Puppet MastersS


Eye 1

NSA leaks latest: 'Black budget' revealed! U.S. spy network's successes, failures and objectives detailed in 'black budget' summary

black budget
© Washington Post

U.S. spy agencies have built an intelligence-gathering colossus since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but remain unable to provide critical information to the president on a range of national security threats, according to the government's top-secret budget.

The $52.6 billion "black budget" for fiscal 2013, obtained by The Washington Post from former ­intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, maps a bureaucratic and operational landscape that has never been subject to public scrutiny. Although the government has annually released its overall level of intelligence spending since 2007, it has not divulged how it uses the money or how it performs against the goals set by the president and Congress.

The 178-page budget summary for the National Intelligence Program details the successes, failures and objectives of the 16 spy agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community, which has 107,035 employees.

The summary describes cutting-edge technologies, agent recruiting and ongoing operations. The Post is withholding some information after consultation with U.S. officials who expressed concerns about the risk to intelligence sources and methods. Sensitive details are so pervasive in the documents that The Post is publishing only summary tables and charts online.

"The United States has made a considerable investment in the Intelligence Community since the terror attacks of 9/11, a time which includes wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab Spring, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction technology, and asymmetric threats in such areas as cyber-warfare," Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. wrote in response to inquiries from The Post.

"Our budgets are classified as they could provide insight for foreign intelligence services to discern our top national priorities, capabilities and sources and methods that allow us to obtain information to counter threats," he said.

Among the notable revelations in the budget summary:

Comment: Is it just us, or does the U.S. intelligence community come out of this article smelling like roses? These 'revelations' read like a cross between a factsheet and a roadmap that "identifies gaps". Describing the budget 'leak' as "this catalogue of technical prowess" hardly sounds like it came from the mind or keyboard of someone who is even remotely critical of the U.S. govt...

It's like this article - written and published by one of the two newspapers on the planet that are supposedly holding the US govt accountable by 'leaking NSA documents' - is trying to say, "Oh look, see here this 'top secret' sensitive information that it just positively kills us for you to see... by the way, here's a list of all the really important stuff we spend this money on to protect you, now could you please sign here, here and here so we can get started on expanding our operations."

Completely left off the list are the real things intelligence agents get up to with the money they steal from you: murder, extortion, prostitution, drug-running, subterfuge, sabotage, propaganda (foreign and domestic), spying (foreign and domestic), coups d'états, blackmail, etc.

Regarding the size of the black budget, the day before 9/11 a Pentagon audit revealed that $2.3 trillion was 'missing', suggesting that the true figure is several orders of magnitude greater than the figure hereby 'revealed'.


Monkey Wrench

SOTT Focus: Syria, Chemical Weapons and the Britam Defence emails

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A CIA/Mossad-backed Syrian rebel after snorting some potassium chlorate
In January this year, the web site of UK-based 'offense defense contractor', Britam Defense, were hacked by someone that 'authorities' claim (unsurprisingly) may have been of the Iranian persuasion (Iranians do everything bad these days don't ya know!). Part of the trove of documents that were uploaded to various websites included two emails.

One email had "Syrian Issue" in the subject field and the other has "Iranian Issue" in the subject field. Both emails appeared to be from David Goulding, the actual business development manager of Britam Defence, and appeared to have been sent to Phillip Doughty, the actual founder of Britam. Many alternative news web sites have used these emails as evidence that the recent alleged 'chemical weapon' attack in Syria was the work of the Western-backed Syrian rebels rather than the Syrian military. The problem however is that the emails appear to be have been faked.

The Iranian issue email stated:
"Please see attached details of preparatory measures concerning the Iranian issue. Participation of Britam in the operation is confirmed by the Saudis. http://mbf.cc/OTEH8″
Amongst the other documents that were hacked is a word document apparently detailing a training program for Saudi military personnel to defend against an attack by an unknown enemy.

Eye 2

Flashback SOTT Focus: Israeli brutality in broad daylight: A chemical weapon attack on Palestinian school children


Comment: In light of the alleged chemical weapons attack that may or may not have taken place in Syria this week, and the casus belli the U.S. and allies believes it gives them to launch yet another round of slaughter in the Middle East, we thought we'd remind readers of a REAL chemical weapon attack launched on Palestinians (sheltering in a school the Israelis knew was part of a U.N. compound) during 'Operation Cast Lead' in Gaza, just one of many instances in which White Phosphorous was used on Gazans in early 2009.


