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Another event to once again raise the discussion on national security. Not like the status of US national security is ever erased from the American consciousness but one has to wonder if that includes the Obama Administration? The President has been criticized for not being more visible on this and other issues since heading to Hawaii on vacation. His security princess, Napolitano, stated after the Flight 253 incident, the first of two, that ‘the system’ was working properly. That someone was able to board a commercial aircraft and attempt to detonate explosives on final approach contradicts Napolitano’s conclusion. Unless only doing something after the fact is her idea of national security. And even then, simply notifying other commercial aircraft of the conditions on Flight 253 is of little value.

For those who missed it a Delta or Northwest (owned by Delta) flight, number 253, had a Nigerian passenger who attempted to detonate explosives on board as summarized above. A strange coincidence, or not, involved the same flight number on a subsequent flight in which another passenger was either detained and/or arrested for causing a disturbance. One troubling set of circumstances finds reports about the first incident suggesting the description of the ‘perp’ as a terrorist was premature and early reports about the second incident being characterized as a second terrorist attack. How’s that for a spot on press response?

Here’s a more recent account of the second incident.

A U.S. law enforcement official says an unruly passenger was detained Sunday when a Northwest Airlines flight landed in Detroit, Michigan, but he was later declared as not a security threat.

The plane was on the same route and carried the same flight number as one on Friday, when a Nigerian man allegedly tried to blow up Northwest Flight 253 just before landing.

In the latest incident, security personnel arrested a passenger upon landing Sunday because he was verbally abusive to the flight crew and had locked himself in the airplane bathroom for a long time.

The pilot radioed for emergency help. Passengers were evacuated and dogs sniffed the luggage which was spread out on the tarmac.

A law enforcement official tells news agencies that the passenger turned out to be a businessman who got sick during the flight .

And another recent update provides an excerpt on the initial incident.

Passengers have told investigators the man went into the bathroom for 20 minutes before landing, and then when he went to sit down, said he had stomach problems, and pulled a blanket on himself.

Just as the plane was getting ready to land, they heard a pop, smelled smoke and then saw the man on fire.

A Dutch passenger jumped on the Nigerian to subdue him, and blankets were used to put out the fire.

Does this brief review adequately establish Napolitano’s press statements are absurd? Certainly everyone is entitle to their opinion but you can guess that most Americans expect a different outcome in order to state the ’system worked’ when discussing US national security.

On the topic of President Obama’s silence on the matter in recent reports this blog’s reaction. It is reminiscent of an old expression about incompetence that begins with ‘better to be viewed as an idiot than….’. You probably know the rest.

Some related items are provided below on the explosive (PETN) reportedly used in the first incident.

a highly explosive organic compound belonging to the same chemical family as nitroglycerin—i.e., the nitric acid esters of polyalcohols.

PETN was introduced as an explosive after World War I. It is used by itself in detonators and detonating fuses (Primacord) and in a mixture, called pentolite, with an equal amount of trinitrotoluene (TNT) in grenades and projectiles.

PETN is a colourless, crystalline material that is generally stored and shipped as a mixture with water. It is less sensitive than nitroglycerin but is easily detonated. Valued for its shattering force and efficiency, PETN is the least stable of the common military explosives but retains its properties in storage for longer periods than nitroglycerin or cellulose nitrate (nitrocellulose) does. PETN is also used in medicine as a heart stimulant.

Yup, good old-fashioned human technology about a century old.

OSHA does not have a PEL for pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), which is used both as a drug for preventing angina pectoris and as an explosive.

If you really need to know what a PEL is the following link explains along with many other items typcially covered on a MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheet. And one last related OSHA link.

OSHA has data on PETN. Now if only DHS had detection methods for this well-known explosive and implemented them to avoid a Flight 253 problem.

As a final note for this post a political point is in order. Bush bashers frequently express 9/11 happened on the Bush 43 watch so it was his fault. This blog has stated in the past that there is plenty of blame to go around regarding US national security. A couple of things to keep in mind. 9/11 was not conceived, planned or otherwise arranged by terrorists in less than eight months which is the time George W Bush was in office prior to the attack. Before that President Clinton completed two terms in office and posts here as well as information freely available elsewhere indicate some dropping of the ball as regards terrorism and Osama bin Laden, etc.

