Wednesday, May 18, 2011

PLEASE SHARE THIS!!

Wow this is wild!!! Watch out Ron Paul supporters and everyone, Psyops in process!
Dr. Lora


TODAY THE SAME MESSAGE WAS POSTED IN HUNDREDS OF GROUPS, BY SCORES OF DIFFERENT FAKE IDs.
THEY WANT YOU TO GIVE THEM YOUR DATA IF YOU SUPPORT RON PAUL.
WHY NOT JUST GIVE YOUR DATA DIRECTLY TO RON PAUL AND NO ONE ELSE?
UPDATED DATA ON FEDS CREATING FAKE IDs for INTERNET ACTIVISM. Check your membership roster

A MYRIAD OF NEW PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE JOINING PATRIOT MEETUPS- SUSPICIOUS ID DATA FOLLOWS THIS ARTICLE

For background read these:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110218/02143213163/more-hbgary-federal-fallout-government-wants-to-buy-software-to-fake-online-grassroots-social-media-campaigns.shtml

HERE IS AN INTERESTING VIDEO:
WE SHOULD spread awareness of this.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERY ORGANIZER THAT YOU KNOW.
Each ID on meetup is limited to posting in three meetups per day. But there is no limit on the number Yahoo IDs that a person can have.
This appears to be the operating procedure:
1. Hundreds of Yahoo IDs were created, with regional designations. The sum of all of these Yahoo IDs covers the entire United States.
2. A meetup profile was created for each Yahoo ID. Each Yahoo ID was used to subscribe to a different assortment of meetups. So far, I have not yet found one of these profiles that does not claim a location, that is in the same town with a military base.
3. The system was launched, and tested, by posting a very harmless message. In most meetups this was a message promoting the rally in Greenville, SC on May 5, 2011, and then a Ron Paul money bomb. The Ron Paul campaign is investigating this. Campaign for liberty knows nothing about it.
I think that we should email these "people" and ask them to give us a call on the phone. If we do get a call we should collect data including an alleged address and telephone number.

A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW PEOPLE, WITH SIMILAR EMAIL ADDRESSES, JOINED NEARLY EVERY PATRIOT MEETUP, WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

This is a fact finding query.
This is not the presentation of a theory, or the presentation of a conclusion.
I am an organizer, or assistant organizer of a large number of patriot groups.
I am subscribed to an even larger number of patriot groups.
Lately there has been a new comer in practically every patriot meetup, and these new comers have a similarity in their email addresses.
The similarity is that they all end in:
or in
The first part of the address is always a designation of a territory.
This is usually the name of a state, but is sometimes a smaller area.
In general, each individual will have joined all of the patriot meetups in the territory designated in their email address.
This has usually been done in the last few weeks
(As I write today's date is 05-07-2011)
It looks as though they have a way to take over inactive profiles and change the email address. A few of the profiles are old, but the new email address is not found in the old posts.
A FEW EXAMPLES ARE BELOW: (MORE DETAILS AT END OF THIS)
Holly Schaefer <utahrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Abigail Newman <tennesseerevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Jessica Hamilton <rhodeislandrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Megan Norquist <mainerevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Tamara Kline <ohiorevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Angela Garcia <kansasrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Stephanie Gibson <arizonarevolution@yahoo.com>;
Gillian Martin <larevolution1776@yahoo.com>;
Shannon Van Nystrom <jeffersonrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Cruise Carter <oregonrevolution@yahoo.com>;
Shannon Van Nystrom <jeffersonrevolution@yahoo.com>;
Madison Anderson <socalrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Summer McNall <nevadarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Silvia Torres <oklahomarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Ariana Meyers <floridarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Rachael Hightower <alaskarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Ginny Lancaster <wisconsinrevolution@yahoo.com>;
Heather Williams <dakotarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Anna Williams <michiganrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Denise Grable <illinoisrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Rosanna Kohn <indianarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Donna Schanen <virginiarevolution@yahoo.com> ;

