
EU Observer:
MEPs pressing for Wikileaks Iraq torture follow-up at US summit
“Euro-deputies on Thursday (11 November) called for a “transatlantic inquiry” into Iraqi torture cases described in US war logs published by Wikileaks and pressed EU leaders to follow up on the issue at a meeting with US President Barack Obama next week.”
” ‘The European Parliament is “highly concerned over the recent serious allegations that torture has been condoned in Iraq’ and demands an ‘”independent transatlantic inquiry,’ a resolution adopted Thursday in the plenary reads. MEPs also call for this issue ‘to be raised in the context of the EU-US summit,’ which is set to take place on 20 November in Lisbon.” Twextra:
- CIA report into shoring up Afghan war support in Western Europe, 11 Mar 2010
- U.S. Intelligence planned to destroy WikiLeaks, 18 Mar 2008
MSNBC:
Russian journalist beaten, Second one in two days
“A reporter for a suburban Moscow paper was beaten up Monday, two days after another Moscow journalist was bludgeoned on the head, arms and legs in a brutal attack that was captured on video and has caused a national uproar.”
“No motivation for either attack has been determined, but both men wrote about efforts to stop developers from cutting down trees in forests around Moscow to build highways. In addition, an opposition activist also trying to protect the Khimki forest near Moscow had his skull fractured in assault last week. Road construction is considered one of the most corrupt sectors in Russia, offering huge profits to the businesses and officials involved who may see the journalists and activists as a direct threat to their bank accounts.” Journalists from every country, no matter how diverse their views, should come together NOW. There is a war on for Freedom of the Press! 11/07/10 CNN:
Sweden Investigating Alleged U.S. Spying
“The Swedish security police have launched an investigation into “unlawful intelligence activities” conducted by the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, according to a statement
Swedens Justice Minister Beatrice Ask speaks about Stockholms knowledge of the U.S. Embassys surveillance of Swedish citizens during a press conference in Stockholm Nov 07, 2010
released Saturday. The investigation was opened one day after the U.S. Embassy there told authorities its employees had been conducting surveillance activities, similar to what was recently discovered in Norway, according to the security police statement.“
“The scale of surveillance is not known, but according to the statement, operations have been ongoing since 2000. They were conducted without the knowledge of the Foreign Affairs office, the Justice Department, the security or the local police in Sweden, the statement said.“
Vancouver Sun:
Leading Russian journalist in coma after assault
Leading Russian journalist in coma after assault Nov 06, 2010
“A leading Russian journalist was in a coma on Saturday after two men broke his legs, jaw and fingers in an attack which his editor said was likely to be linked to his coverage of banned opposition groups.”
“[Kommersant editor Mikhail] Mikhailin said the motive was unclear, but likely to be linked to Kashin’s recent investigations into extremist youth groups, including banned opposition group the National Bolshevik Party. ‘He undertook investigations into various informal organisations. I feel something he wrote might have upset someone who decided to take these vicious measures,’ he said.”
Scribd: CIA Response will neither confirm nor deny plans to assassinate Julian Assange [click on letter image to enlarge]:
11/04/10 Julian Assange Wikileaks founder Press Conference, Geneva, Switzerland 11/04/2010
VIEW REMAINING THREE SEGMENTS HERE Yahoo!:
Human rights campaigners voice disappointment with Obama
“Speaking before the United States faces its first public review by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, representatives of US and international groups said Washington had been unable to turn the page on violations under the previous administration.”
” ‘Many of us would have been much happier two years ago, we expected very much deeper change. The momentum has been lost,’ said Gerald Staberock, speaking on behalf of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).”
“Not only is justice not being done, it is also prevented from being done.” Asia Tribune:
The United States created Iraqi terror groups for torture
Wikileaks doc: “DURING THE INTERROGATION PROCESS THE ***** THREATENED THE SUBJECT DETAINEE THAT HE WOULD NEVER SEE HIS FAMILY AGAIN AND WOULD BE SENT TO THE WOLF BATTALION WHERE HE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO ALL THE PAIN AND AGONY THAT THE WOLF BATTALION IS KNOWN TO EXACT UPON ITS DETAINEES.” [December 14, 2005]“
“The Wolf Brigade/Battalion was created and supported by the US in an attempt to re-employ elements of Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard, this time to terrorise insurgents. Members typically wore red berets, sunglasses and balaclavas, and drove out on raids in convoys of Toyota Landcruisers. They were accused by Iraqis of beating prisoners, torturing them with electric drills and sometimes executing suspects. The then interior minister in charge of them was alleged to have been a former member of the Shia Badr militia.” Global Investigative Journalism Network:
Journalists from 38 countries join in support for WikiLeaks
“Journalists from every region of the world have joined together to support the whistle-blowing organization Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange who, they say, have
Journalists from 38 countries join in support for WikiLeaks Nov 04 2010
provided an extraordinary resource for journalists around the world and made “an outstanding contribution to transparency and accountability on the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars”.
