Ray McGovern and the Sam Adams party have presented the Sam Adams award to Edward Snowden. I am delighted. This from Ray’s account of the event:
In brief remarks from his visitors, Snowden was reassured — first and foremost — that he need no longer be worried that nothing significant would happen as a result of his decision to risk his future by revealing documentary proof that the U.S. government was playing fast and loose with the Constitutional rights of Americans.
Even amid the government shutdown, Establishment Washington and the normally docile “mainstream media” have not been able to deflect attention from the intrusive eavesdropping that makes a mockery of the Fourth Amendment. Even Congress is showing signs of awaking from its torpor.
In the somnolent Senate, a few hardy souls have gone so far as to express displeasure at having been lied to by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and NSA Director Keith Alexander — Clapper having formally apologized for telling the Senate Intelligence Committee eavesdropping-related things that were, in his words, “clearly erroneous” and Alexander having told now-discredited whoppers about the effectiveness of NSA’s intrusive and unconstitutional methods in combating terrorism.
Coleen Rowley, the first winner of the Sam Adams Award (2002), cited some little-known history to remind Snowden that he is in good company as a whistleblower — and not only because of previous Sam Adams honorees. She noted that in 1773, Benjamin Franklin leaked confidential information by releasing letters written by then-Lt. Governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchinson to Thomas Whatley, an assistant to the British Prime Minister.
The letters suggested that it was impossible for the colonists to enjoy the same rights as subjects living in England and that “an abridgement of what are called English liberties” might be necessary. The content of the letters was so damaging to the British government that Benjamin Franklin was dismissed as colonial Postmaster General and had to endure an hour-long censure from British Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn.
There has been a determined attempt by government to justify the need to intercept everybody’s communications, all the time. We have, yet again, had MI5 claim there are many thousand violent Islamic terrorists running around the UK, (yet somehow not managing to kill anybody). The cry of “paedophiles” is raised, as always. I can imagine them suggesting the entire population be shot dead, and justifying it as making sure they get the paedophiles. The tabloids would go with that.
There still had not been a single credible claim by the mainstream media that any named individual has died, despite that contingency being trotted out all the time as the reason Snowden and Manning should not have revealed state crimes and abuse of power. I am hopeful that, with the internet still largely free to the dissemination of information, out next massive whistleblower is only weeks away.
oops. link to last…..http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10900
You gotta watch those bloody Belgian keyboards, SKN
$7 billion: 3 days cash for the Pentagon.
No one wants to take up the cause of Ishmael, the disinherited 1/2 brother to Isaac?
The Valley of Elah was another location full of brotherly love, but they were of the same mother.
Palestinian descendants from Ishmael’s blood-line continue to shed precious crimson for the sake of the Land of Milk and Honey, but still have no inheritance to share with the chosen people.
‘Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxen’ was a principle needing a revisit by the immigrants to Israel.
But Zionists are a little like WASPs….”They love animals; HATE people”
“$7 billion….” a day’s pay for the Pentagon.
Mike; USG had 11,000 MWRAPS in Afghanistan; only 9000 will be shipped home. The other 2000 are too expensive to ship home, so they hired some contractors to dismantle the vehicles which cost $1 million each. That’s $2 Billion in shipping costs saved !
Mike,
C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) to be precise. Had to look up which particular LINEAR
It’s not fresh from the Oort cloud but it does take 1871 years to orbit the sun in a highly inclined orbit. Even with current brightening it is still not predicted to ever be visible to the naked eye unfortunately.
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C%2F2012%20X1;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#elem
http://remanzacco.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/outburst-of-comet-c2012-x1-linear.html?spref=tw
“Please sign the petition to support our Orwellian Police State’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l02E4cj4Vvo#t=148
Want to buy an MRAP? M1 tank or a Bradley? NOTICE; some vehicles may have been repainted.
http://armytrucksinc.com/inventory/
I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Fujisan, Ben, he looks perfectly capable of practising Jiu Juitzu.
We all have our practicals, I’m rather fond Yip Kai Man’s teachings.
Nevermind; I’m a little jealous about not being able to attend any meetups, but I did offer a blanket invite to y’all to join me at HST’s old digs and Woody Creek Tavern.
My arithmetic might be suspect. Does the Pentagon get around $1 trillion, excluding black projects? Well, if you can print money and endlessly recycle dollars, a couple of thousand beefed up humvees don’t amount to a hill of beans.
Yeah, Linear’s max mag projected to be 8.5. Ison still on course for a spectacular Boxing Day show.
If anyone’s in Edinburgh over Xmas, gimme a shout.
$70 billion in Pentagonal waste, but it’s in 2011 dollars so it’s all good.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/business/30military.html?_r=0
Anon:”Further to my post of 4:13 pm, there is only one possible explanation for how the name “Mary” popped up in your ‘Name’ box.It is that you have posted as Mary”
+
ESLO: “Not true the other possibility is that Mary posts as Macky”
What a great pair of comical Inspector Clouseaus ! Have any comments ever posted under “Mary” ever shown the slightest resemblance to anything posted under “Macky”, or vice versa ?
