Public Intelligence Blog – Page 2985 – The truth at any cost lowers all other costs — curated by former US spy Robert David Steele.

2011/12/12

Chuck Spinney: Bombing Iran . . . Soon

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Iran, 08 Wild Cards, 10 Security, 11 Society, Corruption, DoD, Government, IO Deeds of War, Military

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by FRANKLIN C. SPINNEY

Counterpunch, December 12, 2011

The arguments for attacking Iran are crazy, like those for attacking Iraq in response to 9-11. But that does not mean such an attack by the American and/or the Israelis will not occur.

Indeed, I think the political pressure for such an attack is increasing. My reasons for saying this are as follows:

On 11 October, Patrick Seale wrote a very important essay, Will Israel Bomb Iran. Seale described secret internal deliberations in the Israeli government over the twin questions of (1) how short a time window existed for Israel to launch a sneak attack on Iran and (2) how to suck in the United States into supporting such an attack, even if an Israeli attack was launched without US approval or if the US was kept in ignorance beforehand? Seale, who is extremely well connected and very knowledgeable on the Middle Eastern affairs, also reported the Americans knew of the Israeli discussions, and the idea of Israeli decision makers thinking their window of opportunity was closing was causing alarm in Washington.

Continue reading “Chuck Spinney: Bombing Iran . . . Soon”

2011/12/122011/12/12

Steven Aftergood: CIA Classifies Open Source Works

04 Education, 07 Other Atrocities, Corruption, Cultural Intelligence, Director of National Intelligence et al (IC), Government, Intelligence (government), IO Impotency, Methods & Process, Officers Call

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Charter of Open Source Org is Classified, CIA Says

Open Source Works, which is the CIA’s in-house open source analysis component, is devoted to intelligence analysis of unclassified, open source information. Oddly, however, the directive that established Open Source Works is classified, as is the charter of the organization. In fact, CIA says the very existence of any such records is a classified fact.

“The CIA can neither confirm nor deny the existence or nonexistence of records responsive to your request,” wrote Susan Viscuso, CIA Information and Privacy Coordinator, in a November 29 response to a Freedom of Information Act request from Jeffrey Richelson of the National Security Archive for the Open Source Works directive and charter.

“The fact of the existence or nonexistence of requested records is currently and properly classified and is intelligence sources and methods information that is protected from disclosure,” Dr. Viscuso wrote.

This is a surprising development since Open Source Works — by definition — does not engage in clandestine collection of intelligence. Rather, it performs analysis based on unclassified, open source materials.

Thus, according to a November 2010 CIA report, Open Source Works “was charged by the [CIA] Director for Intelligence with drawing on language-trained analysts to mine open-source information for new or alternative insights on intelligence issues. Open Source Works’ products, based only on open source information, do not represent the coordinated views of the Central Intelligence Agency.”

As such, there is no basis for treating Open Source Works as a covert, unacknowledged intelligence organization. It isn’t one.

Continue reading “Steven Aftergood: CIA Classifies Open Source Works”

2011/12/122011/12/13

Graphic: Strategic Trends (Positive)

Analysis, Balance, Citizen-Centered, Leadership-Integrity, Multinational Plus, Policies-Harmonization, Strategy-Holistic Coherence, Tribes

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Trends Two (Positive) — Click on Image to Enlarge

2011/12/122011/12/13

Graphic: Strategic Trends (Negative)

Analysis, Balance, Corruption, Earth Orientation, Leadership-Integrity, Policies-Harmonization, Political, Threats, True Cost

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Trends One (Negative) — Click on Image to Enlarge

2011/12/122011/12/12

John Robb: Yes to Local Resilience No to China

03 Economy, 11 Society, Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Cultural Intelligence

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Why Networked Resilient Communities won't need China

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 04:39 PM PST

Here's the simple version of the message.

Big changes are coming. How you fare will be a function of the choices you make.

The threat is the ongoing breakdown of the global economic and political system. Things are already bad for many of us, and they will get worse for nearly everyone as the decades wear on. In almost all cases, if you stick with the current economic system: you and your family will suffer.
The opportunity is to build something new at the local level. A networked resilient community that produces most of what it needs and shares/sells/buys the rest virtually. An economic and political environment that you can have a say in.