“The journalists, many of whom are prominent investigative reporters, come from countries as diverse as Russia and Namibia, and Israel and Indonesia, plus many from European countries and North America. The journalists, who are linked through investigative journalism networks, decided to speak out publicly after watching a growing campaign of threats and unfair criticisms againstAssange and Wikileaks.”
Balance of Power is moving where it should; in the hands of global citizens! 11/03/10 Denmark Politics, International:
Wikileaks provides access to documentation for Iraq investigation
Wikileaks provides access to documentation for Iraq investigation Nov 03 2010
“The Danish military has formally requested access to the material for their inquiry, after having apparently been rebuffed access by its NATO partner, the United States. We have looked into the matter and have decided to provide the Danish investigation with the necessary information,« says Wikileaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson.”
Yesterday, the Danish Defence Command said that it had been unsuccessful in getting access to the 391,383 leaked Iraq logs despite having worked on its investigation of revelations in coverage of the logs for a week (link to article in Danish). According to the Defence, access to the logs is necessary in order for the Defence to carry out the investigation ordered by Danish Defence Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech which is to establish the facts of Danish soldiers’ involvement in the taking of prisoners left in the custody of Iraqi police.
Now we shall begin to unravel which leaders are really for peace and and cooperation in this world and which are the very leaders holding transparency back to save their arses continue to profit from all the death and destruction. 10/31/10 The Listening Post – Missing the mark on Wikileaks?
VIDEO: ABC News (Australia):
Iraq War: Mission Accomplished? “Look back on key milestones in the Iraq War, from the search for weapons of mass destruction to the surrender of control back to Iraqis.” 10/30/10 Fascinating discussion re #Yemen supposed bomb threat at #ATS HERE ABC (Australia) News:
Arab League demands justice after leaked war files
” ‘These documents and what they have unveiled… constitute a crime equivalent to crimes against humanity and violations against the Iraqi people,’ said Ahmed ben Helli, the Cairo-based organisation’s deputy secretary general. ‘We must pursue those who committed this crime,’ in cooperation with the Iraqi government, he said, quoted by Egypt’s official news agency MENA. Mr Ben Helli called for more documents to be released.”
10/28/10 Science Blogs:
Wikileaks Reveal Rumsfeld, Pentagon Lies
“But as it turns out, this latest document dump includes lots and lots of reports from troops on the ground about how all hell was breaking loose in the aftermath of the Samarra bombing, including troops stumbling on piles of bodies killed by sectarian militias increasingly at war with one another. You should never be surprised when your government lies to you. You should still be appalled though.“
The Smirking Chimp:
Now We Know
“It is not fashionable within the circle of Washington ‘elites,’ both in the media and in government, to take part in anything that resembles ‘looking backward’ or ‘re-litigating the past,’ or whatever euphemism currently passes for seeking accountability. There was plenty of evidence before Wikileaks came along to undertake a comprehensive prosecution of any and all who were involved in the murderous fraud that was and is the war in Iraq, but it was never done. With the arrival of these 400,000 new pages, however, a new urgency must be injected into the argument.”
“They knew, and now we have the proof. They lied, they stole, they murdered by the tens and tens of thousands, and if there is no accountability for crimes of such scope and breadth, then ours is a doomed and eternally discredited nation. Mr. Obama’s Department of Justice has officially run out of excuses for not pursuing criminal action against the previous administration and all the players involved. The criminal acts were documented, in meticulous detail, and those facts are now in the public eye for all to see.”
The Statesman:
Russia calls on USA to probe Wikileaks papers “The statement pointed out that Washington regularly ticked off other countries for human rights violations and said it should live up to its own standards by investigating the allegations of abuses by troops in Iraq.
“ ‘We are convinced that such a position will demonstrate the United States’ adherence to the high standards in the human rights sphere that it constantly calls on other countries to observe,’ it reads. The ministry called for the results of the investigation to be published and made available to human rights groups.“
Voice of Russia:
WikiLeaks to publish classified documents from Russia, China “The WikiLeaks website, which provoked a scandal by posting the Pentagon’s classified documents about US military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, says it will gather and make public documents from Russia, China and other countries.”
