Fusion Centers To Obtain Access To Classified Military Intelligence

American Civil Liberties Union
Sept 15, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (202) 675-2312 or media@dcaclu.org

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday that it was giving state and local fusion centers access to the classified military intelligence in Department of Defense (DOD) databases. The federal government has facilitated the growth of a network of fusion centers since 9/11 to expand information collection and sharing practices among law enforcement agencies, the private sector and the intelligence community.

Allowing fusion centers access to DOD classified information appears to be a shift in policy. The New York Times reported in July that “Janet Napolitano, the homeland security secretary, said … that fusion centers were not intended to have a military presence, and that she was not aware of ones that did.”

Exclusive: The Evils of Low Intensity Warfare by Gary Sudborough

Warning

This article may contain text depicting the reality and horror of war/violence and should only be read by a mature audience.

by Gary Sudborough
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Sept.16, 2009

Among the numerous conditions afflicting Third World people today are starvation, disease, war and injurious devices or substances left behind by invading armies like land mines, cluster bombs, Agent Orange and depleted uranium. A little discussed occurrence, which makes life extremely miserable for many people, is a tactic of counterinsurgency and intimidation called low intensity warfare. It depends for its success on torture, mutilation, disappearances and other methods designed to shock and reduce the civilian population to docility and acceptance of the conditions imposed on them. These conditions often have much to do with facilitating the extraction of wealth from these Third World countries by multinational corporations, i.e., sweatshops, structural adjustments and so-called free trade.

Black Sea Crisis Deepens As Threat To Iran Grows by Rick Rozoff

by Rick Rozoff
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Stop NATO
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/message/41676
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/black-sea-crisis-deepens-as-threat-to-iran-grows/
September 16, 2009

Tensions are mounting in the Black Sea with the threat of another conflict between U.S. and NATO client state Georgia and Russia as Washington is manifesting plans for possible military strikes against Iran in both word and deed.

Referring to Georgia having recently impounded several vessels off the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia, reportedly 23 in total this year, the New York Times wrote on September 9 that “Rising tensions between Russia and Georgia over shipping rights to a breakaway Georgian region have opened a potential new theater for conflict between the countries, a little more than a year after they went to war.” [1]

Turkey detains 6 suspects for 2003 Istanbul bombings

Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
16 September 2009


1) Turkey detains 6 suspects for 2003 Istanbul bombings (September 2009)

2) [from the archives] Turkish Top Military Brass meets Wolfowitz one day before Istanbul Attacks (November 2003)

3) [from the archives] Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Turkish Media Availability (November 2003)

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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3777921,00.html


Turkey detains 6 suspects for 2003 Istanbul bombings

Ynetnews, 16 September 2009

Six people suspected of involvement in 2003 al Qaeda suicide bombings that killed dozens at synagogues and an HSBC bank branch were detained on Wednesday, Turkish police said.

The detentions were made in Istanbul, where the bombings occurred, police said in a statement.

Seven militants, including a Syrian al Qaeda member, were sentenced to life in prison [in February 2007] for their connection with the 2003 bombings.

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International People’s Declaration of Peace (video; final version)

cindyforcongress
September 16, 2009

Kucinich: The Incredible Disappearing Public Option it’s Insurance Care instead of Health Care

So sorry that the audio sucks.  What Kucinich has to say is important, we need a mass movement for Single Payer Medicare for All, HR 676.

firedoglake
September 16, 2009

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Kucinich: Insurance Care instead of H…“, posted with vodpod

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Roy Rogers’ Horse Saves Health Care

by Dennis Kucinich
kucinich.us
Tuesday, 16 September 2009

The Senate cannot pass a health care bill with a public option. The House cannot pass a bill without one. The public wants a public option. The insurance industry wants a private mandate. The White House is in trouble on this and is calling upon the Senate to find a way out of this dark passage.

The Best Book on Iraq Yet: Dexter Filkins’ The Forever War, by Daniel N. White

by Daniel N. White
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Sept. 16, 2009

The Forever War, by Dexter Filkins, is perhaps the best book written to date by an American news reporter about the American military adventures under Bush II.  A majority of his competition, it must be said, is some of the worst second-rate hackwork cranked out that ever wasted forest resources in cashing in quick and to kiss up to the Army or the Republicans.  Still, he’s got some decent competition–Ricks, Chakandrasan, Packer, Wright–they’ve all turned up fair or better books so far.  Filkins takes the prize, however, for having the cojones to say in his book many of the unpleasant truths about American actions in the war zones.  Honesty is always the best policy for reporters too, and honesty in reporting starts with honesty about yourself.

