Sam Adams Award 365


I am in Berlin for the annual Sam Adams Award – this time to William Binney, formerly Technical Director of the NSA. There will be an address by Edward Snowden (and a short contribution from me). It really is a tremendous event, with some very senior former intelligence professionals making revelations about the extent to which the security state is out of control, a tool of immoral governments dominated by corporate interests.

The event is at the Berlin-Moscow Venue, 52 Unter Den Linden, and starts at 7pm (6pm UK time). It will be livestreamed on the Sam Adams website.

7:00-7:05 Wilkommen by Joerg Dreger, Managing Partner, Dreger Group
7:05-7:12 Ray McGovern, veteran CIA senior intelligence officer (27 years) and presidential briefer; SAA cofounder and Master of Ceremonies: Moment of Silence for Ambassador Robert White; acknowledgement of David MacMichael, retired Senior Estimates Officer in National Intelligence Council; Overview of history/purpose of Sam Adams Award
7:12-7:15 Annie Machon, former M15 intelligence officer (speech + introduction of Katharine and Craig)
7:15-7:20 Katharine Gun*, former GCHQ intelligence officer
7:20-7:25 Craig Murray*, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan
7:25-7:28 Coleen Rowley*, former FBI Special Agent and Minneapolis Chief Division Counsel (brief remarks +introduction of Todd P., Jesselyn & Tom)
7:28-7:33 Jesselyn Radack*, former ethics adviser, US Department of Justice and National Security; Human Rights Adviser, Government Accountability Project (GAP)
7:33-7:37 Todd Pierce, Major, US Army Judge Advocate (ret.); Guantanamo Military Commissions Defense Counsel
7:37-7:45 Thomas Drake*, former senior intelligence service executive, National Security Agency (NSA) – (speech + introduction of Ed Snowden)
7:45-8:00 Edward Snowden* (by video link), former NSA contractor; former CIA systems administrator
8:00-8:05 Ray McGovern segue to SAA Award Announcement; Reading of SAAII citation by Annie M. & Elizabeth M.(English and German versions, respectively); conferral by Thomas Drake of Sam Adams Integrity in Intelligence Corner-Brightener Candlestick to William Binney, former National Security Agency (NSA) Technical Director, World Geopolitical and Military Analysis, NSA, and co-founder, Signals Intelligence Automation Research Center
8:05-8:20 Acceptance speech by William Binney, former Technical Director, World Geopolitical and Military Analysis, NSA, and co-founder, Signals Intelligence Automation Research Center; Q & A
8:20-8:25 Wrap-up by Ray McGovern
8:25-8:30 Closing remarks by Joerg Dreger
8:30-9:00 Reception
*denotes former Sam Adams Award recipient


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365 thoughts on “Sam Adams Award

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  • Herbie

    Thanks, Peacewisher.

    Their argument doesn’t seem to amount to much more than:

    “if you’ve got nothing to hide, you got nothing to fear”

    And even that is highly questionable, as History shows time and time again.

    Greece was mentioned earlier. They had fascist torturing govts under the Colonels, who inherited whatever databases the previous govt held.

    Chile, the same. The transition to Nazi Germany, the same. It happens, has happened and is continuing to happen all over the world.

    Ukraine, just the latest.

    A change of govt from even cuddly to fascist is not uncommon.

    The point is, even if you trust your govt now, you don’t know that their successors will not be tyrants.

    Anyway, why would the cuddly govt want to put its people in such potential jeopardy.

  • Tony_0pmoc

    You don’t get owt for free unless you were born a rich cunt and become a politician..what with your swank…personally I think you lot are a bunch of useless wank.

    Tony

  • lysias

    Mirror: Top Tory Leon Brittan ‘photographed entering underage sex den during police investigation’:

    One key witness known as Nick, who has been described by police as “credible”, has told officers he was abused by Brittan at the luxury Dolphin Square apartment complex, near Westminster.

    He gave a lengthy statement alleging three boys were murdered by the VIP paedophiles.

    Speaking before Brittan’s death, Nick said: “He would treat me like I was not even human.”

    He claimed the top Tory was “nasty, cruel, sadistic and hateful”.

    Nick is now said to be ­“devastated” by the former cabinet minister’s death and fears it may be too late to get justice.

    Brittan, who died of cancer at 75, was already under investigation for allegedly raping a woman in 1967. An allegation he denied.

  • lysias

    Interesting who shows up here to defend Leon Brittan, and who complains that the people now accusing him did not do so while he was alive (even though, while he was alive, the press never named him.)

  • Ba'al Zevul

    “Is that to get round Habbabreak and ensure that Baal-Komodo reads what you have to say?”