10/27/10 The Nation:
Killing Reconciliation
“Zaeef says the night raids and the targeted killings are strengthening the Taliban and inspiring more people ‘to become extremist against the Americans.’ US political and military leaders, he says, ‘are thinking, ‘” ‘When we scare the people, they should be quiet.” But this is a different nation. When you are killing one person, four or five others rise against you. If you are killing five people, twenty, at least, are rising against you. When you are disrespecting the people or the honor of the people in one village, the whole village becomes against you. This is creating hatred against Americans.”
Anti-War Com:
Senate to Mull Anti-WikiLeaks Law: GOP Bill Would Label WikiLeaks a ‘Transnational Threat’
“Saying that it was vital to stop “WikiLeaks from hiding like a coward behind a computer mainframe,” Senator John Ensign (R – NV) announced today that he intends to push forward with legislation that aims to formally criminalize WikiLeaks as well as severely curtailing the ability to release classified documents.”
In any case, I strongly intuit that if Wikileaks is taken down or if one hair of harm comes to Julian Assange or his employees, or his document donors, there will be Force of citizenry rise up on this Earth as never seen before (including soldiers, vets) marching to the halls of every capital city.
10/26/10 American Friends Service Committee:
“You can see the impact of decisions made by U.S. military and civilian officials – decisions that the government has sought to keep secret from the public. The horrors of widespread civilian casualties, death squads, armed contractors, targeted assassinations, support for sectarian militias, city sieges and arrest sweeps have consistently been downplayed by U.S. officials and media.“
Help us counter the mainstream media notion that these documents do not reveal anything new. Send a letter to the editor, demanding that our government acknowledge and investigate the crimes detailed in these reports, and take the only action that will ensure they are ended – complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops, bases, and contractors from Iraq and Afghanistan.
AFR Com:
Former Australian government minister (currently Senator) Nick Minchin: US was wrong to invade Iraq
“The former minister said in the period before the US invasion he was ‘very disturbed’ by the battle between US Secretary of State Colin Powell – who opposed a pre-emptive strike – and the hawkish Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld.”
Amnesty International – Human Rights Now:
Failed accountability, WikiLeaks show true cost of war
“By creating complex legal hurdles, issuing on the scene immunities, and failing to ensure an environment of transparency, oversight and accountability, we are shielding the true costs of our wars, not only financially but in human terms as well. The release of these documents showcases just how terrible that cost is.
Let’s continue to call for accountability in conflict zones. Tell President Obama and Congress to respect human rights and counter terror with justice. “
10/25/10 Columbia Journalism Review:
Greenwald Gets It on WikiLeaks Coverage
“Salon media critic Glenn Greenwald hammers at a point we mentioned in our first read of the WikiLeaks coverage on Friday afternoon. That is, that as with the Afghanistan dump, there was an obvious disparity between the way that the Times reported out and framed its Iraq War Logs package and the way that Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and particularly The Guardian did.”
10/24/10 Al Jazeera:
Nouri al-Maliki’s ‘detention squad’
“In October 2006, an Iraqi army unit reportedly robbed a number of people living in Sunni neighbourhoods in western Baghdad. The unit was arrested on October 11 – and told its captors that it was operating under the authority of Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.”
“The frequent crackdowns on his political rivals help to explain why al-Maliki was the target of so many often-violent plots. Dozens of reports describe assassination attempts; others, plots designed to intimidate the prime minister into changing his policies. Not all of them have been previously reported.”
Veteran’s Today:
Military Orders FRAGO 242 and FRAGO 039 Known at Highest Levels Of U.S Gov
“The secret files record graphic detail of extensive abuse at Iraqi police stations, army bases and prisons. Electricity used on feet and genitals; electrocuted; sodomised with a water bottle; sodomised with a hose; beaten to death; raped by a Major. There are many such reports.”
10/22/10 Kristinn Hrafnsson Wikileaks spokesman:
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism:
Hundreds of civilians gunned down at checkpoints
“Through an extensive manual count, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism can reveal that 681, more than 80 per cent of those killed in similar incidents, were civilians. Fifty families were shot at and at least 30 children reported killed. In contrast, only 120 insurgents died in checkpoint
incidents in the same period.”
BBC:
UN urges US and Iraq to probe Wikileaks torture claims
“Navi Pillay said the files suggested US forces had continued to hand detainees to Iraqi authorities despite evidence that they had been tortured. Meanwhile, the UN’s adviser on torture, Manfred Novak, called for a wider inquiry to include alleged US abuses.