When Bush 43 took office and after 9/11 occurred it became his war on terror and he owned the problem. An unfortunate downside to pursuing public office. Post 9/11 the Bush Administration was successful on matters of national security for two terms. The same ownership transfer now applies to President Obama. Given the Flight 253 episode(s), Napolitano’s statement, Obama’s silence, the previous and now infamous warning by VPOTUS Joe Biden the national security situation is once more front and center.

Nothing about current US national security policy inspires confidence.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The first story is a bit of a surprise. The second, another in a series of stories on Dick Cheney is not. And the third, on Gitmo and the detainees continues. President Obama also suggests ‘loose nuclear materials’ will be secured in four years. Funny how US Presidents always seem to provide time lines that coincide with the election cycle for the term of the office they hold. Doesn’t do much for the public confidence factor. Is Obama’s stance on Gitmo based on a reasonable approach, his own personal opinion or the concern that not closing the facility will break one more campaign promise to his followers?

The bomb plot story has a time line indicating it is a legacy operation from the Bush Administration. You remember him. The President many love to bash yet are willing to forget he kept the US safe since 9/11 along with the man in the second story listed here by the name of Dick Cheney. BTW, another story indicates Cheney’s popularity in the polls has risen since his return to public discourse on the topic of terrorism. And another story suggests ‘the muscle’ for the GOP resides in Cheney, Limbaugh and Gingrich. Another ‘funny’ item in the sense of interesting or unusual is that President Obama mentions in the third story presented here that his number one job is to keep America safe.

A familiar pattern seems to be emerging here. Other reports suggest Obama cannot distance himself from items associated with the previous administration no matter how hard he may try. He has at least altered action of promises made to his legions of followers and been criticized by them for not being to the left enough. His actions would indicate he agrees there is some wisdom in what Bush and Cheney accomplished yet he cannot bring himself to say it. But his actions reflect that at times. And yet the left side of politics continues to bash the past and criticize the present. While the rest of us realize things weren’t so bad during the Bush years. Sure, there were reasons to be concerned. One example would be Bush pushing the shamnesty immigration policy that was soundly defeated by public outrage. The fall from grace on fiscal discipline is another. But the number one job as described by Obama in the third story here was a complete success.

Those who support keeping Gitmo open and handling the detainee question as in the Bush years express the notion that it has worked. Those who oppose it suggest their is something wrong, immoral or impractical about it. Try this parallel. The use of self-defense in protecting one’s life and the lives of others. No reasonable person wishes to kill another. But sometimes it is necessary. Consider you have a weapon in your possession. An armed intruder violates the sanctity of your home and the scenario places you face to face with the threat. As the intruder raises his weapon toward you there are two choices. It might be nice to talk it over and find a mutually agreeable resolution to this conflict. But most reasonable people would understand the intruder already made his decision which leaves you with one choice. It is unfortunate. But not unlike the Gitmo and other terrorism questions choosing the ‘nice’ choice may end your life or the lives of others.

Try stirring that ingredient into your humble pie.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Four men arrested in an alleged plot to blow up a synagogue, a Jewish community center, and U.S. warplanes are expected to appear in federal court Thursday in White Plains, New York.

Federal prosecutors say New York City authorities arrested the men Wednesday, following a year-long undercover operation. In a statement Wednesday, prosecutors say the suspects tried to buy plastic explosives from an undercover FBI informant to use in an attack on a New York synagogue.

They are also accused of trying to obtain surface-to-air missiles to attack military planes at an Air National Guard Base near New York City.

Federal prosecutors say the four men have been charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. They have also been charged with conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles.

Officials say three of the defendants are U.S. citizens and one is of Haitian descent.

Authorities say one suspect, James Cromitie, told an informant that his parents once lived in Afghanistan and that he was angry about the killings of Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan by U.S. military forces.

The other three suspects are David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen.

