John Sez: Author Jeremy Scahill is still hot on the trail of XE (formerly Blackwater) and the killers-for-hire company’s clandestine actions being conducted at the behest of the Obama administration. The latest shocking report by Scahill wonders why no one seems to want to comment on exactly what XE is up to in Pakistan; or why,  when the question is posed by the press, a massive game of ‘pass-the-buck’ is perpetrated on the journalist who begs the question, much in the style of a classic cover up.

Even more concerning is the intimidation tactics being used by the Joint Chief of Staff’s office to scare Scahill off the story. A representative of Admiral Mullin (the chief muckety-muck of the Joint Chiefs) called Scahill to categorically deny Scahill’s findings – before the story itself was even published!

This pre-emptive strike on a journalist tells me that Scahill is very close to the truth of the matter, or he’s close enough to the mark  make some very powerful people very uncomfortable. Either way, this attempt to chill the freedom of the press and speech is dangerious.

Respect to Mr. Scahill – he is a very courageous man who should be the template for all modern journalists. Imagine if we saw this kind of dogged reporting on the TV news every night...

Story from Rebel Reports:

Why Is the State Department Speaking for JSOC?

By Jeremy Scahill

Interesting chain of command issues seem to be emerging in the official “denials” being offered about my story in The Nation magazine on Blackwater and the Joint Special Operations Command operations in Pakistan. A few hours before the piece was published, I received a call—unprompted—from the office of Admiral Mike Mullen, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I had not called them. The representative that called would not officially—named and on-the-record—deny the story. Instead, I was offered a comprehensive denial from a “defense official” on “background.”

The DoD spokesman Geoff Morell was asked about it on Tuesday. He said the appropriate agency to address this was the State Department, but he did characterize the story as “conspiratorial:”

""REPORTER: Thank you for taking the question.  Does the Pentagon have any comment on a report in The Nation today that, puts Blackwater, now Xe Services, firmly at the center of a covert operation in Karachi in Pakistan, from an anonymous source within the military.  And my question is —
MR. MORRELL:  Yes, I — I —
REPORTER:  The question is, you keep denying covert operations in Pakistan, but isn’t this yet more evidence of one?
MR. MORRELL:  Okay, the best person to address this would be the State Department spokesman, who has already put out a statement, or a correction, basically saying these accusations are entirely false. Okay?  But I — for more clarity and more specificity, I urge you to talk to them. As for what we are doing in Afghanistan — or in Pakistan, rather, I think we have been incredibly forthright about this.  And we have basically, I think, a few dozen forces on the ground in Pakistan who are involved in a train-the-trainer mission.  These are Special Operations Forces.  We’ve been very candid about this.  They are — they have been for months, if not years now, training Pakistani forces so that they can in turn train other Pakistani military on how to — on certain skills and operational techniques.  And that’s the extent of our — our, you know, military boots on the ground in Pakistan. Despite whatever conspiratorial theories that, you know, magazines or broadcast outlets may want to cook up, there is nothing to it. And obviously, we’ve also made it perfectly clear that we are willing and able and happy to help the Pakistani military in any other ways that they may see fit.  But at this point, that’s the extent to which they would like our help, in terms of American boots on the  ground.  And so we are totally respectful of that.  And that’s what it’s limited to at this point. ""

Since when is the State Department spokesman the official spokesperson for JSOC? Since when is the DoS the appropriate party to address allegations regarding US military operations?

READ MORE

 
 
John Sez: Some interesting footage of a huge meteor coming down in South Africa. Or was it Dr. Evil returning to Earth in his giant Bob’s Big Boy?
 
 
John Sez: It seems that Tony Blair definitively knew that the whole WMD in Iraq story was based on bad intelligence, and yet he led his country into an alliance of war with the US against Iraq.

That being said, if Blair knew about this intelligence is there any doubt at all that Bush and company knew what Blair knew – and probably a whole lot more as well. The only question left is this: why are these people not being brought before a trail or tribunal for lying their respective countries into war against a sovereign nation and causing millions of deaths in the process? Wouldn’t that send a clear and simple message that the people of the world will no longer tolerate half-assed, greedy dictators to spill the blood of innocent lives (while raking in untold billions in profit)?

Or is that just the message that the powers that be are afraid will resonate with people around the world?

Story from the Daily Mail:

Blair lied and lied again: Mandarins reveal that 10 days before Iraq invasion PM knew Saddam couldn't use WMDs
By Tim Shipman

The full extent of how Tony Blair misled the public about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction before and after the Iraq War was laid bare yesterday.

The Chilcot Inquiry heard that just ten days before the invasion of Iraq Mr Blair was told Saddam had no way of using weapons of mass destruction.

And weapons experts revealed that the former Prime Minister took Britain to war based on intelligence that his own spies rated just 'four out of ten' for accuracy.