10/21/10 C-SPAN:
WikiLeaks Press Conference on Release of Military Documents War Is Business:
Exposing the Profit Motive for Armed Conflict
“The Obama administration’s cynicism is revealed in these exchanges. It’s betting that the American public, thoroughly distracted by Christine O’Donnell’s anti-onanism and Brett Favre’s cock, simply won’t care about a seemingly desperate attempt to intimidate Iran and prevent further collapse in the economy.”
10/19/10 Salon Com:
Joe Miller’s private “guards” were active-duty military
“One of the more disturbing election incidents took place in Alaska on Sunday night, when private “guards” working for GOP Senate nominee Joe Miller forcibly detained and handcuffed a journalist as he tried to ask the candidate questions which he did not want to answer. “
“But revelations today have made the story much, much worse still. ADN now reports that not only was Joe Miller’s excuse for why he had hired private guards a lie, but two of the guards who handcuffed the journalist and threatened others are active-duty soldiers in the U.S. military:” Impeach Bush Org:
“…the IndictBushNow movement has reached tens of thousands of new people who have joined our movement this week in the aftermath of the release of 400,000 documents that prove that horrible war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in Iraq.” 10/17/10 The Nation (Notion Blog):
Could WikiLeaks Have Prevented 9/11? Former FBI Agent Says Yes
“Less than a month before 9/11, an FBI supervisor sent a warning to officials in Washington. He pleaded that he was ‘trying to keep someone from taking a plane and crashing into the World Trade Center.’ “
“It doesn’t get much more specific than that. But FBI officials in Washington refused to act, or make any public statement about Moussaoui.”
09/26/10 Fox News:
Pentagon Paid $47,000 to Destroy Veteran’s Memoir “The Department of Defense paid $5 per book to burn the 9,500 copies of “Operation Dark Heart,” Army Reserve Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer’s memoir about going undercover in Afghanistan that the Pentagon claims revealed too many national security secrets.”
Our tax money paid for this Nazi-style suppression of intellectual freedom! Outrageous. Remember this? 09/03/10 Alternet:
5 Jaw-Dropping Stories in Wikileaks’ Archives Begging for National Attention
“..today there are many files, beyond the much-publicized Afghan War Diary and the “Collateral Murder” video of a U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter mowing down people in Baghdad in 2007, that continue to hide in plain sight on Wikileaks’ Web site. Below are just five examples of the types of documents available at Wikileaks.org that deserve in-depth analysis and national media attention.”
08/11/08 OnLine Journal:
What were the Mossad with fraudulent New Zealand Passports doing in Iraq?
“Our source talked with members of the 3rd Infantry Division and 4th Infantry Division who nailed the Mossad agents and ordered they be let go. As a result, when these US Army personnel returned to the US, they left their army careers and refused to serve the likes of George Bush and Israel. What could their deeper reasons possibly be?”
“Our source would take solace, great solace, if those men and women who witnessed any of these events would step forward and blow the whistle, especially on the cabal of ruthless Mossad aggents who killed American soldiers.”
05/09/06 Al Jazeera:
Mossad murdered 530 Iraqi scientists:
“Numerous reports for many months have stated that with collaboration from American occupation forces, Israel’s espionage apparatus, Mossad, slaughtered at least 530 Iraqi scientists and academic professors.”
“Persistent Israeli hit squads against Iraqi scientists had been active in Iraq since April 2003, but the latest chapter was uncovered on Tuesday, 14 June 2005 by the Palestine Information Center which, citing a report compiled by the United States Department of State and intended for the American President, stated that Israeli and foreign agents sent by Mossad, in cooperation with United States, to Iraq, killed at least 350 Iraqi scientists and more than 200 university professors and academic personalities .
06/27/07 Washington Post:
Cheney Defiant on Classified Material
“Vice President Cheney’s office has refused to comply with an executive order governing the handling of classified information for the past four years and recently tried to abolish the office that sought to enforce those rules, according to documents released by a congressional committee yesterday.”
“Since 2003, the vice president’s staff has not cooperated with an office at the National Archives and Records Administration charged with making sure the executive branch protects classified information. Cheney aides have not filed reports on their possession of classified data and at one point blocked an inspection of their office. After the Archives office pressed the matter, the documents say, Cheney’s staff this year proposed eliminating it.”
10/26/2001 Bush Signs “Patriot Act”