A local newspaper, the Times Herald-Record, says an area mosque leader has described one of the men, 21-year-old Payen, as a “strange kid” with “a lot of psychological problems.” The newspaper quotes mosque leader Hamin Rashada as saying Payen would occasionally attend services and that his statements on Islam often had to be corrected.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has defended the Bush administration’s use of harsh interrogation methods, saying they were necessary to get information from terrorists and save American lives.

In a speech Thursday at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, Cheney said President Barack Obama and other officials have largely “mischaracterized” the previous administration’s approval of such techniques.

He said they were “essential,” “justified,” “successful,” and the “right thing to do” and that they prevented the violent deaths of thousands and possibly hundreds of thousands of people.

The former vice president, who played a major role in crafting U.S. anti-terrorist policies under George W. Bush, said the methods were always given legal review before approved and that torture was never permitted.

President Obama says the Bush-approved simulated drowning technique known as water-boarding was torture and vows to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Cheney has sharply criticized Mr. Obama’s national security policies, saying he is making the United States more vulnerable to terror attacks.

Former Vice President Cheney has said he has made a request to declassify two CIA memos that he says outlines, in detail, the successes that came from using harsh techniques during interrogation of terror suspects.

Al-Qaida actively planning to attack US

U.S. President Barack Obama says al-Qaida is actively planning to attack the United States again.

In a speech in Washington Thursday, Mr Obama said these are “extraordinary times” for the country, fighting two wars and facing a range of challenges. He said his single most important responsibility as president is to keep the American people safe.

The president said the U.S. must use all its elements of power to defeat the threat posed by al-Qaida terrorists, and he added that steps have already been taken to ensure the country is secure.

Addressing an audience of senior Cabinet officials and members of Congress, Mr. Obama said these steps include providing the necessary resources to fight the extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan who attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001, and investing in military and intelligence capabilities. He also said his administration has “re-energized” a global effort to curb proliferation of nuclear weapons - in the president’s words, “to deny the world’s most dangerous people access to the world’s deadliest weapons.”

Mr. Obama said all “loose” nuclear materials in the world should be secure within four years.

He said the United States is better protecting its borders and increasing its preparedness for any future attacks or natural disasters. The United States is building new partnerships around the world, the president said, “to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaida and its affiliates.”

Mr. Obama said the United States has renewed American diplomacy, so that the U.S. once again has the “strength and standing to truly lead the world.”

Obama defends decision to close Guantanamo prison

President Obama has defended his decision to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying the facility set back the moral authority of the United States.

Although hundreds of people have been detained at Guantanamo during the past seven years, Mr. Obama said, the military commissions set up to try those detainees have handled only three cases.

Continued operation of the prison at Guantanamo has “weakened” U.S. national security, according to Mr. Obama, who announced his intention to transfer some of those held in Cuba to so-called “supermax” prisons - ultra-secure detention facilities - in the United States.

The president’s plan to close Guantanamo by January of next year has attracted widespread criticism in the United States from those who oppose the transfer of dangerous suspects to U.S. states.

Mr. Obama pledged that his administration will not release anyone who would endanger U.S. national security or the American people.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has sharply criticized Mr. Obama’s policies on Guantanamo and other issues, also is speaking out on national-security issues Thursday.

Mr. Obama says the Guantanamo detention camp has been an obstacle to getting allies to cooperate with the United States in fighting worldwide extremism.

He described the prison as a “mess” and said it was a “misguided experiment” begun by the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Mr. Obama said all pending cases at Guantanamo will be reviewed.

US Must Not Abandon Principles

President Obama has said that after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States entered a new era, in which enemies did not abide by any laws of war and presented new challenges to the application of U.S. law.

Mr. Obama said the government needs new tools to protect the American people, prevent terrorist attacks and prosecute those who carry them out.

He said that faced with an uncertain threat to the United States after the September 11 attacks, the government made a series of hasty decisions in an effort to protect Americans, and did so based on fear rather than foresight.

He said the U.S. cannot afford to set aside its principles, something he accused both Democrats and Republicans of doing.

President Obama called on both parties to take a new approach, rejecting torture and recognizing the imperative of closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

The president said the United States needs to update its institutions to deal with the threat of extremism, but must do so within the the rule of law and with due process, checks and balances and accountability.