It is an inescapable conclusion that this results from some sort of national co-ordination.
Inasmuch as these people have not introduced themselves, or announced their agenda, I would be interested if anyone could shed light on this phenomena.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHO THEY ARE AND FOR WHOM, AND FOR WHAT DO THEY WORK? ANYONE WHO IS THIS BUSY IN THE PATRIOT MOVEMENT WOULD BE CLOSE FRIENDS WITH EVERY PATRIOT IN THEIR STATE. WHO HAS MET THESE "PEOPLE"? WHO HAS EVEN SPOKEN WITH ONE OF THESE "PEOPLE" ON THE PHONE?
ASK FOR A TELEPHONE NUMBER.
TELL THEM YOU WANT THEM TO HOST A MEETUP.
ASK THEM WHY WE HAVE NEVER MET.
TELL THEM TO CALL YOU.
INVITE THEM OVER FOR DINNER.
NOTHING HAS EVER GOTTEN ANYONE FACE TO FACE WITH A HUMAN BEING THAT IS ON THIS LIST.
I AM A MEMBER OF OATHKEEPERS. I PRAY THAT THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN PATRIOTIC MILITARY MEN TRYING TO RESTORE THE CONSTITUTION. IF THAT IS THE CASE, PLEASE CONTACT ME, AND I WILL HELP.
I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS NOT BEING DONE BY OATHKEEPERS.
I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS NOT BEING DONE BY THE RON PAUL CAMPAIGN.
I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS NOT BEING DONE BY THE CAMPAIGN FOR LIBERTY.
IF THIS IS A GROUP OF PATRIOTS, WHO ACTUALLY DO WANT TO HELP RON PAUL, JUST TELL ME SO AND I WILL HELP.
HAVE THEY DONE ANYTHING BAD YET?
NOT UNLESS IT WAS MERELY TO GATHER OUR DATA.
BUT IF THERE WERE 10 MILLION SOLDIERS JUST ACROSS ONE OF OUR BORDERS WE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE OUR EYES ON THEM.
FOR LIBERTY,
John Perna <JPerna@sc.rr.com>
SOME STATES ARE STILL BEING RESEARCHED.
IF YOU DO NOT SEE YOUR STATE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.
DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC PROFILES:
ANYONE WHO IS THIS BUSY IN THE PATRIOT MOVEMENT WOULD BE CLOSE FRIENDS WITH EVERY PATRIOT IN THEIR STATE. WHO HAS MET THESE "PEOPLE"? WHO HAS EVEN SPOKEN WITH ONE OF THESE "PEOPLE" ON THE PHONE?
DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC PROFILES:
-----------------
North Carolina Aileen Thorton <northcarolinarevolution@yahoo.com>
Carthage, NC Pope Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED:

--------------------
Iowa Teresa King <iowarevolution@yahoo.com>
Fort Dodge, IA
MEETUPS JOINED
------------------------------------------------
Montgomery, AL Maxwell AFB

MEETUPS JOINED:

----------------------------------
Arkansas Gretchen Matthews <arkansasrevolution@yahoo.com>
Pine Bluff, AR Little Rock Air Force Base
-------------------------
Colorado Samantha Cartwright <Coloradorevolution@yahoo.com>
Colorado Springs, CO Peterson Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED:

==============
KENTUCKY Kerry Osbourne <kentuckyrevolution@yahoo.com>
Bowling Green, KY

MEETUPS JOINED:

-----------------------------------
Utah Holly Schaefer <utahrevolution@yahoo.com>

Salt Lake City, UT Hill Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED:

---------------
Florida , south Maria Lopez <southfloridarevolution@yahoo.com>
-----------
Tennessee Abigail Newman <tennesseerevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Lewisburg, TN Arnold AFB

MEETUPS JOINED:

---------------------
Rhode Island Jessica Hamilton <rhodeislandrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
------------------
Massachusetts Shelly Kennedy <massachusettsrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/youngrepublicans-43/ http://www.meetup.com/libertarian-349/

http://www.meetup.com/republican-94/

--------------
Maine Megan Norquist <mainerevolution@yahoo.com> ;

Bangor, ME Dow Air Force Base

-----------------------
Kansas Angela Garcia <kansasrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
--------------------
Arizona Stephanie Gibson <arizonarevolution@yahoo.com>;
-----------------------