On the eve of the conflict, intelligence chiefs told Mr Blair that the Iraqi dictator had no warheads capable of delivering chemical weapons, dramatically undermining the Prime Minister's case for war.

Yet Mr Blair gave the go-ahead for the invasion despite strong evidence that Iraq was no threat to Britain.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1230824/Iraq-fourth-WMD-risk-list-inquiry-hears.html#ixzz0Y6jWqiTA
 
 
John Sez: It seems that hackers have broke into the e-mail system of the University of East Anglia (the most prominent center for research into the supposed theory of ‘global warming’) and what they found and later released are thousands of correspondences that seem to indicate that the most prominent people in the movement have fudged scientific data, manipulated research to suit their agenda, concealed evidence that went against their theory, made a concerted effort to publicly demonize anyone who argued with their agenda, and even suppressed doubt from scientists in their own community about the theory of global warming itself.

One could say that the data recovered by the hackers is a fake perpetrated by those who oppose the theory…after all, the debate (where it is allowed to happen) is hot and heavy. But representatives of The University of East Anglia have admitted to the press that these are indeed their e-mails.

In other words, everything that we have been told by proponents of the global warming theory is a potential fraud.

Science, no matter the discipline, is always plagued by a certain amount of politics and internal pressure. But the outright lies which have built up the case for global warming have caused a great deal of global damage.

The entire ‘climate bill’ passed by Congress a few months ago (which basically sets up a frame work for  a new economic stock market of sorts centered around carbon emissions as well as an excuse for the government to spy on your home with carbon emission monitors) and similar laws passed in numerous countries around the world, the amount of money that has gone to organizations who are supposedly on the ‘right side’ of the debate and into the pockets of the already super-wealthy (like Al Gore), and the hundreds of billions  of tax dollars which have been sunk into projects to combat something which may not even exist, are now shown in a new light – a light that tears down the wall put up by the cronies of the corporations and politicians who have been fronting this special interest group, and replaces it with a large, open field of debate which will hopefully destroy this fraudulent movement once and for all.

Now don’t get me wrong – I know full well that the amount of pollution on our planet can only prove disastrous to everything that lives upon it. We can only rape the planet for so long, before ‘mother’ decides to scold her children.

But imagine if all the energy, money and political power were going towards stopping the real reasons our planet is falling apart (in my opinion the massive dumping of waste by corporations, the suppression of real alternative energy by the powers that be, the amount of junk floating around in our orbit, and the wanton destruction of the last remaining bits of untamed land are great places to focus these resources) instead of backing a fraudulent neo-religion, which does nothing more than allow for a destruction of civil liberties and moves massive amounts of wealth into the same pockets of those who have screwed up our planet in the first place.

What a wonderful world.

For the full story read here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

And here is video break down of the story and what it could mean from film maker and radio host, Alex Jones:

 
 
John Sez: Our government has been ratteling sabers at Iran for the better part of two years, doing everything they can to piss off Iran enough to have them make some sort of ‘first move’ to justify a retaliatory attack. The attempt in the UN (and in the news media) to demonize Iran as some sort of Nuclear nuthouse about to explode in the direction of the US failed because anyone who pays attention (and doesn’t have their head stuck up their butt) knows that Iran has followed ALL guidelines according to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; this includes the so-called ‘secret’ facility that the TV news was stammering about a month or so ago. Don’t take my word for it, READ THE TREATY.

Russia has already come out and said that it will back Iran if the US attacks – no surprise considering that Russia and Iran have very stable trade agreements in place. Additionally, the only country that has any nuclear weapons in the region is Israel, who DID NOT sign on to the Nuclear Non-proliferation agreement, yet we haven’t seized any synagogs or properties owned by the Jewish State, and we still give them millions out of our tax dollars.

Let’s ask these questions:                                                   

What has Iran done to us that we want to start a war with them right now (and, no, the hostage situation with our embassy doest count – that was 30 years ago and only happened after a bloody revolution against the US backed and installed evil dictator, the Shah of Iran)?

Does Iran have any reason to trust the US at its word at this time (Look at a map. Find the countries that we lied ourselves into a war in. Look between them. Ahhhh….now you get it!)?

Why are we so dogged about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but Israel (again, the only nuclear power in the region and who did not sign on to the nuclear non-proliferation agreement, and is currently embroiled in a scandal over war crimes they committed in Gaza) gets a pass?

Do we really want to go toe to toe with Russia right now, considering how beaten up and thinned out our military is?

Is there really any justifiable reason to do so?

If you answer these questions (or knew the answers already), then you’ll understand why this is a bad idea and totally unjustified, and perhaps gain a new perspective (and an excellent starting point for further research) into what is going on in the region. Now it’s your job to figure out why.