One of the key parts of this opportunity for networked resilient communities? Local fabrication. The ability to make locally, using simple/inexpensive machines and designs downloaded from the Internet, the products we currently buy from China. This is a big idea. It's hard to get your head around. Once you do, it will change the way you think about the future. Here are three attempts to explain the idea (start with the video first).

Phillipe Torrone: Is it time to rebuild and retool public libraries and make them tech shops?
NPR story on how libraries have the potential to reinvent themselves by building hackerspaces.
Here's a pretty good video on the future of local manufacturing (fab labs, 3d printing, etc.).

2011/12/12

Susan Lindauer: A Dangerous Woman? Indefinite Detention at Carswell, and the Trashing of the US Constitution

07 Other Atrocities

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woman in jail — Click on Image to Enlarge

A Dangerous Woman: Indefinite Detention at Carswell

thepeoplesvoice.org, December 11th, 2011

By Susan Lindauer

Some things are unforgivable in a democracy. A bill moving through Congress, authorizing the military to imprison American citizens indefinitely, without a trial or hearing, ranks right at the top of that list.

I know—I lived through it on the Patriot Act. When Congress decided to squelch the truth about the CIA's advance warnings about 9/11 and the existence of a comprehensive peace option with Iraq, as the CIA's chief Asset covering Iraq, I became an overnight threat. To protect their cover-up scheme, I got locked in federal prison inside Carswell Air Force Base, while the Justice Department battled to detain me “indefinitely” up to 10 years, without a hearing or guilty plea. Worst yet, they demanded the right to forcibly drug me with Haldol, Ativan and Prozac, in a violent effort to chemically lobotomize the truth about 9/11 and Iraqi Pre-War Intelligence.

Read rest of article.

2011/12/122011/12/12

Mini-Me: Soccer Mom Notices Severe Gap Between US Constitution and the National Defense Authorization Act

07 Other Atrocities

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Received via email: I noticed some serious discrepancies between the NDAA as written and the understanding at large surrounding it, as well as widespread gross misunderstandings of events that have transpired in relation to it, such as the Feinstein amendment, widely assumed to reign in its power. Moreover, by using obfuscatory language in the official Whitehouse Statement and playing a verbal shell game with sections 1031 and 1032, the Administration has given the convenient and clever appearance of opposing the offensive provision, which has had the effect of lulling journalists and the public into complacent ignorance which may explain the virtual mainstream media blackout on this issue. The C-SPAN video clip of Levin belies this apparently engineered misperception.

Change.org petition (click on the “About This Petition Tab” to see his explanation of the issues)

YouTube video with C-SPAN clip

Whitehouse.gov petition

Statement of Administration Policy on NDAA

Text of NDAA (S 1867)

Helpful/entertaining quick overview of NDAA issues: 20 Things You Should Know About the Bill that Could Ruin America

2 articles referring to tricky language (paragraph 5 of both articles)

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/omkara/2011/nov/30/obama-calls-unconstitutional-indefinite-detention-/

http://www.oswegonian.com/opinion/5554/ndaa-sneakily-steals-rights/

Articles referring to media blackout with additional helpful links about NDAA

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-12-07/politics/30489421_1_senate-floor-link-media-blackout

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-medias-blackout-of-the-national-defense-authorization-act-is-shameful-2011-12

Due to the complexities of the issue and parlor tricks being used, unfortunately most journalists appear to fallen for the trap as intended, writing up articles that propagate serious misinformation including that Obama plans to veto the bill expressly to preserve citizens’ rights. While it’s possible he could veto the bill, my understanding is that the actual reason he would do so is that the bill does not go far enough in granting executive power. See these links if interested in reading more on this: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/238665-Why-Obama-Wants-to-Veto-S-1867

http://reason.com/archives/2011/12/07/obamas-indefinite-detention-powers. I’m not conversant in this area so cannot judge the sources in terms quality, reliability and validity of the links I’ve provided, unfortunately.