California, Los Angeles Gillian Martin <larevolution1776@yahoo.com>;

--------------------------------
Texas Tonya Pulido <texasrevolution1776@yahoo.com>;

Lubbock, TX Reese Air Force Base

San Francisco, CA Travis Air Force Base
-------------------------------
OREGON Cruise Carter <oregonrevolution@yahoo.com>;
Cruise Carter HAS TWO MEETUP PROFILES:

PROFILE FOR OREGON: http://www.meetup.com/members/10388628/

Happy Valley, OR Portland Air Force Base
THE SAME NAME USES
IN WASHINGTON STATE
AS OPPOSED TO
Cruise Carter <oregonrevolution@yahoo.com>;
FOR OREGON
HIS POSTS IN OREGON GROUPS ORIGINATE FROM
Happy Valley, OR (Portland Air Force Base)
HIS POSTS IN WASHINGTON STATE GROUPS ORIGINATE FROM
Port Townsend, WA (Paine Air Force Base)
Cruise Carter <oregonrevolution@yahoo.com>;

PROFILE FOR OREGON: http://www.meetup.com/members/10388628/

Happy Valley, OR Portland Air Force Base
IN WASHINGTON STATE

MEETUPS JOINED WITH OREGON PROFILE:

http://www.meetup.com/CforLWa/

http://www.meetup.com/Eugene-Coffee-Party-USA/

http://www.meetup.com/Eugene-Libertarians/

http://www.meetup.com/freedomforce-6/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-760/

http://www.meetup.com/libertarian-365/

http://www.meetup.com/Molalla-9-12/

http://www.meetup.com/Oregon-Freedom-Network/

http://www.meetup.com/Oregon-Libeqrats/

http://www.meetup.com/Oregon-Medical-Marijuana-Community/

http://www.meetup.com/Portland911Truth/

http://www.meetup.com/Standing-Up-for-Freedom-Campaign-for-Liberty-Oregon/

http://www.meetup.com/Run-Ron-Paul-2012-Mid-Valley-Chapter/

http://www.meetup.com/Salem-for-Ron-Paul/

http://www.meetup.com/Wake-Up-Portland/

----------------------------

WASHINGTON STATE Cruise Carter <ronpaulrevolution1776@yahoo.com>

IN WASHINGTON STATE

PROFILE FOR WASHINGTON STATE

http://www.meetup.com/members/10339854/
Port Townsend, WA Paine Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED WITH THIS PROFILE:

--------------------------------
SOUTHERN California Madison Anderson <socalrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
----------------------------------------
South Carolina Tiffany Holmes <southcarolinarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
SHAW AFB SUMTER, SC
MEETUPS JOINED:
-------------------------------------------
Nevada Summer McNall <nevadarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Henderson, NV Nellis Air Force Base
--------------------------------------
Oklahoma Silvia Torres <oklahomarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Lawton, OK Altus Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED:

------------------------------
Florida Ariana Meyers <floridarevolution@yahoo.com> ;

Fairbanks, AK Eielson Air Force Base

--------------------------------
Wisconsin Ginny Lancaster <wisconsinrevolution@yahoo.com>;
-----------------------------
North Dakota, South Dakota: Heather Williams <dakotarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Aberdeen, SD Ellsworth Air Force Base
---------------------------
Michigan Anna Williams <michiganrevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Grand Rapids, Michigan Bolling AFB
-------------------------------
Illinois, Nebraska : Denise Grable <illinoisrevolution@yahoo.com> ;

Springfield, IL Scott AFB

------------------------------------------
Indiana: Rosanna Kohn <indianarevolution@yahoo.com> ;

Terre Haute, IN Hulman Field (ANGB IAP Terre Haute), Terre Haute, IN, USA

MEETUPS JOINED:

-------------------------
Georgia: Lauren Stone <georgiarevolution1776@yahoo.com> ;
Macon, GA Robins Air Force Base
--------------------------------------------------------
Virginia: Donna Schanen <virginiarevolution@yahoo.com> ;
Norfolk, VA Langley Air Force Base,
-------------------------------------------
-----------
Hartford, CT
Westover Air Force Base
---------------------------------
NOT CONFIRMED