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© ReutersLying through their teeth: M825A1 155mm projectiles, painted light green to designate a munition containing white phosphorus, stand fused and ready with an IDF artillery unit firing into Gaza.
These photos, taken a few months ago, record in detail an Israeli attack on a Palestinian school, an attack using 'white phosphorus' as a chemical weapon:
White phosphorous is a colorless to yellow translucent wax-like substance with a pungent, garlic-like smell. The form used by the military is highly energetic (active) and ignites once it is exposed to oxygen. White phosphorus is a pyrophoric material (it is spontaneously flammable). When exposed to air, it spontaneously ignites and rapidly oxidizes to phosphorus pentoxide. Such heat is produced by this reaction that the element bursts into a yellow flame and produces a dense white smoke. This chemical reaction continues until either all the material is consumed or the element is deprived of oxygen. White phosphorus results in painful and deep chemical burn injuries. Rapid dermal penetration occurs once particles are embedded under the skin. Incandescent particles of white phosphorous may produce extensive burns. The particles continue to burn unless deprived of atmospheric oxygen. Weapons containing white phosphorous are particularly nasty because it continues to burn until it disappears, often burning right down to the bone.

The white phosphorus flame produces a hot, dense, white smoke composed of particles of phosphorus pentoxide, which are converted by moist air into phosphoric acid. This acid, depending on concentration and duration of exposure, may produce a variety of topically irritative injuries. Exposure to heavy smoke concentrations for extended periods (particularly if near the source of emission) may cause illness or even death. Its fumes can cause severe eye irritation including blepharospasm, photophobia, and lacrimation. Irritation of the eyes and irritation of the mucous membranes are the most commonly seen injuries.
The use of this lethal substance is supposedly 'permissible' under the "laws of war", ostensibly to destroy the enemy's equipment or to limit his vision. But when a whole population is designated 'the enemy', as the Israeli regime has done with Palestinians, especially those living in the open-air prison called Gaza, the results are horrifying.

At the time, the Israeli regime denied using this lethal substance during its bombardment of besieged Gaza. Roundly condemned by international observers, it now admits 'Willie Pete' was used, but says it did not fire munitions laden with the chemical weapons "inside populated areas."

These photos tell the true story.

Comment: "We could hear their bodies burning"
"The smoke was spreading so fast; we couldn't see through it. We couldn't see, but we could hear." From the windows of the burning home the cries of her children and cousins filled the streets. "The cries were not just from my home, but from the neighbors' house too."
Israelis Rain 'Phosphorous Bombs' Over Gaza
"I've been on the border for the last few days watching the Israeli artillery firing white phosphorus shells into refugee camps."

"While the international community might be horrified by the use of phosphorous, this is overlooking the issue that hundreds of half-tonne bombs are being dropped on Gaza on civilian targets on a daily basis."



Attention

Best of the Web: Syrian rebels and local residents testify that Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, supplied chemical weapons to 'al-Qaeda-linked group'

Syria chemcal weapons attack
© AP Photo/Shaam News NetworkThis image provided by by Shaam News Network on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, purports to show several bodies being buried in a suburb of Damascus, Syria during a funeral on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013, following allegations of a chemical weapons attack that reportedly killed 355 people.
Rebels and local residents in Ghouta accuse Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan of providing chemical weapons to an al-Qaida linked rebel group

Ghouta, Syria - As the machinery for a U.S.-led military intervention in Syria gathers pace following last week's chemical weapons attack, the U.S. and its allies may be targeting the wrong culprit.

Interviews with people in Damascus and Ghouta, a suburb of the Syrian capital, where the humanitarian agency Doctors Without Borders said at least 355 people had died last week from what it believed to be a neurotoxic agent, appear to indicate as much.

The U.S., Britain, and France as well as the Arab League have accused the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for carrying out the chemical weapons attack, which mainly targeted civilians. U.S. warships are stationed in the Mediterranean Sea to launch military strikes against Syria in punishment for carrying out a massive chemical weapons attack. The U.S. and others are not interested in examining any contrary evidence, with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry saying Monday that Assad's guilt was "a judgment ... already clear to the world."

Comment: He's been a busy busy little bee, that Bandar...

Saudi snake, Prince Bandar, tried first to bribe Russia to drop its support of Syria, then threatened to unleash Chechen terrorists at 2014 Winter Olympics


Stop

The rush to judgment on Syria is a catastrophic and deadly error

David Cameron
© Getty ImagesHard sell: to gain the support of a sceptical nation, David Cameron needs to make the speech of his life
Britain and America show contempt for the lessons of the past in pressing for action


It is more than 10 years since Parliament last voted on whether or not to go to war. This was on March 18 2003, when a stirring speech by Tony Blair convinced many sceptical MPs of the case for military action against Iraq.

But Mr Blair's claim that Britain possessed "extensive, detailed and authoritative" evidence concerning Iraq's weapons of mass destruction turned out to be nonsense, and we invaded the country on the back of a false prospectus. The consequences were terrible: countless Iraqis were killed in the civil war that followed, along with 179 British soldiers.

The similarities with today's Commons vote are haunting. The Prime Minister is contemplating an attack on Iraq's near neighbour Syria, also ruled by a Baathist regime. At the heart of the issue are allegations about weapons of mass destruction. Once again, Britain finds herself in alliance with the United States, and without the authority of the United Nations.