President Obama said the legal approach for fighting terrorism over the last eight years was neither effective nor sustainable, and failed to adhere to America’s values.

Mr. Obama said that is why he chose to ban so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, such as water-boarding. He said he rejects the assertion that such methods are the most effective means of interrogation.

He said they undermine the law, alienate the U.S. internationally, and increase the enemies’ will to fight.

Some detainees to be tried in US federal courts

President Obama says whenever feasible, detainees at Guantanamo who have violated American criminal laws will be tried in American federal courts.

Mr. Obama noted that terrorists including Zaccarias Moussaoui, identified as the 20th hijacker in the September 11 attacks, was convicted in a U.S. court and is serving a life prison sentence.

He said detainees who violate the laws of war will be tried through military commissions, saying such panels have a history in the United States dating back to the first U.S. president and the Revolutionary War.

The president said his administration is bring the commissions in line with the rule of law, instead of using what he called the same “flawed” commissions of the last seven years.

Many challenges remain before closure of prison

President Obama says there are detainees at Guantanamo who in effect “remain at war” with the United States.

He acknowledged challenges in closing the facility, and said his goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantanamo detainees.

He said the toughest decision on the closure is what to do with detainees who cannot be prosecuted but yet pose what he called a “clear danger” to the American people.

The president said if the U.S. determines it must hold someone indefinitely to prevent a terror attack, then it must be done with a system that involves judicial and congressional oversight.

Review of state secret doctrine nears completion

President Obama says his administration is nearing completion of a thorough review of the state secret doctrine.

Mr. Obama noted the doctrine has been used for many decades by presidents to challenge legal cases involving secret programs. He said the practice is “absolutely necessary” to protect national security, but he is concerned that it has been overused.

He said governments must not protect information merely because it reveals violations of the law or embarrasses the government.

How perfect is this? Those who work in law enforcement or other government entities related to national defense or security are rarely given a break by their critics. The article posted below is no exception. After 9/11 there was no shortage of criticism when law enforcement and intelligence agencies or departments came under fire for dropping the ball on terrorism. Some time later the public had their nose out of joint over delays at airports across the country. From time to time complaints of people being unfairly added to watch lists is raised. And there is the brief respite before the ACLU sticks their nose in it. This story features the OMG I’m on a list report.

From September 11, 2001 to November of 2008 there was little cause to worry about whether or not we would be attacked again on American soil by terrorists. As the months went by from that dreadful event each day served as evidence those involved in national defense and security were successful. If President Bush can sustain near continuous insults from his critics then it is certainly fair to give him credit for no attacks since, along with everyone under his leadership. But it’s a new day. Who knows how long it will continue. And in this case the FBI is still taking flak.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, says the government’s terrorist watch list of known or suspected terrorists has grown to one million entries. The list - used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies to prevent terrorist acts - has been growing steadily since 2003 when the FBI set up a terrorism screening center to store, analyze and share information about suspected terrorists. While the list is touted by the FBI as an important counterterrorism tool, it has generated controversy and complaints.

Caught in a security net

For some travelers, passing through airport security isn’t easy. David Nelson says he is often detained at check points. “I said what do you mean, terrorist? Do I look like a terrorist,” he asked. “I mean come on now.”

Another man called David Nelson also has been routinely detained by security screeners. They are among hundreds of travelers named David Nelson who have been stopped because they are on the U.S. government’s so-called “No Fly” list of known or suspected terrorists.

David Nelson says he is often detained by airport security

The list has been a source of frequent complaints by thousands of innocent travelers whose names have appeared on the list.

The No Fly list

The FBI says the No Fly list is a small part of the government’s consolidated terrorist watch list, which is compiled mostly by intelligence and homeland security agencies.

All the information is managed and housed at the FBI’s Terrorism Screening Center outside Washington. The agents gather and analyze information daily. They then pass it along to other law enforcement agencies.

“You want it (the watch list) to be accurate and complete. Complete is the key word because you do not want to miss anybody,” said Tim Healy, the Center’s acting director. “It is a balancing act between private citizens and their concerns and the safety of the United States and that is a balancing act that occurs everyday.”