If you choose NOT to answer these questions, and are still gung ho about a confrontation with Iran (and Russia) then you are a moron and need to take yourself out of the conversation – this one is for the grown-ups only.

Story from Cnews:

U.S. moves to seize 4 mosques linked to Iran
By Adam Goldman

NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors Thursday took steps to seize four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a non-profit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.

In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets of the Alavi Foundation and an alleged front company.

The assets include Islamic centres in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston, more than 100 acres in Virginia, and a 36-storey office tower in New York.

Seizing the properties would be a sharp blow against Iran, which has been accused by the U.S. government of bankrolling terrorism and seeking a nuclear bomb.

A telephone call and email to Iran’s UN Mission seeking comment were not immediately answered.

It is extremely rare for U.S. law enforcement authorities to seize a house of worship, a step fraught with questions about the First Amendment right to freedom of religion.

READ MORE

 
 
John Sez: Folks, read this story VERY carefully; language similar to this was included in the ‘climate’ bill passed by congress a few months ago. So this is for US as well as folks across the pond.

And note that in the story this is downplayed as only potentially affecting bankers and rich people. Really? How about cab drivers, private pilots, people with large families, farmers, and just about anyone who owns a small business? This is nothing more than another scam to try to suck money out of people who, considering the current financial climate, have nothing left to give.

And just how is such a carbon tax going to help the planet when the industries who are doing the most polluting can simply buy more 'carbon credits' and continue thier business in the same way that they have been?

More of that tasty change we can believe in.

 Story from the London Telegraph:

Everyone in Britain could be given a personal 'carbon allowance'

Everyone in Britain should have an annual carbon ration and be penalised if they use too much fuel, the head of the Environment Agency will say.

Lord Smith of Finsbury believes that implementing individual carbon allowances for every person will be the most effective way of meeting the targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

It would involve people being issued with a unique number which they would hand over when purchasing products that contribute to their carbon footprint, such as fuel, airline tickets and electricity.

Like with a bank account, a statement would be sent out each month to help people keep track of what they are using.

If their "carbon account" hits zero, they would have to pay to get more credits.

READ MORE

 
 
John Sez: A couple of months ago I posted about a French law that was up for vote which contained a similar measure. Now, it seems, that France isn’t the only place that is trying to institute such draconian measures…it’s now the world – or at least some cockamamie group of unelected officials who are trying to impose their ‘order’ on the rest of us.

According to the leaked report, it works like this: if you are accused (note: not convicted, not brought before the courts, not arrested, simply ACCUSED) of illegally downloading material from the internet three times, you will lose your access to the internet. Even on its face, such a law or treaty obligation is complete and utter rubbish, and rife with the possibility of massive abuse by whatever ‘council’ is in charge of filing and enforcing on these accusations.

What if a teenager is DL’ing in his home and hits the three strikes and you’re out rule? Will the rest of his family be forced to suffer the penalty of the loss of the internet?

What about erroneous accusations? I have personally heard of many stories of people being accused of illegal uploads of THEIR OWN music, which they owned all rights and copyrights on. Will people loose thier access due to a faulty charge?

How about people who leech bandwidth, or net cafes and libraries with WIFI access? Will they lose their internet service due to criminal activities beyond their control?

I would also think that it would be all too easy for governments to target political opponents or dissidents in their country and force a loss of internet access, thus promoting censorship and a loss if individual rights and liberties.

Also noted in the report is that ISP’s need to proactively police copyright violations. Considering the cost to carry out such a mandate in man hours and legal costs this will, in effect, mean the end of Youtube, playlist.com, online file storage companies, and millions of personal web sites.

The way that a great many governments have been clamping down on freedom of expression of their citizens (notable are  the US, France, China, Iran, and England) I wonder if this is not so much a play to protect copyright owners (of which I am one and I HEARTILY DISSAGREE with this proposal) and more of an outright attempt to wrest control of the internet from the hands of the people and have it regulated, seized and sterilized by the governments involved in the treaty.

Story from Raw Story:

Global treaty could throw file-sharers off Internet after ‘three strikes’

File-sharers could be jailed under proposed ACTA provisions

Leaked details of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement being negotiated in secret by most of the world's largest economies suggest Internet file-sharers could be blocked from accessing the Internet if they are repeatedly accused of sharing copyrighted material, say media and digital-rights watchdogs.

And the worst-case scenario could see popular Web sites like YouTube and Flickr shut down because of a provision in the treaty that would force them to monitor everything uploaded to the site for copyright violations.

Internet law professor Michael Geist published details of "leaked" portions of the discussions on ACTA on his blog Tuesday, as a new round of ACTA negotiations began in Seoul, South Korea. The US, along with all the countries of the European Union as well as Japan, Canada, Australia and a handful of other countries, are involved in the negotiations.