Blackbox

Flashback Senior Army officer: 'Surviving Fort Hood shooter was arrested at golf course and taken away by convoy of men in suits'

A senior officer who was playing golf Thursday near Fort Hood, Texas, told CNN he witnessed the arrest of one of the two surviving suspects of the shooting at the Army installation.

Shortly after the shooting, the officer said, military police told him to clear the course and he saw other MPs surround the building that held the golf carts, he said.

The senior officer said he ducked into a nearby house for cover as 30 to 40 cars carrying MPs approached.

He said he saw a soldier in battle-dress uniform, his hands in the air. The MPs ordered him to lie on the ground and open his uniform, presumably to ensure he was not carrying explosives, the senior officer said.

Comment: This doesn't fit with the official story. But then, mass shootings rarely do in the U.S.

Reviving the War of Terror: Patsy framed in Secret Team psy-op to generate public support for wars


Red Flag

Flashback Something to Hide? Obama administration defies congressional subpoena on Fort Hood documents

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© Unknown
The Obama administration said Tuesday it would provide more information to Congress about the Fort Hood shootings but continued to defy a subpoena request for witness statements and other documents.

After days of negotiations, the Pentagon and Justice Department informed a Senate committee that they would not comply with congressional subpoenas to share investigative records from the Nov. 5 shootings at Fort Hood, Tex., which killed 13 people. The agencies said that divulging the material could jeopardize their prosecution of Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the accused gunman.


Comment: Alternatively, divulging the material could jeopardize their cover story that Hasan acted alone (or at all).


The Pentagon did budge in other areas, however, saying it had agreed to give the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs access to Hasan's personnel file, as well as part of an Army report that scrutinized why superiors failed to intervene in Hasan's career as an Army psychiatrist, despite signs of his religious radicalization and shortcomings as a soldier.

Pumpkin

Operation Tomahawk with cheese

Tomahawk
© Carmichael Yepez
This deafeningly hysterical show of Syria as Iraq 2.0 is only happening because a president of the United States (POTUS) created a ''credibility'' problem when, recklessly, he pronounced the use of chemical weapons in Syria a ''red line''.

Thus the US government urgently needs to punish the transgressor - to hell with evidence - to maintain its ''credibility''. But this time it will be ''limited''. ''Tailored''. Only ''a few days''. A ''shot across the bow'' - as POTUS qualified it. Still, some - but not all - ''high-value targets'', including command and control facilities and delivery systems, in Syria will have to welcome a barrage of Tomahawk cruise missiles (384 are already positioned in the eastern Mediterranean).

We all know how the Pentagon loves to christen its assorted humanitarian liberations across the globe with names like Desert Fox, Invincible Vulture or some other product of brainstorming idiocy. So now it's time to call Operation Tomahawk With Cheese.

It's like ordering a pizza delivery. ''Hello, I'd like a Tomahawk with cheese.'' ''Of course, it will be ready in 20 minutes.'' ''Hold on, wait! I need to fool the UN first. Can I pick it up next week? With extra cheese?''

Chess

'A slow death': How the West's dirty war is destroying Syria's economy

Syrian healthcare
© Spiegel onlineMore than 50 percent of the country's healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed too. Here, a doctor sleeps in a waiting room in Aleppo last year.
Food is scarce in Syria, the currency is collapsing and entire industries have come to a standstill. But not even economic suffering brought on by the civil war will likely help end it.

It's a sector that ought to be booming. Businessman Wissam* works in hospital supplies. He sells bandages, needles and disinfectants -- all products for which there is a great need in the increasingly bloody Syrian civil war. But unfortunately, Wissam has little opportunity to sell his wares.

"More than 50 percent of the Syrian healthcare system's infrastructure has been destroyed," says the man in his mid 40s. Of the 75 state-run hospitals, just 30 remain in operation. In the embattled city of Homs, just one of 20 hospitals remains open. The Al-Kindi Hospital in Aleppo, once the largest and most modern medical facility in the country, is now a pile of ash.

Wissam is matter-of-fact about the situation. The destruction of the hospitals is widespread, he says, and those who are injured or sick receive hardly any medical care. The business is "dying a slow death," he adds.

Comment: The West and the Gulf petro-monarchies must be proud of their campaign of death and destruction. Another destroyed country.


No Entry

German FM rules out his nation's role in military strike against Syria

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
© UnknownGerman Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has ruled out his country's participation in any military against Syria following failure by permanent members of UN Security Council (UNSC) to reach any agreement on the controversial issue.

Westerwelle stated in a partially reported interview with German newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung that such military action had "neither been asked nor is it being considered by us," according to comments published by the newspaper on the interview prior to its Saturday release.

The remarks come following a Russia-called UNSC meeting on Thursday on the developing situation in Syria failed to achieve any results.

The discussions, which lasted for less than an hour, ended as participants failed to reach a consensus with the ambassadors of China, France, Britain, Russia and the United States gradually leaving the talks.

The meeting was the second time the permanent UNSC members met to discuss a draft resolution on Syria submitted by Britain.