Tim Healy

Audit findings - watch list is growing

An audit by the Government Accountability Office found that the TSC’s consolidated watch list has grown significantly from 288,000 entries in 2005 to a million entries in 2009, containing 400,000 names.

Authorities say the watch list is one tool used to reduce the terrorist threat. Its main purpose is to make sure individuals on the list are properly screened when they are stopped by police for traffic violations, or when people try to enter the country from international destinations. A call by police to the Terrorist Screening Center can quickly determine if the name on the list is a positive or negative match.

“We are involving state and local law enforcement in information sharing and we are involving other federal entities in information sharing of known and suspected terrorists, which is a good thing,” Healy said.

Procedure to get names removed from list

But some say this government effort is flawed. Jay Stanley of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington says the watch list violates citizens’ rights.

“Everybody agrees that Osama bin Laden and his henchmen should be on a terrorist watch list. We don’t have a problem with that,” Stanley said. “But the government needs to do this very carefully, they need to set up extremely strict procedures. Not only do they have to be very careful before you’re put on the list but that you have the right to get off the list.”

Jay Stanley

The Department of Homeland Security says 51,000 people have filed so-called “redress” requests since 2007, claiming they were wrongly put on the watch list.

The FBI will not disclose specifics of how the records or names on the list are generated. But the FBI’s Tim Healy says there is a procedure in place to get names removed.

“If you have experienced an encounter when you are flying and you think you are on the watch list or even if they told you, you are on the watchlist there is a process you go through,” he said. “The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) will start going through their process and say is this guy actually watchlisted and what can we do to help this individual out.”

The FBI says 33,000 entries were deleted from the watch list last year based on outdated information and cleared investigations. And it says 95 percent of the people on the list are not US citizens. But Rachel Meeropol, a lawyer with the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, says with a million entries the watch list has grown too big.

“Whenever you cast a net that wide you are diffusing law enforcement resources from focusing on the individuals for whom there actually is evidence of a connection to terrorism,” Meeropol said.

As security at the nation’s airports and on the borders has been tightened, the FBI defends the watch list as a valuable counterterrorism tool not just for the United States.

They say information from the list is also being shared with Canada, Australia and other US allies in the global effort to track down known or suspected terrorists.

Trackposted to Nuke’s, The Pink Flamingo, Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, Right Truth, The World According to Carl, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Sometimes it is good to delay publishing one’s opinion on a topic even when the facts are right there in front of you and your frustration level could use the release of expressing the obvious about someone who has been entrusted with leading your nation, that you love and is entirely wrong. It is only good when someone with a great deal more credibility does it for you. And that expression includes the credibility of many more who feel the same way. The excerpt below explains it.

The Interrogation Memorandums
By Gary Berntsen
April 22, 2009

President Obama’s release of these memos took place despite substantial protest. The four most recent CIA Directors-John Deutch, George Tenet, Porter Goss and Michael Hayden-all recommended against the release of these memorandums. President Obama’s own newly appointed Director of CIA, Leon Panetta, also recommended against releasing the documents. Yet President Obama, in a seemingly relentless effort to discredit his predecessor, George W. Bush, made the memorandum available to the public anyway.

As with other references presented on this blog it adds to the growing criticism of a new President and dispels much of the inflamed rhetoric employed by the far left strictly for political purposes. While some on the left may express genuine concern and honest, although misinformed, opinions on critical issues or even which issues are critical the dominant theme especially with regard to national security dooms us to repeat history if we follow suggestions to ignore it.

Which brings us back to the beginning. President Obama like many others in the past expressed an interest in being surrounded by smart people who disagree with him to give him advice. Based on his recent choice for CIA chief who advised him not to disclose the memos it is obvious again Mr Obama had no intention of listening to those who present arguments contrary to his own. Just like calling the GOP the party of ‘no’ and doing your best to shut them out since you have a political majority in Congress.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Jeff Jacoby emphatically emphasizes the need to consider context when discussing the uproar caused by President Obama releasing the so-called ‘torture memos.’ Reading the excerpt below out of context is something else that should be emphasized. Don’t do it. Read the entire piece but start with the quote provided as it is central to this point but does not include Jacoby’s entire opinion. This may put things in perspective for you on the topic of ‘enhanced’ or ‘brutal’ interrogation techniques or if you must, ‘torture.’