"The provisions would pave the way for a globalized three-strikes and you're out system," Geist blogged Wednesday, referring to a proposal from copyright holders to have Internet service providers cut off service to anyone accused at least three times of illegally sharing copyrighted material.

READ MORE

 
 
John Sez: This came in my e-mail box today from Congressman Kucinich, and I have to say I strongly support what he is saying and I applaud his efforts.

Kucinich Addresses UN Goldstone Gaza Resolution

November 3, 2009, Congressman Dennis Kucinich addresses H.RES. 867 on the House Floor. H.RES. 867 condemns the UN Goldstone Gaza Fact Finding Mission Report.

Congressman Kucinich stated:

"Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist."

"Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian."

"The resolution before us today, which would reject all attempts of the Goldstone Report to fix responsibility of all parties to war crimes, including both Hamas and Israel, may as well be called the "Down is Up, Night is Day, Wrong is Right: resolution."

"Because if this Congress votes to condemn a report it has not read, concerning events it has totally ignored, about violations of law of which it is unaware, it will have brought shame to this great institution."

"How can we ever expect there to be peace in the Middle East if we tacitly approve of violations of international law and international human rights, if we look the other way, or if we close our eyes to the heartbreak of people on both sides by white-washing a legitimate investigation?"

"How can we protect the people of Israel from existential threats if we hold no concern for the protection of the Palestinians, for their physical security, their right to land, their right to their own homes, their right to water, their right to sustenance, their right to freedom of movement, their right to human security of jobs, education and health care?".

"We will have peace only when the plight of both Palestinians and Israelis is brought before this House and given equal consideration in recognition of that principle that all people on this planet have a right to survive and thrive, and it is our responsibility, our duty to see that no individual, no group, no people are barred from this humble human claim."


 
 
John Sez: I would say that it’s a given that when money enters the scene of any ‘cause’ – more so this one, considering how many billions of dollars are floating around  – one has to question the ethics of proponents who stand to make huge windfalls of power and monetary gain. Al gore is no exception. Let’s remember that he was a politician long before ‘An Inconvenient Truth’.

Personally, I think that Gore (and many like him)  profiting as much as he has (and potentially will) from this highly disputed science should lead to speculation and doubt that he is in this for the best interest of the planet and the ‘little people’, and not just fronting this movement simply for the betterment of his pocket and global standing.

Story from PrisonPlanet:   

     Al Gore Set To Become First “Carbon Billionaire”
CO2 tax agenda front man lining his pockets on the back of global warming fearmongering     

 Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com

The New York Times has lifted the lid on how Al Gore stands to benefit to the tune of billions of dollars if the carbon tax proposals he is pushing come to fruition in the United States, while documenting how he has already lined his pockets on the back of exaggerated fearmongering about global warming.

As is to be expected, the article is largely a whitewash and takes an apologist stance in defense of Gore.

However, the NY Times‘ John M. Broder does reveal how one of the companies Gore invested in, Silver Spring Networks, recently received a contract worth $560 million dollars from the Energy Department to install “smart meters” in people’s homes that record (and critics fear could eventually regulate) energy usage.

“Kleiner Perkins and its partners, including Mr. Gore, could recoup their investment many times over in coming years,” states the report, highlighting the fact that Gore is “well positioned to profit from this green transformation, if and when it comes.”

READ MORE                                                           
 
 
John Sez: So millions of people including virologists, nurses, doctors, news reporters, scientists of all types, and normal people who have done their homework on the subject are ‘resistors’ and extremists according to Sir Liam Donaldson? Maybe people like yourself, Mr. Donaldson, who are willing to get people to take a vaccine which has not been tested for safety, comes from manufacturers who have had a spotty (to say the least) track record of safety violations and have committed numerous intentional criminal acts, and is being pushed by governments who’s creditability is ruined due to the sheer amount of lies and cover ups they have perpetrated are the real ‘extremists’ in this case. 

 Story from Infowars:

England Chief Medical Officer Calls H1N1 Vaccine Resistors “Extremists”

Comments ignorant of public backlash against swine flu shot

Steve Watson
Infowars.net

The Chief Medical Officer in England has described those who are speaking out against the mass swine flu vaccination campaign as “extremists”.

The comment made by Sir Liam Donaldson, the government’s senior advisor on health matters, was highlighted in a Times of London article today.

“We have had a lot of unfair public criticism and attacks in an attempt to scare people about a vaccine that’s potentially life-saving,” Donaldson said in reference to anti-vaccination posters depicting the H1N1 shot as a “weapon of mass destruction”.

“We have seen it before with vaccines like MMR [the combined jab for measles, mumps and rubella], and now extremists are doing the same thing again.” he added

READ MORE