    Funny, that occurred to me the other day. Ever since it became known that one could not only block Habbabkuk himself, but could block replies to him also, I notice Mary (and possibly a couple of others) not replying to him by name. I thought the most obvious reason was so that their own comments wouldn’t be blanked by Habbabreak.

    This is all getting too intricate for me. I unblocked Mary some time ago, so if it’s on my account, no need. I just skim lightly past her, pausing only to note that the Torygraph’s article on Tony’s aircraft is largely bollocks and (despite its timestamp) well out of date. I don’t block responses. Just Rubbaduck itself, who bores me.

  • @homeneara*

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwmjXMVZ_Yk

    I don’t like to think much. But you have to say, can anyone imagine the establishment (such as it is) letting Diana campaign for and in Palestine. ?

    Does anyone remember those days ? It seem’d, even with all the issues, a much kinder country than it is today.

    Ever get the feeling your being brutalised? I do.

  • @homeneara*

    “The only person in the family who was openly tearful”

    Obviously this humanity is a psychological fault to some.

  • Tony_0pmoc

    Well, I don’t know..it doesn’t half look like him..but I can’t quite ask can I..People like Craig Murray..anyhow I wrote this..some of it is true..

    Chris,

    Was that you there tonight..dancing with my Sis???

    I can’t even reply To Boris..and I look a lot like him..

    What about The Facts..are You Completely fkin Stupid???

    And Yes I like Your Boris Bikes..and My Over 60’s London Boris Bus Pass..

    But Come on Boris No One Well except the stupid cunts believes all this fake beheading shit..Is it you who shut Spivey Up..Oh Come On..Talk about Amateur Dramatics..at Least The Americans Did Boston With a Bit of Style..

    Let Me introduce you To Dave McGowan..from The Center of an Informed America..I ain’t that keen on most Yanks..but This Guy is Something Else..Surely You Must Have Got It By Now…and The Bus Moving Back at Woolwich..Come on Be Serious Here..

    A Gentle Introduction From the USA written by an American…with very high definition photographs and Analysis..My Daughter and Her Friends Did This Years Ago when they were Teenagers..sure They Used Loads of Fake Blood..They were Doing a Horror Film for a laugh..

    “Special Report on the Boston Marathon: The Curious Case of the Man Who Could Only Sit Down (Part 1)”

    May 7, 2013

    http://www.davesweb.cnchost.com/nwsltr114.html

    Come on Charlie..Please stop Taking The Piiss…

    Do you think we are all stupid?

    Tony

  • ------------·´`·.¸¸.¸¸.··.¸¸Node

     

    The weather forecast, Daily Express style.

    Panicked forecasters raised the alert in the past hour after spotting the freak system on the weather models.
    Rare in the UK it is identical to the phenomenon which triggered crippling whiteouts and ice storms in the United States.
    Sparked by the frenzied and volatile behaviour of the jet stream it threatens to bring the fury of the North Pole tearing across the country NEXT WEEK.
    Forecasters say temperatures will plunge to below -15C (5F) while feet-deep snow drifts on a par with the worst winters in history are likely.
    The whole of the UK will be scourged by screaming Arctic gales and blizzards right through the first half of February.
    A repeat of the historic freeze of 2010 which brought the coldest temperatures on record and ground airports to a standstill, is feared
    Weather experts say they have issued a stark warning to emergency services and the Government to take action now.
    Airports, railway lines and roads are expected to grind to a shivering halt with extreme cold threatening the lives of thousands of people.
    Piers Corbyn, forecaster for WeatherAction, warned a “catastrophic” set of circumstances have come together to trigger a lethal spell of weather.
    He said: “This could lead to anything, gales, huge snowstorms and the lowest temperatures of winter so far.
    The terrifying prediction is the result of a deeply meandering jet stream which has been largely responsible for the erratic weather this winter.
    At the start of the season forecasters warned this big freeze would hit towards the end of December, but the frenzied deviation of the jet stream nudged it out of the way. Swathes of the UK face knee-deep snow drifts with roads set to turn into deadly ice rinks sparking travel chaos.
    Mr Corbyn said: “This is going to be a severely damaging spell of weather, the NHS is thoroughly unprepared and has been lucky up until now as it has not been too severe.
    “But this is about to change dramatically with a displaced Polar vortex likely to dominate the weather for the first half of next month.”
    Weather charts show the jet stream violently churning across the Atlantic, sweeping in dips and troughs over the UK. Forecasters warn it is cranking up a gear again threatening more wind and rain this week before whipping freezing cold air down from the Arctic region. James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said the entire country could be blanketed in a carpet of snow by the end of next week.
    Mr Madden said after this sets in the country will be plunged into a lengthy and severe big freeze.