The opinion on this blog includes what Jeff Jacoby states below. The remainder of his argument and opinion is compelling as well.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

A tortured debate over the ‘torture memos’

Jeff Jacoby (Boston Globe)

What’s missing from all this sanctimony and censure is any acknowledgement of the circumstances under which the CIA interrogations took place, let alone the successes with which they have been credited. That may be a good way to score easy political points. It doesn’t add much to the public discourse.

Context matters. Actions that are indisputably beyond the pale under normal conditions - waterboarding a prisoner, for example - can take on a very different aspect when conditions are abnormal, as they surely were in the terrifying wake of 9/11.

An Acorn Whistleblower Testifies in Court

The group’s ties to Obama are extensive.

(click on link above for full story)

The summary and review includes the well known fact that the FBI is investigating ACORN. Anita Moncrief, a former ACORN employee turned whistleblower, has testified in PA state court of ACORN’s wrongdoing. Obama has lied but Obama is tied to ACORN back to 1995 and maybe before then.

Wade Rathke was or is the kingpin and founder and his brother embezzled a million from ACORN which was kept secret. Not only is Obama tied to ACORN but so are other Democratic party presidential campaigns and the DNC.

The habit of blaming illegal activity within ACORN to low level employees was called ‘throwing folks under the bus.’ The $800,000 plus given to ACORN by Obama was initially described for other things but shown to be for get out the vote efforts by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. The IRS and the FEC are involved and it just keeps getting better.

Yes, Mr Obama, the word is out. You are tied to ACORN directly. They helped you get started in politics just like Ayers, illegally or unethically. You are tied to political corruption and worse from Illinois to the national level. Even the DNC is involved with you and your shady dealings.

ACORN knew of fraudulent voter registration forms, ex-employee of Project Vote says
By MARIO F. CATTABIANI
The Philadelphia Inquirer

A former employee of an affiliate of ACORN testified Wednesday that the community group now in the national spotlight knew that most new voter registration forms it had gathered were fraudulent.

“Forty percent was OK,” said Anita Moncrief, referring to the number of bona fide registrations that officials at the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now believed was acceptable.

Using just the ACORN estimate of 1.3 million registrations gives another estimate of over a half million illegal registrations. And that is not even a precise measure of how bad this thing could be. And Obama gave $800000 or more dollars to ACORN for ‘get out the vote’ efforts. How about calling it what it is, a stuff the ballot box effort by the Messiah.

Another set of facts that support the McCain/Palin ticket in the 2008 Presidential election. Obama is not only not ready to lead but has been shown to be connected to the corrupt dealings of ACORN, shady real estate deals with Tony Rezko, the race baiting and hate mongering of Rev Wright, a domestic terrorist William Ayers and has at least one corrupt slumlord advisor named Valerie Jarrett. The list goes on and on and is documented on this blog as well as other sources.

Don’t let your desire to fix things in Washington blind your ability to see the scam of Obama on election day. Just as Hillary Rodham Clinton was not the right person to be the first woman elected President the same goes for Barack Obama. Electing this scam as the first black President would mar an otherwise historic event that would be cause for celebration were it not for his unfortunate rise in politics through corruption and misleading the public.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

crossposted at:

Faultline USA 

Federal authorities have subpoenaed financial records and employees in an apparent probe of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s 2004 presidential bid, nonprofit civil rights group, and for-profit businesses, a newspaper reported Thursday.

So what kind of a mess will this deliver? Reports indicate Al Sharpton is no stranger to investigations including campaign and tax related. The probe includes a grand jury as well as records from Sharpton’s non-profit and for-profit businesses and testimony from subpoenaed individuals.

Will Sharpton be his usual outspoken self or act more subdued with the current news of the investigation? Don’t be surprised if the race card comes out as Sharpton was recently taken to task by talk show hosts due to callers suggesting bigotry and prejudice of other well known figures. Callers were invited to listen to tapes of Sharpton speeches asking if they were equal in racial tone to the callers accusations against others.

