Puppet MastersS


Question

Canada Day bomb-plot arrests raise questions about war on terror tactics

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John Nuttall, obviously working for al Qaeda
Vancouver - Just what triggered a five-month investigation involving the country's national terrorism unit into two recent Muslim converts now accused of a Canada Day terror plot in British Columbia?

And what role did police operatives play as the bombing plan unfolded that gave RCMP so much confidence the public was never in danger?

As controversy mounts in the United States about the tactics employed in the American war on terror, those are some of the questions being asked after RCMP arrested John Nuttall and Amanda Korody this week for allegedly planning a bomb attack at the B.C. legislature during July 1 celebrations.

"For me, that's one of the most interesting questions that's going to come out of this: How were they first alerted to these two and then what role did (police) play in encouraging or providing material?" Scott Watson, a University of Victoria expert in international security issues, said Thursday.

Micheal Vonn, of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said there are similarities between this investigation and some American counter-terrorism investigations.

"The real signal is the absolute confidence of the police that the devices would not work. This is certainly a suggestion that either they had control of the devices - perhaps they provided them, perhaps they knew the specifications of them were faulty," she said.

"Whatever that confidence is based on ... these are signals that the investigation may have had this component of facilitation and those are inherently controversial in terms of police tactics."

Comment: Two Canadians inspired by al Qaeda ideology? Are they serious?

Pressure cooker bombs like those allegedly used at the Boston Bombings?

Timed to happen on the Canadians' equivalent to Patriots' Day?

Foiled thanks to an intel operation that had been monitoring the suspects for months?

If, like us, you're already smelling bullshit, that's because it is...

Strategy of Tension - Boston Marathon bombing


Bomb

On This Day in 1945: The only real attempt to halt the atomic bombing of Japan

Hiroshima: America’s Crime and Ruthless Genocide | Peter N. Kirstein:
© Unknown
On this date in 1945, the great atomic scientist Leo Szilard finished a letter that would become the strongest (virtually the only) real attempt at halting President Truman's march to using the atomic bomb - which was two weeks from its first test at Trinity - against Japanese cities.

Each summer I count down the days to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking events from 1945 that spurred the decision to drop the two bombs, raising plenty of my own questions along the way. Last year, I wrote nearly daily articles for The Nation. Of course, I won't do that again, but I thought I'd launch it here with the Szilard letter. Over the next five weeks or so you can check my Pressing Issues blog.

I've written hundreds of articles and three books on the subject, Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton), and more recently Atomic Cover-Up (on decades-long suppression of film shot in the atomic cities by the US military) and Hollywood Bomb (how an MGM 1947 drama was censored by the military and Truman himself).

Handcuffs

Gitmo inmate accuses Guards of sexual assault

Detainees in orange jumpsuits
© ReutersDetainees in orange jumpsuits sit in a holding area under the watchful eyes of military police; January 11, 2002 file photograph
A Guantanamo detainee who spent 11 years in the facility has alleged that the US military are sexually assaulting inmates under the guise of maintaining security, it was revealed in media.

45-year old Younous Chekkouri was cleared for release to another country in 2010 but so-far this hasn't happened.

He wrote to his lawyer, Cori Crider, who is also the strategic director for London based legal action charity Reprieve, that Guantanamo guards are punishing him and other hunger strikers with extremely invasive body searches every time they come in and out of their cell, in the letter obtained by Al Jazeera.

"The searches, as they like to call them, are spreading fear and shame. Eight guards with the watch commander surround me in one room, while two of them put their hands all over me. The sexual assault hasn't just happened to me. Why are they doing this? That's what I'd like to know."

The US military strongly denies these allegations, although it is fighting similar charges from other detainees.

Eye 1

France 'has vast data surveillance' - french daily Le Monde report

 DGSE data
© AFPThe DGSE data is said to be accessed by other French intelligence agencies
France's foreign intelligence service intercepts computer and telephone data on a vast scale, like the controversial US Prism programme, according to the French daily Le Monde.

The data is stored on a supercomputer at the headquarters of the DGSE intelligence service, the paper says.

The operation is "outside the law, and beyond any proper supervision", Le Monde says.

Other French intelligence agencies allegedly access the data secretly.

It is not clear however whether the DGSE surveillance goes as far as Prism. So far French officials have not commented on Le Monde's allegations.

The DGSE allegedly analyses the "metadata" - not the contents of e-mails and other communications, but the data revealing who is speaking to whom, when and where.

Connections inside France and between France and other countries are all monitored, Le Monde reports.

The paper alleges the data is being stored on three basement floors of the DGSE building in Paris. The secret service is the French equivalent of Britain's MI6.

Vader

Obama in Africa: He's there to exploit, not liberate

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On June 26, it said Obama "arrived in Senegal, the first stop of a three-nation African trip, focused on supporting democratic progress, and increasing US trade and investment."

It's his second African trip. He visited earlier as a freshman Illinois senator. He told Kenyans, "I want you all to know that as your ally, your friend and your brother, I will be there in every way I can."

He lied. America comes to exploit. At issue is controlling Africa's rich resources.

Obama's visiting Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania. He'll return July 3. Why these countries? More on this below.

Controversy accompanies Obama. His one-week trip costs an estimated $100 million. At the same time, force-fed austerity harms growing millions at home. Poverty, high unemployment, hunger, and homelessness go unaddressed.