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/554183/Britain-red-alert-displaced-Polar-vortex-unleash-weather-hell-next-week

  • ------------·´`·.¸¸.¸¸.··.¸¸Node

    inevitable payback = justification for violent repression

    Doesn’t it just speak volumes about Israel when its foreign minister demands action be taken to offend Arabs.

    CHARLIE ON THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM

    Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman called on party activists Sunday to buy “thousands” of copies of the controversial “Mohammed edition” of theCharlie Hebdo satirical magazine, which they will then distribute to Israelis on a mass basis.

    Liberman called for the mass purchase after bookseller Steimatzky decided to cancel an in-store event celebrating the sale of the issues on Monday.

    “We will not allow Israel to be turned in to an ISIS-style fundamentalist state,” said Liberman, before embarking on a state visit to Russia and China.

    “Warnings by Arab MKs that the state would be ‘responsible’ for the results of the sale of the magazine by Steimatzky constitutes the crossing of a red line by the Israeli Arab leadership.”

    Liberman was referring to a letter sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by Masud Ghnaim, the head of the United Arab List, who called the proposed sale by Steimatzky “dangerous and stupid.”

    The feelings of Muslims would be badly hurt, he said, and “no one can predict what will happen” as a result.

    https://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/charlie-on-the-streets-of-jerusalem/

  • @homeneara*

    Agree node, shoving it in their faces comes to mind.

    Just like Germany, it’s persecution like this that fuels the fire of extremism, that Israel seems whole heartedly embarked upon. Because they never do any injustice.

  • Silvio

    Club Orlov update, Jan 25

    Panic in Kiev?

    The following article appeared briefly at this URL on censor.net.ua and was quickly pulled down. Ironic? It would seem so. My translation. I bring it to you because it succinctly lays out the situation as I’ve been able to piece it together from multiple Russian- and Ukrainian-language sources, and because you are unlikely to come across anything this truthful from cough Western media cough.

    “Panic in Kiev: Ukrainian forces surrender Donbass”

    International observers report of growing panic in Kiev in connection with the successful counteroffensive of the separatists near Donbass.

    Over a week of fighting the partisans have delivered a heavy blow to the Ukrainian forces. The group of Ukrainian fighters in Donbas suffered huge losses, the soldiers are demoralized, the officers are confused and unable to control the situation.

    Ukrainian military leadership is seriously concerned of a new encirclement near Debaltsevo, as well as in other areas.

    snip

    Local authorities in Ukrainian-controlled districts near the front report that Ukrainian soldiers are deserting with their weapons and taking to looting the countryside in increasing numbers.

    In this critical situation the military is afraid to report to president Poroshenko the real situation in the southeast of the country, hiding from him the full scale of the catastrophe.

    The head of state is still convinced that the situation is under control, and hopes that in case of a real threat he will still have the chance to ask the West for help.

    And then there is this video evidence: American “boots on the ground” have invaded Eastern Ukraine. How do you say “Get out of my face, please!” in Ukrainian? I guess the grunts aren’t taught that in Basic Training… are they too busy learning how to shell civilians and then blame the other side?

    http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2015/01/panic-in-kiev.html

  • @homeneara*

    Silvio

    I Don’t like to comment on scraps of video, but seems very English to me, he said please.

    Such a poor country, a pawn and no doubt harmed more by those following ‘interests’, surrounding Russia etc.

  • Mary

    Tsipras: ‘Seeing Israel killing children in Palestine is unacceptable’
    July 18, 2014

    ANA/MPA—The world should make every possible effort so that Israel ends its criminal attack, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday evening in his doorstep statements on arrival at the summer festival of the Italian party “Left, Ecology, Freedom” in Rome.

    “Seeing Israel killing children in Palestine is unacceptable. We should unite our voices and forces so as to live in peace, expressing our solidarity to the Palestinian people,” Tsipras told reporters.

    /..

    http://www.phantis.com/news/tsipras-seeing-israel-killing-children-palestine-unacceptable

    Predictably that is followed by:

    The victory of Syriza in Greece ‘bad news for Israel’
    25 January 2015

    Alexis Tsipras, whose party Syriza won general elections in Greece on Sunday, stated last year during a rally in Athens that ‘’the world should make every possible effort so that Israel ends its criminal attack and brutality against Palestinians.’’

    ATHENS (EJP)—The radical leftwing Syriza party which appears to be the winner of Sunday’s general elections in Greece and has promised to stop with austerity and defy the European institutions, is also widely viewed as having a clear anti-Israel stance. which has promised to “cancel” austerity and defy the European institutions.

    /..
    http://ejpress.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51403&catid=10

  • KingOfWelshNoir

    My thoughts on the mass surveillance issue.