Just what everyone needs as religious holidays such as Christmas and Chanukah approach. Not to mention the campaign that has been religiously stoked and all the other discontent on other current events in politics and foreign affairs.

The fact that other reports have Sharpton ‘angrily denouncing’ an investigation of his 2004 Presidential campaign bid serves as evidence that the earlier question posed above has been answered and Sharpton, not surprisingly, will continue to be noticeably outspoken in keeping with his past performances.

Sharpton has urged the city of Chicago to do something about police brutality or he would oppose the city’s bid for Olympics consideration. Plan on hearing more about that part of the story as the investigation of Sharpton progresses. By involving himself in public affairs and being viewed as controversial will lend itself to sound bites in the press in the near future and maybe beyond.

Sharpton’s style in pursuing his interests certainly draws considerable attention but may prove more of a hinderance in the coming months if he plans to defend himself against the effects of the investigation in the press.

By VOA News

A British court has ruled that radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri can be extradited to the United States to face terrorism charges.

The court in London issued the ruling Thursday.

Al-Masri is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Britain, after his 2006 conviction for inciting murder and racial hatred.

He was originally arrested in Britain on an extradition warrant from U.S. authorities in 2004. But that process was put on hold until his London trial ended and his appeals were exhausted.

The decision still needs the approval of Britain’s Home Secretary Jacqi Smith.

U.S. officials accuse the cleric of aiding a 1998 hostage-taking in Yemen and of trying to set up a terrorist training camp in the northwestern U.S. state of Oregon.

The amount of angst being displayed by some lawmakers or the ACLU or public groups or individuals over FISA and ‘warrantless wiretaps’ has an absurd side. Understandably, people may be upset over the notion of anyone, including the government, prying into ‘private’ records of citizens. But no one appears to get nearly as bothered by the fact we are all much more vulnerable to abuse from any company or other entity who possesses our personal information.

The use, misuse or abuse of personal information collected by major players like ChoicePoint to the federal, state and local governments to the smallest company with which you do business should be of equal concern. How credit reporting agencies use our personal information was once a concern. Where is the concern now? The latest discussion about digital access to health records is another risk area no one seems to be upset about. All the hacked databases reported over the last year alone represent major risk to those whose personal information has been compromised. Where is all the angst about that?

Yet so many seem to have an unlimited amount of anger expressed about government wiretaps. Again, there is no attempt here to diminish or deter proper oversight of various intelligence gathering methods employed by the federal government or any other organization, public or private. But the integrity of personal data or rights to privacy and the risk to the average citizen from warrantless wiretaps is almost comical. All the outrage over the telecoms, the Fed, intelligence gathering and privacy of late versus the ongoing risk from ordinary transactions and securing the privacy of personal records seems to be caused by politically skewed motivations.

After all, the current appeals case is in San Francisco, the Ninth Circuit and one of the players is the ACLU. Like we haven’t been down this road before. One more time, it is understood that proper oversight and execution of lawful investigations are necessary, but really folks, when’s the last time you made an international phone call versus the last time you gave some company your personal information and where lies the greater risk? It would be refreshing and reassuring if public outrage (sometimes not so public) was equal in proportion to the risk and not incited by private agendas.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Spy chief quote cited in Verizon lawsuit
By JORDAN ROBERTSON, AP
Thu Aug 30, 9:05 PM ET

A lawsuit alleging that Verizon Communications Inc. illegally turned over customer records as part of the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program should go forward because of a recent admission by the U.S. spy chief, lawyers argued Thursday.

In a newspaper interview published last week, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell acknowledged that private-sector companies helped the government investigate suspected terrorists in a probe authorized by President Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Top official gives scope of wiretaps

Bush seeks to shield telecoms that helped with wiretaps

DOJ Still Looks To Have Suit Against Verizon Tossed

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Over the years the two major political parties have been known to refer to themselves as all-inclusive parties. Apparently that notion also applies to fund raising. Ray Jinnah, a native of Pakistan and California businessman wanted to be a political power broker. The FBI determined he had violated the law with his fund raising and campaign contributions but the Democrats had no such problem with Jinnah.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barbara Boxer had no problem taking money from this man. You can hear the excuses already. Something like we don’t handle the money. Or maybe the excuse will be we had no way of knowing this. Most people would probably agree that US Senators should be smart enough to have mechanisms in place to determine who they should take money from and who they should not.

