Richard Hughes-Political Blogger The Americans death drone strikes are an abomination that until recently seemed to have few public opponents and little accurate exposure. That is fast changing. Robert Greenwald has stepped up and made a film revealing the atrocities of US Drones raining down on Pakistan civilians. While little has
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Writings of J. Todd Ring: The deeper reasons for the “war on drugs”
There is a deeper reason for the war on drugs, which is the central reason for the policy, even outweighing profits from private prisons and seizure of property by law enforcement officers, both of which no doubt are also significant and strong motivations for keeping the “war on drugs” going.
Continue readingThe U.S. war against democracy in the Middle East
The CIA’s recent public admission that it masterminded the 1953 military coup against Iran’s democratically elected government reminded me once again of the fickle U.S. support for democracy in the Middle East. American involvement was well-known—books have been written about it—but the publishing of previously classified documents by the U.S.
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Che Wants to See You: remarkable untold story of Che Guevara by right-hand man Ciro Bustos
The English translation of Che Wants to See You was recently published. It is a remarkable insider account by Ciro Bustos, a comrade-in-arms who was intimately familiar with Che Guevara and the broader liberation struggle in Latin America. The book adds to the credibility of Bustos who has been unfairly
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Yes Mildred, The Government Is Spying On You!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger Many of you have heard of how the Americans spy on their own citizens. Certainly you have heard about the 29 year old CIA computer guy Edward Snowden who saw the grave threat to democracy in America as so significant that he blew the whistle.
Continue readingkirbycairo: Guatemalan Dictators, and Brutes of our Own. . . .
Yesterday the former dictator of Guatemala, Efrain Montt, was convicted of 80 years in prison for Genocide. The sentence is, in a sense symbolic considering that Mr. Montt is now 86 years old and very unlikely to survive any significant time in prison. But the sentence is interesting at least
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Hugo Chavez Was A Tyrant! Umm Are You Sure?
Richard Hughes Political Blogger The framing battle spinning around the death of Venezuelan President Hugh Chavez pits the oil interests against the rest of us. They pretend that democracy and human rights will follow his demise and the election of the US CIA and Oil Interest approved politicians. This is
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: The Obama Drone War Doctrine We Still Know Nothing About
By: Cora Currier and Justin Elliott | ProPublica, Feb. 26, 2013: The nomination of John Brennan to be CIA director has prompted intense debate on Capitol Hill and in the media about U.S. drone killings abroad. But the focus has been on the targeting of American citizens – a narrow issue that accounts for a miniscule proportion
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Jimmy Carter Sets Record Straight About Oscar Winning ‘Argo’
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Nice to see many Americans, including Former President Jimmy Carter standing up and telling the real story behind the Canadians major role in free American Hostages through a daring plot born in the Canadian Embassy. In the movie the Canada’s Ambassador Ken Taylor’s role was written out
Continue readingbastard.logic: Unpacking the Ramifications of Obama’s Targeted Killing Memo
Rosa Brooks unpacks the Obama JD’s targeted killing memo: “Like many legal documents, this one does fine on its own terms, but looks a lot less satisfying when taken out of its hermetically sealed legal universe.” Related: John Fugelsang talks with Harper’s Scott Horton and Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK about
Continue readingbastard.logic: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney On Targeted Killing: Lethal Strikes On U.S. Citizens ‘Legal,’ ‘Ethical,’ And ‘Wise’
Words fail (h/t): A friendly reminder from TAFKAdnA: The Obama administration claims that the secret judgment of a single ”well-informed high level administration official” meets the demands of due process and is sufficient justification to kill an American citizen suspected of working with terrorists. That procedure is entirely secret. Thus it’s impossible to know which rules the administration
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou: Torture was official US policy
Via YouTube: Former CIA agent John Kiriakou was sentenced to 30 months in prison for revealing the identity of a covert officer to a reporter. But originally he was pending charges on the violating the espionage act. Kiriakou is the first CIA official to publicly confirm the use of waterboarding
Continue readingArt Threat: War on Drugs doc launches for free – Friday Film Pick: Breaking the Taboo
It’s too early in the day for us to watch a documentary on the so-called “war on drugs,” so we’re not actually endorsing this week’s FFP, Breaking the Taboo, which has just been launched for free viewing on YouTube, but it looks like it will be an interesting hour of
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Oh Silly Droney…
Such naivety.
Filed under: Humour, International Affairs Tagged: CIA, Humour, Petraeus
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Petraeus Quits CIA, Confesses to Affair
Former Pentagon wunderkind and current CIA Director David Petraeus has resigned. In a statement the man once thought a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination admitted to an extra-marital affair.“After being married for over …
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Undemocratic impulses? Who ya gonna call? Not Jimmy Carter!
When it comes to ensuring the integrity of foreign elections, take it from Alberta Diary, Jimmy Carter is outstanding in the field. Below: Alberta MP Linda Duncan and Ukrainian President Viktor F. Yanukovich. By the sound of it, the international observers of Sunday’s Ukrainian parliamentary elections did manage to catch
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: How U.S. Gov’t Talks About a Drone Program it Won’t Acknowledge Exists
by Cora Currier | ProPublica Drones have become the go-to weapon of the U.S.’s counter-terrorism strategy, with strikes in Yemen in particular increasing steadily. U.S. drones reportedly killed twenty-nine people in Yemen recently, including perhaps ten civilians. Administration officials regularly celebrate the drone war’s apparent successes— often avoiding details or staying anonymous, but claiming tacit credit for
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: US Navy Seal Contradicts Official Version Of The Murder Of Osama Bin Laden!
Richard Hub Hughes-Political Blogger Frankly I do not have any great love for Osama Bin Laden, or terrorism by any of our world’s perpetrators. However, the May 2nd, 2011 intrusion into sovereign Pakistan territory moved the yardsticks further down the field than anybody should feel comfortable with. US President Barrack Obama
Continue readingmark a rayner | scribblings, squibs & sundry monkey joys: The League of Peculiar Gentlemen: The Americans
Not to be outdone by their British compatriots, the North American members of the League of Peculiar Gentlemen were also able to strap strange things to their faces. Perhaps the most famous of the trio, is Larry “The Monocle” Zimmerman, … Continue reading →
Continue readingmark a rayner | scribblings, squibs & sundry monkey joys: The League of Peculiar Gentlemen: The Brits
Though not as well-known as other Leagues composed of remarkable individuals, the League of Peculiar Gentlemen (LOPG) is none-the-less, an astonishing story of sacrifice, heroism, and strapping things over your face. The first iteration of the LOPG featured six members … Continue reading →
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