    You can object on a practical level that we now have in place the apparatus of total social control that would prove catastrophic if a future fascistic government took the reins of power. I agree with that. After all, did not IBM provide mechanical ‘computing’ equipment that facilitated the persecution of the Jews in Nazi Germany?

    And you can object, on a practical level, that the recording and retaining of mass data on our lives like this presents numerous opportunities for corrupt officials, such as cops with a grudge, to abuse, and use against us whenever the opportunity might present itself. I agree with that too.

    But the main objection for me, has less to do with nuts-and-bolts, and more to do with what it means to be a human being. When our lives are subject to constant surveillance like this, we become markedly less free. We police ourselves and will constantly be aware of the need to be careful and circumspect in what we say, and do. The data of our indiscretions remains in perpetuity. Arguing, as some do, that no one is actually looking at the surveillance data at the time is ignorant and naive, and spectacularly misses the point.

    I also find it alarming to note how it reveals the contempt in which our ‘leaders’ hold us. They act more like keepers, zoo keepers. They have taken our taxes and used them to build a panopticon for us to live in. They were never asked to do this, no one elected them to do it, and we were never asked if we wanted to live in a Panopticon. Furthermore they almost certainly acted illegally, showing they have contempt for the Law to.

    I can’t help thinking, too, that this world was not the one our forebears in World War II fought and died for, those whose sacrifice our leaders are so fond of invoking,

    They are also lying when they present this all as a response to the purported terror threat. Terrorism is statistically trivial in terms of the danger it poses to us. As a pretext to justify the mass surveillance, it is bogus. It is absurd to suggest the handful of deaths that periodically occur due to terrorism in any way justify the mass removal of basic freedoms.

    In short, the real enemies of freedom are not a handful of nutters who occasionally let off bombs in public places, but our own political leaders who are gradually reducing us to the state of cows with numbered tags on their ears.

    Talking of which, I also predict they will try and resurrect the ID card scheme at some point.

  • Mary

    From Blair’s letter to Gaddafi. |April 2007.

    “I would like to add a personal word of thanks for your assistance in the matter of deportation. That support – and the excellent co-operation of your officials with their British colleagues – is a tribute to the strength of the bilateral relationship which has grown up between the United Kingdom and Libya.

    “As you know, I am determined to see that partnership develop still further.”

    The papers recovered from Libya were now forming the basis of the damages claim being brought by six Libyan men, the widow of a seventh, and five British citizens of Libyan and Somali origin, according to The Guardian.

    ‘Dear Muammar’: Tony Blair’s letter to Colonel Gaddafi reveals collusion between UK and Libyan regime
    The former prime minister thanked Gaddafi for the ‘excellent co-operation’ between the two countries and apologised for failing to deport the tyrant’s enemies
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11367104/Dear-Muaamar-Tony-Blairs-letter-to-Colonel-Gaddafi-reveals-collusion-between-UK-and-Libyan-regime.html
    24 Jan 2015

    A month after that letter was written, Blair was in the tent in the desert with Gaddafi setting up the BP oil deal. Sutherland of BP was there too.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1553044/Blair-Gaddafi-and-the-BP-oil-deal.html

  • Jay

    Mass surveillance is a works both ways. There watching us as well we are watching them. So we almost have transparency. So what’s to worry about.

    It’s the dark underworld and deep cover that we should have our concerns.
    Most don’t seem to understand that simple concept that there is much unlawfulness.

    Why are we not consistently concerned with mans’ unique destructive exploitative nature.
    Only a few government spooks trying to uncover the next enigma.

    The soul of the people is visible without hitech equipment, just look about you.

    So what, surveillance is nothing cause we are watching to.
    Now where’s that “rainforest” channel.

  • Peacewisher

    @Jay: we are not watching “them”. How can we?

    @KingofWelshNoir @Homeneara: if history starts getting rewritten, we will know that we are on the slippery slope. Slightly concerned about some of the coverage of ww1, for example. The Stasi used to be a prime example of what we are against… odd that we are even capable of sleepwalking into our own stasi society. Still you know how powerful propaganda/fear can be.

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    RobG

    “despite the fact that Brittan was well known for sueing the arse off anyone who mentioned child abuse stuff.”
    ___________________

    I wasn’t aware of that. Could you supply back-up for that statement (links or otherwise)?

  • Robert Crawford

    Too bad to prosecute-too big to fail.

    It seems to me that crimes that are so horrendous, and committed by politicians and high ranking public employees are not prosecuted because it would bring HM’s government into disrepute.
    A few thousand pounds fiddled on expenses, is okay to prosecute. It makes it look good. See, we are dealing with corruption.

    Just as the banks are too big to fail. Give them our money for nothing, and make the public pay for it.

    I wonder, is that why Lord Lucan was never caught???.

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