The fact is that the name Mary mysteriously appear in the Name Field, I didn’t see it, or even notice it until somebody posted complimenting Mary for the Post; It is possible that I somehow inadvertently cut & pasted “Mary” into the Name Field, as I do cut & paste excerpts of text when commentating, and I do cut & paste individual words that need a spelling check, but I do know how to spell “Mary” !! So I’m still suspicious as to how it happened, as nothing like it has happened before, and it just happen to occur in a Post in which mention was being made of somebody impersonating Mary; despite AlcAnon kind advise as to how to clear this rogue entry from my Name Field, I notice that it suddenly disappear of its own accord, arousing my suspicion once again, unless somebody can provide a rational explanation for this.
Anyhow is there anything more despicable that grown adults physically & psychologically torturing little kids ?;
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/10/22/torturing-and-jailing-palestinian-children/
‘Revolving door’? OK….conflict of interest…nah.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/203:the-buying-and-selling-of-the-pentagon-part-i
“Since I started working on reforming the Pentagon in 1979, I have found one of the most corrupting problems has been the revolving door, the insidious practice where DoD and Congressional personnel go to work for defense contractors or start work at defense contractors and move in and out of the government positions using their influence and inside knowledge to maximize the profits of the defense industry. There have been many attempts to curb this process such as making DoD officials register where they working after leaving the DoD and putting in one- or two-year cooling off periods where they cannot attempt to influence the government in programs that they worked in, but most of these reforms have been ignored or deformed. When Congress passed a law requiring that DoD keep a list of who went through the revolving door, the DoD decided that the list was not to be made public.”
What a waste. You know, for the species (OK, subspecies for the purists), all that money when the US can’t even feed its own people.
Anyway, that’s too depressing.
Haddakok says always look on the bright side of life.
It’ll be the only thing we agree on.
Good night, and good luck.
While the thread here is languishing with occasional interjections by juveniles, I am posting an entry from Ravi’s blog at http://www.orbat.com which has an interesting take on the US’s ‘special’ relationship with Saudi Arabia (a country that receives little mention here yet has inordinate influence on global affairs). Further the article reflects on Israel’s influence on US foreign policy. There are even a couple of lines that might please some of our one-trick-Palestinian-ponies here, though I suspect, or more accurately know, that may not adequately quench the thirst of the more rabid and blood-thirsty ones.
Tuesday 0230 GMT October 22, 2013
·American Best Friend Forever, Saudi Arabia. Not.One of the few cases were Editor regrets he does not travel anymore (the usual problem, money) is Saudi Arabia. This is a country where one cannot have much of a clue about what’s going on unless one travels on a regular basis to the region. So much about Saudi is rumor, particularly in local sources, that it is not a good idea to rely on media and scholarly articles. Relying on people who know visit the region is okay, but here again you will get several different stories for the same issue, like the Japanese movies Rashomon. It is only when you are in the thick of the region that you start to get some idea of what’s really going on.
· So the other day Saudi caused an unprecedented ruckus at the UN. The nation had lobbied for a seat on the Security Council, won, and angrily refused to take the seat saying that the UN did not care about Syria. What Saudi meant is that China and Russia have been taking Assad’s side and Iran’s side, and now the US had joined them. The Saudis are also mad as heck that the US is playing silly buggers in Egypt. Editor will excuse you if you go “Say what, again? US is taking Syria’s and Iran’s side? Are the Saudis not taking their medication again?”
· Well, you see, Saudi is mad as heck because we didn’t bomb Syria, and it is even madder than that because we’re talking to Iran. You will surely ask: But shouldn’t the US run its foreign policy to suit US interests and not Saudi interests? The answer is that for decades the US and Saudi have tacitly worked together for mutual benefit. They keep the price of oil low, we whack their enemies on demand.
· Two problems with this cozy deal. Saudi Arabia is OPEC, being the largest producer and more importantly the key swing producer. If there was no OPEC, you probably would be paying half the current price for oil. So Saudi is not really our friend. All it is doing is telling us: look, we’ll extort money from you, but because we like you, we’ll extort less than we could. Next, Saudi is the greatest underwriter of global Islamic fundamentalism and terror. That is reasonable, seeing as it has the most money of any Islamic country. We hardly need to explain this is not just an unfrendly act; it is an act of war. Just as blackmailing us on oil is an act of war.
· So how come a state that is at war with us is treated as a Best Friend Forever by Washington? And on top of that they want to dictate our policies toward the Islamic world? The answer to this question, dear readers, is best you ask your government, media, academics, and Congress. You will not like the answer, because it is a clear case of your ruling elite selling you, the Common Person, out for the elite’s greater advantage. As to what the payoff is, Editor would rather not get into it because he is not about to start crusades on behalf of the US, much as loves the US. He has enough problems to deal with in his home country. But here is a hint: the payoff the American ruling elite receives is not herds of camels. ‘Enuf said.