Obamanomics enriches corporate favorites and wealthy elites. Popular needs go begging to do so. Obama demands sacrifice. It's forced on America's most disadvantaged, unwanted and uncared for.

Foreign travel costs plenty. Hundreds of secret service, staff and others accompany Obama. Travel, accommodations, security and other costs are enormous.

Military cargo planes brought 56 vehicles. They include 14 limousines and three trucks. They're specially built for security.

Bulletproof glass will replace hotel windows where Obama and his family stay. Entire floors are needed to accommodate security and staff traveling with him.

Chess

Belgium's King Albert abdicates on grounds of ill-health or to receive an allowance?

King Albert II of Belgium has announced his abdication, the first time a Belgian monarch has voluntarily stepped down, amid ill health and a court case over his alleged paternity of an illegitimate daughter.
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© ReutersBelgium's King Albert
In an unexpected address to the nation, the king, aged 79, announced that he would formally abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Philippe on July 21, Belgium's national day.

Bad Guys

Law is no longer of any consequence for US & allies: Naked Power Remains

The forcing down of the Bolivian President's jet was a clear breach of the Vienna Convention by Spain and Portugal, which closed their airspace to this Head of State while on a diplomatic mission. It has never been thought necessary to write down in a Treaty that Heads of State enjoy diplomatic immunity while engaged in diplomacy, as their representatives only enjoy diplomatic immunity as cyphers for their Head of State. But it is a hitherto unchallenged precept of customary international law, indeed arguably the oldest provision of international law.

To the US and its allies, international law is no longer of any consequence. I can see no evidence that anyone in an official position has even noted the illegality of repeated Israeli air and missile strikes against Syria. Snowden, Manning and Assange all exposed illegality on a massive scale, and no action whatsoever has been taken against any of the criminals they exposed. Instead they are being hounded out of all meaningful life and ability to function in society.

I have repeatedly posted, and have been saying in public speeches for ten years, that under the UK/US intelligence sharing agreements the NSA spies on UK citizens and GCHQ spies on US citizens and they swap the information. As they use a shared technological infrastructure, the division is simply a fiction to get round the law in each country restricting those agencies from spying on their own citizens.

I have also frequently remarked how extraordinary it is that the media keep this "secret", which they have all known for years.

Black Magic

Psychopaths run the world

psychopathy
© Sott.net
Most people think of a psychopath as a rare creature found only in the lowest levels of society. However, the reverse is true. They are not rare, but actually quite common, and you are more likely to find psychopaths in the boardroom than on the wrong side of the tracks. The reason is that, the more competitive a particular environment is, the more ruthless the use of the Cheating Strategy becomes. Within the highest circles of power and wealth, a lack of pity and remorse is practically a prerequisite to success, and only the psychopathic mentality can thrive. Living at the expense of the rest of humanity would be an impossible situation in a rational society."

In his book, "Defense Against the Psychopath," author Stefan Verstappen outlines the greatest and stealthiest danger in the human jungle. Leaders throughout history - the people we vote for - are rarely moral leaders. For them, lying is as easy and natural as breathing. They have this extraordinary ability to deceive and manipulate others for their own benefit. Masters at keeping people confused and off balance, they are easily able to take advantage of and traumatize life. Their acting skills are unbelievably masterful.

Comment: For more in depth information on the devastation wrought by the pathological deviants in charge, read:
The Pathocrats
Is the world run by Psychopaths?
Capitalism: A System Run By and For Psychopaths
On the Nature of Psychopathy: A Thought Experiment


USA

Has Washington's arrogance and bullying undone its empire?

US Empire
© Duncan Long
No one likes a bully, and Washington's NATO puppets have been bullied for six decades. British prime ministers, German chancellors, and French presidents have to salute and say "yes sir."

They all hate it, but they love Washington's money; so they prostitute themselves and their countries for Washington's money. Even a person of Winston Churchill's stature had to suck up to Washington in order to get his bills and his country's bills paid.

But what the bought European leaders are finding is that Washington doesn't pay enough for the prostitution required. One year out of office Tony Blair was worth $35 million dollars. But that's not enough to get Blair on the waiting list for $50 million 200 foot yachts, to have a chalet in Gstaad, $50 million penthouses in Paris and New York, and a private plane to fly between them, or to wear a $736,000 Franck Muller watch on his wrist, sign his name with a $700,000 Mont Blanc jewel-encrusted pen, and drink $10,000 "martinis on a rock" (gin or vodka poured over a diamond) at New York's Algonquin Hotel.

In a world in which every member of the Forbes Four Hundred is a billionaire plus or multi-billionaire, $35,000,000 just doesn't cut it. In 2006 the manager of one hedge fund was paid $1,700,000,000 for one year's thieving. Another 25 were paid $575,000,000 for their skills in front-running trades. $35 million is probably the annual budget for their household servants.

V

Chile: Students clash with riot police

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Hundreds of people gathered in the plazas of the Chilean capital on Wednesday night, banging pots and pans in support of student demands. The demonstration followed a day of protests and violence. Battles between riot police and small groups of hooded protesters also continued into the night, with water cannons being used to try and disperse them. People of all ages took to the streets, banging metal poles with stones, and saucepans and pots with spoons.

The protests began early on Wednesday and police have so far arrested 102 people and four officers have been injured. The protest, timed ahead of Sunday's presidential primaries, is aimed at demanding wider distribution of Chile's copper wealth. It also calls for reform of the education system that would put the state back in control of the mostly-privatized public universities.