The proclamations of Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the midterms indicated she intended to ‘drain the swamp’ in Congress due to the GOP ‘culture of corruption’. Again, most people were aware that corruption is not an exclusive domain to either party. All the probes and hearings initiated by the Dems through Henry Waxman since the 110th Congress convened mysteriously overlooked allegations against Senator Dianne Feinstein and her involvement with MILCON. Now there is the Jefferson indictment as well as fund raising irregularities with Clinton and Boxer.

Perhaps the Dems should refrain from taking every opportunity to point out the faults of others and start cleaning up their own backyard.

Stanford Matthews
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Fundraiser allegedly demanded stock

Now awaiting trial, businessman is said to have sought interests in firms he introduced to a top Democratic official.
By Robin Fields and Chuck Neubauer, Times Staff Writers
June 14, 2007
Jinnah’s current legal troubles arise from his fundraising activities in 2004, when prosecutors say he violated federal law by reimbursing employees and associates for nearly $60,000 in donations made in their names to New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s political action committee, HillPac, and California Sen. Barbara Boxer’s reelection campaign.

Authorities allege he fled the country after being indicted in May 2006, taking refuge in his native Pakistan. Jinnah’s attorneys said he left to care for his ailing mother and stayed because of his own poor health. Jinnah, a legal U.S. resident, surrendered voluntarily to the FBI on May 29 and is awaiting trial.

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Paul Wolfowitz Credit Card Recalled by World Bank
Postcards from the Pug Bus (satire), PA
WASHINGTON, DC - A source at the World Bank has confirmed that the controversial Paul Wolfowitz credit card will be recalled. The announcement came after …
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz struggling to hold onto job as … FinFacts Ireland
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz Maligned For Hefty Pay Hike To … All Headline News
Paul Wolfowitz apologizes for giving his lover 10000 dollars a month Pravda

I really do feel bad. Not for Paul Wolfowitz, but for everyone else. Of all the people who get beat about the head and shoulders over the decision for the US to go into Iraq in 2003, this is the guy they let get away. And he was the prime mover in the whole scheme.

Don’t get me wrong, I never said the Iraq war was not predicated on something worse than inaccurate intelligence. I never said that Colin Powell served at the pleasure of the President and all the while at the UN was unaware of the fairy tale he was telling from a nutcase informant. I never said George Tenet should have had a bigger pair and I wish I had. I never said Paul Wolfowitz was primarily responsible for the whole thing and I wish I had done that, at least before now.

Because maybe now that he is back in the spotlight, someone may do what should have been done before. Help this creep get what he deserves. Perpetrating, introducing or simply putting the ducks in place for someone else to line up and provide a plausible scenario to justify war is beyond words.

Am I in favor of the war. No one should ever be in favor of war. Do I support the troops and want President Bush to be supported to finish the mission. Yes. Absolutely. To cut and run is never good. To stop now will serve no one. To finish the job and give the Iraqi people a country they can do something with is also good.

But when it is all done. All those involved in Mr Wolfowitz’ contrived scheme should be dealt with according to applicable law. The continued questionable practices of this man as described above are further proof of what he is and what should be done. Ya, tell me, when is the last time charges like this were leveled and later proven false. And no, the Duke LaCrosse team travesty is not this kind of story. If I’m wrong I’ll apologize in the back section of this blog.

C. Harris
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More Than 320 Weapons, Laptops Missing From FBI in 44 Months

Three or four FBI laptop computers are lost or stolen each month from the agency, and 160 weapons were lost or stolen in the past 44 months, a new report says.

If this is true it makes it very difficult to be supportive. J Edgar was a scary guy but incidents like this seem worse. Ok, let the vetting begin. We may see modifications to this report in the future. It’s even hard to believe good news these days for all the errors or misrepresented information being distributed. Was it always like this?

C. Harris
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