· At which point our more cynical extreme leftie readers and more cynical extreme rightie readers will sniff disinterestedly, and say: the American ruling elite is always selling the Common Person out for its own gain. Why should we get upset about Saudi? No reason. Editor is just pointing out a few obvious things about our BFF, the Saudis.
· And at which point some readers sympathetic to the Arab cause (not sure we have any, as our readership is precisely three people) might indignantly ask: so how come Editor has nothing to say when Israel runs US Mideast policy, incurring a huge burden and disadvantage to the US?
· First, we do have plenty to say and say it often. US foreign policy in the Islamic world is crippled by our need to defer to Israeli interests. There – we just said it again.
· Second, however much the Israeli tail may wag the American dog, please to remember the Israelis are not, in any way, out to harm the US. What anyone says about Israel, its people share the same culture and almost all the values that western civilization holds dear. Sure, western civilization does not hold treating certain people as 2nd class citizens, and there an influential minority of Israeli fundamentalism that is antithetical to western values.
· But the Israelis have a democracy. They hold regular elections – pretty fractious ones, too. They have a free media. They have a functioning Supreme Court that while in matters of national security tends to give the government the benefit of the doubt (like American courts) is not a servant of the government. They call their mothers on a regular basis. And they do not ban women from driving.
We’re not justifying Israel’s hold on American foreign policy. We want America’s policy to benefit America. Just because we share cultural and other values with Israel does not mean that all of Israel’s geopolitical interests coincide with ours, and we should not be thinking first of them to our detriment. Nonetheless, the case of Israel giving Washington marching orders is not the same as Saudi giving Washington marching orders. One is our duplicitous enemy. The other is our friend.
Ben.10 33pm and Mike 10 29pm.
You’re surely just making that stuff up,
……or are you?
http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending
“War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes … known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.” James Madison, Political Observations, 1795
“Haddakok says always look on the bright side of life.”
With apologies to BrianF.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoaktW-Lu38
Sofia; The sequestration and world events seem to be taking the USG out of the role of global meddler. China’s recent statements about De-americanizing the world is gaining popular traction at home. We can only hope that further spending cuts will be shared pain with DARPA/CIA/NSA and Pentagon having the most belly fat and sugar diabetes to give up. Even now, though I can hear the anguished cries.
“· Second, however much the Israeli tail may wag the American dog, please to remember the Israelis are not, in any way, out to harm the US. What anyone says about Israel, its people share the same culture and almost all the values that western civilization holds dear. Sure, western civilization does not hold treating certain people as 2nd class citizens, and there an influential minority of Israeli fundamentalism that is antithetical to western values.”
Villager; US interests are held hostage by AIPAC, you know the vocal minority….but….this
“are not, in any way, out to harm the US”….is true only because of parallel interests. If they were antithetical to our goals, it would be like a remora killing it’s host the Great White. It’s currently in their interests to have our interests, because their survival…what is it $3 billion in extortion fees we dole out every year?…is dependent on good auspices of the USG.
Correction; While looking for UK shekels to Israel, I discovered US aid is $6 billion. But is the UK donations a secret? I can find nothing, but I know it’s in there somewhere.
Ben, $6 billion — still peanuts. The US spends $11 billion *each month* in Afghanistan the last time i looked at it.
What a surprise ! Villager post Zionist friendly crap, & just a couple days after demanding proof of this Blog’s “contrarians” showing support for Israel.
Villager; If it’s peanuts to Israel, maybe they can do without the legumes.
Ben.
It seems like it costs an awful lot of dollars for each Palestinian killed.
Are Americans ever asked if this is this value for money?
Ben, they probably could, and it is not material to their GDP, but they can still enjoy the peanuts gifted by your people. If you gave them caviar, they would enjoy that too. If you’re not happy about it, well, its your Government but i wouldn’t hold it against Israel for accepting.
PS btw, am surprised that you know it is a legume. Most dolts here would believe it to be a nut.
“Are Americans ever asked if this is this value for money?”
We need a ‘value added’ analysis. Israel seems to have a ratio in mind for the value of Palestinians, which is based on their market for the value of each Israeli.
A thousand to one? I’m guessing, but that seems to be the average. So if a Palestinian child is worth a quart of Hummus, an Israeli comes in at what, 100 lbs of gefilte fish?
Btw, Ben, i meant its more like peanuts to the US, hence the comparison to the AfPak spend. Perhaps its more of a cashew to Israel.
Hopefully we can have more substantive observations around the article.
My 727-billion*-question is why has Saudi Arabia not been able to better support their Palestinian brethren better over the years/decades?
* Saudi GDP
727 billion, dollars that is.
Mike. 10 47pm
“What a waste. You know, for the species (OK, subspecies for the purists), all that money when the US can’t even feed its own people.”
What you don’t take into account is that if those thousands of millions of dollars were spent on meeting the needs of US citizens you wouldn’t get amazing art like this.
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/100-captivating-examples-of-urban-decay-photography/
Well what’s your answer to that then Mr Mike, Bleeding-Heart Liberal, Lentil-Eating, Free-Loading, Concerned for the Species, One-Trick Donkey?