Peter Schiff: Americans must prepare for deepening unemployment, inflation and possible breadlines + Schiff Announces Run

Dandelion Salad

Updated: Sept 17, 2009

RussiaToday
September 16, 2009

Rockstar Economist Peter Schiff tells RT’s Marina Portnaya that Lehman Brothers failure was a success not a failure. He says Americans will face increasing unemployment, inflation, and possible bread-lines if government backed bail-outs continue.

Robert Fisk lashes out at West in Middle East

RussiaToday
September 16, 2009

Our exclusive interview goes to the heart of the Middle East issue, which is constantly in focus.

RT’s Peter Lavelle spoke to Robert Fisk in Lebanon, who’s one of the most renowned journalists and authors on the subject.

Can No Drama Obama Stare Down A Confederacy of Dunces? by Robert S. Becker + Network: Mad as Hell

By Robert S. Becker
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.beyondchron.org
rbecker@cal.net
Sept. 16, 2009

Moderate voters are baffled, liberals are protesting, and progressives are despairing, “Obama’s a puny reform-change agent, hardly a good liberal, and no antidote to enduring Bush-Cheney crimes. The raving right can’t stand him, the activist left is up in arms, and the mushy center isn’t holding.” Yikes.

After my own bellyaching, I understand these outbursts, quipping this pragmatic, “devout non-ideologue” is tarnishing both pragmatism and devout non-ideology. How can “pragmatism,” work when devoutly allergic to risk-taking and inclined to “let’s make a deal” giveaways? Forget kinship with FDR or LBJ: here’s another naïve outsider Washington bullies pick on like the famed 90 lb. weakling. Without more chutzpah, Obama risks Clinton’s fate, set up as bulls-eye for every redneck pipsqueak brandishing his popgun? Obama’s vacant “yes, we can” call to now evokes for many Kris Kristofferson’s acerbic lyrics, “freedom’s just another name for nothing left to lose.” Could Professor David Michael Green possibly be right, “Eight months into it, it now seems pretty clear that the Obama Administration is finished”? So soon?

The Dick Cheney Defense by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
crossposted on Buzzflash.com
September 16, 2009

So Dick Cheney is going around the country justifying torture, (without any proof whatsoever, and anyway in terms of the law, that argument is irrelevant) saying how many hundreds of thousands of lives it saved, that the U.S. is, or at least was when he (ooops, he means Bush) was in power, really a nation with a Unitary Executive that can over-ride domestic law, the Constitution, and international law whenever the President thinks that that is justified for “reasons of national security.” (Sorry Dick, but if you would only read Article II, which defines the Executive Branch, you would know that such a doctrine is not even distantly implied in it, but that’s another story.) Furthermore, he charges that the bringing of any charges against folks who, for example, actually engaged in torture, even of the type not approved specifically by himself, is just pure politics.

The Private Mandate Sausage Machine by Dennis Kucinich

by Dennis Kucinich
kucinich.us
Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Dear Friends,

It is said one should not ask how sausage or laws are made. Are you concerned about a public option? Let me share with you some insight about health care legislation which may not be good for your health.

A lesson in politics. The Kucinich Prediction: Here’s what’s going to happen …

1. House will make a big deal about keeping/putting a public option in HR3200 because it competes with insurance companies and will keep insurance rates low.
2. The White House will refer to the President’s speech last week where he spoke favorably of the public option.

Wendell Potter: An Absolute Gift To The Insurance Industry

Dandelion Salad

Think Progress
Sept 15, 2009

On the eve of the Senate Finance Committee’s release of its much anticipated health care plan, Wendell Potter — the insurance industry whistle blower and former communications director of health insurance giant Cigna — called the Baucus framework “an absolute gift to the industry.” “And if that is what we see in the legislation, [America’s Health Insurance Plans chief] Karen Ignagni will surely get a huge bonus,” Potter said at a briefing for reporters.