The truth at any cost lowers all other costs — curated by former US spy Robert David Steele.
Found this interesting. Last round of discussion in 2005-2007, the one hit below is outrageously expensive, but “for the record.”
Intelligence Reform: Adapting to the Changing Security Environment (Comparative Strategy Volume 31, Issue 5, 2012)
Google Scholar / “Intelligence Reform”
Google Scholar / “Intelligence Reform” Steele
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Marijuana Prohibition Fuels Lawlessness, Violence
ROBERT SHARPE, Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy – The Baltimore Sun
This is the truth that is becoming increasingly apparent.
WASHINGTON — If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize Mexican drug cartels, prohibition is a success (“The nonsense of marijuana busts shown,” Nov. 11). The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. There is a reason you don't see drug cartels sneaking into national forests to cultivate tomatoes and cucumbers. They cannot compete with legitimate farmers.
If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to deter use, prohibition is a failure. The United States has double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. Spain legalized personal use cultivation and has lower rates of use. Portugal decriminalized all drugs and still has lower rates of use than the U.S. If anything, marijuana prohibition increases use by creating forbidden fruit appeal.
Thanks to honest public education, tobacco use has declined, without any need to criminalize smokers or imprison tobacco farmers. This drop in the use of one of the most addictive drugs available has occurred despite widespread tobacco availability. The only clear winners in the war on marijuana are drug cartels and shameless tough-on-drugs politicians who've built careers confusing the drug war's collateral damage with a plant.
Continue reading “SchwartzReport: Marijuana Prohibition Fuels Lawlessness, Violence”
Special Comment: Feedback from brilliant Readers conveys concern that Israel is presented as justified in its retaliation and not as the instigator of the latest round of attack exchanges.
In the NightWatch experience, causality takes about 20 years to determine with any confidence. Survival in the neighborhood requires that the intelligence and special operations forces of all parties constantly are at work all the time. Thus, escalation is always a political decision, often related to political maneuverings and calculations in Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Iran or Israel that cannot be known from open source channels.
Both sides of this conflict are fighting as they must or can. Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and others Palestinian groups have no weapons to attack Israel except rockets. As for Israel, the day it fails to fight asymmetrically, that is the day it submits to national suicide. Asymmetrical tactics have nothing to do with justice.
Conflicts often bring clarity to political struggles. The US has unequivocally backed Israel's right of self-defense, which implies endorsement of the Israeli interpretation of events. However, a look into the exchanges of attacks in September and October and earlier clouds the determination of who shot first.
For NightWatch that question is less interesting than what comes next. This is the first major combat action between Arabs and Israelis since the Arab Spring uprisings changed governments in Tunisia, Egypt and, arguably, Libya. New Arab governments will be judged on their reaction to it.
It contains ominous portents because Hamas would have been reluctant, if not unable, to engage Israel in this fashion were Mubarak still in power in Egypt. It has rallied Muslims of all sects and ethnicities, and as far away as Malaysia and Indonesia to denounce Israel and state their support for the Palestinian Arabs in Gaza.
Thus one ripple effect of this fighting is that it shows that hostility to Israel can unite Muslims across national, ethnic and sectarian divides. The emergence of pro-Islamist governments in previously secular states always has contained the potential for the emergence of a greater threat to Israel than has been the case in many decades.
Another ripple effect is that the US outreach to Muslim countries has been undermined by the decision to take sides, supporting Israel as acting in self-defense. Arabs do not agree with that view of events and will distrust US diplomats in the future. Some Arab commentators have criticized the US for not restraining Israel.
A third ripple effect is that the Israel-Gaza crisis has displaced the Syria crisis as the headline news item around the world. International attention on Syria has been refocused on Gaza. The fight in Syria is less consequential than the fighting in Gaza because the Gaza fight risks regional conflict in ways Syria does not.
This does not appear to be accidental and appears to benefit Iran. At this point, however, Iranian instrumentality in provoking a proxy fight between Hamas and Israel remains only a working hypothesis.
Continue reading “NIGHTWATCH: Israel & It's US Enabler Uniting Muslims”
Huh?
US, France assemble coalition to confront Islamists in Mali
By CJ Radin
The Long War Journal, November 18, 2012
The Islamist takeover of two-thirds of Mali this year has spurred the West as well as concerned neighboring countries in Africa to find a way to restore Mali to its democratic path and drive out jihadist elements. Islamist groups in Mali currently include Ansar Dine, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is considered one of the most dangerous of al Qaeda's affiliated groups.
Continue reading “Mini-Me: Why Are US and France Invading Mali?”
Where Does Milllons in Pentagon Contracts Go?
NICK TURSE – Mother Jones
While American children are going to bed hungry, and their schools all too often are falling apart, we have squandered untold billions on the infrastructure and schools of the countries where we have created wars, producing astonishing profits for war contractors, and little else. It is such an upside down policy that it is amazing to me that American voters have so quietly sat still for it. This last election, for the first time, sug! gests they are now fed up. This report gives good reasons why that is a reasonable position.
A billion dollars from the federal government: that kind of money could go a long way toward revitalizing a country's aging infrastructure. It could provide housing or better water and sewer systems. It could enhance a transportation network or develop an urban waterfront. It could provide local jobs. It could do any or all of these things. And, in fact, it did. It just happened to be in the Middle East, not the United States.
Continue reading “SchwartzReport: US Spends Tens of Billions Abroad–Better Spent at Home?”
Huh?
Op-Ed: Benghazi attack — The October surprise that backfired
Eric Morales
Digital Journal, 17 November 2012
The Romney campaign was banking on the Benghazi attack making Obama the next Jimmy Carter, however it has instead blown up in the face of the American right – only problem is, they haven't realized that yet.
Conservatives thought the September 11th attack on the American consulate in Benghazi was the little engine that could. President Obama was ahead in a majority of polls in swing states, and he was leading former Governor Mitt Romney hands down.
Then came reports that the consulate was under attack, after violent protests over a derisive movie entitled Innocence of Muslims which insulted the Prophet Muhammad and decent minded people the world over. Then the news came that Ambassador Stevens were killed along with two CIA security contractors and an IT specialist. The Romney campaign wasted no time issuing a statement even while the embassy staff was still in harms way. The media seemed surprised at their gung ho attitude on the attacks, why was the campaign using this moment of tragedy on the anniversary of another tragedy to attack their opponent, President Obama?
This was their plan. This was their moment. The Reagan revolution was getting a sequel.
The Stand Down
Michael Morell, the Acting CIA Director testified to the Senate that the CIA in Libya never asked for help. This is important in light of what we already know about the attacks. According to the Daily Beast, two hours after the attack on the consulate began Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had multiple plans in place to respond. The plans included sending in a Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) from Rota, Spain. More plans included two special forces units to deploy to Libya, one from Italy and another from the United States. However the CIA never requested the help, and neither did the State Department.
Continue reading “Mini-Me: Hit Job on Petraeus and CIA Neo-Cons? The Panetta Narrative?”
Grasping at straws, but at root, some serious questions.
Republican plot to impeach Obama over Benghazi attack thickens
Washington – Reports allege a move for impeachment of Obama based on claims that he lied about the Benghazi attack and tried to cover up the truth that it was a terrorist attack. It is also alleged that he blackmailed Petraeus to co-operate in the cover-up.
Continue reading “Penguin: Benghazi – The Case for Impeachment”