Delaware Alexa Rivas

Wilmington, DE Dover Air Force Base
------------------------
NOT CONFIRMED
Louisiana Rosalee Pasquale
--------------------------------------------------------
-----------

http://www.meetup.com/members/10412950/

Virginia, MN

http://www.meetup.com/AM950radio/

http://www.meetup.com/ETFMpls/

http://www.meetup.com/FairTax-MN/

http://www.meetup.com/thegreenanchor/

http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Libertarian-Liberty-Lovers/

http://www.meetup.com/Ron-Paul-Republicans/

http://www.meetup.com/Minneapolis-Revolutionary-Republicans/

http://www.meetup.com/obama2012/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-1258/

http://www.meetup.com/tcCannabisClub/

http://www.meetup.com/The-Twin-Cities-JBS-org-Freedom-Campaign-Meetup/

http://www.meetup.com/Twin-Cities-Tea-Party/

--------------

NOT CONFIRMED

Missouri: Melanie Leverette

http://www.meetup.com/members/10413509/

PROFILE:

Columbia, MO Whiteman AFB

MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/Boone-County-Missouri-libertarians/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-1361/

http://www.meetup.com/Creve-Coeur-Maryland-Hts-Township-Republican-Meetup-Group/

http://www.meetup.com/Drinking-Liberally/

http://www.meetup.com/dfa-61/

http://www.meetup.com/libertarian-127/

http://www.meetup.com/Metro-East-Libertarians/

http://www.meetup.com/stcmolibs/

http://www.meetup.com/STLcampaignforliberty/

---------------------------------

MEETUPS JOINED

-------------------------------
NOT CONFIRMED
Atlantic City, NJ McGuire AFB, New Jersey (NJ 08641)

MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/912-Project-Cherry-Hill-Collingswood-Area/

http://www.meetup.com/The-912-Project-North-Jersey/

http://www.meetup.com/912burlco/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-458/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-605/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-656/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-492/

http://www.meetup.com/SouthJerseyJBS/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-201/

http://www.meetup.com/South-Jersey-Ron-Paul-Meetup-Group/

-------------------------

NOT CONFIRMED

New Mexico Natalie Harper

PROFILE: ttp://www.meetup.com/members/10410654/

Albuquerque, NM Kirtland Air Force Base

MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/dfa-160/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-67/

http://www.meetup.com/CAMPAIGN-4-LIBERTY-DUKE-CITY/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-738/

http://www.meetup.com/Central-New-Mexico-John-Birch-Society/

http://www.meetup.com/Dialogue4Peace/

http://www.meetup.com/jbs-75/

http://www.meetup.com/NM-MMJ/

------------------------

New York: Zak Carter <upstatenewyorkrevolution@yahoo.com>

PROFILE:

http://www.meetup.com/members/14619764/

Albany, NY

MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/Albany-Campaign-for-Liberty/

http://www.meetup.com/Buffalo-for-Ron-Paul-2012/

http://www.meetup.com/RonPaul-Buffalo/

http://www.meetup.com/libertarian-345/

http://www.meetup.com/GOOOH-of-the-Niagara-Frontier/

http://www.meetup.com/rochesterlp/

http://www.meetup.com/forliberty/

http://www.meetup.com/OathKeepers-NewYork/

http://www.meetup.com/PatriotsTakingBackAmerica/

http://www.meetup.com/PrimaryChallengeNewYork/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-1661/

http://www.meetup.com/townhall-45/

http://www.wesurroundrochester.com/

http://www.meetup.com/libertyordeath/

http://www.meetup.com/Saratoga-Campaign-For-Liberty/

http://www.meetup.com/TEA-New-York/

------------------------------------------------------

Vermont: Jesamin Jackson <vermontrevolution@yahoo.com> ;

Wallingford, VT Plattsburgh Air Force Base CLOSED

PROFILE: http://www.meetup.com/members/12063990/

MEETUPS JOINED:

http://www.meetup.com/Southern-Vermont-Liberty-Council/

http://www.meetup.com/VermontC4L/

http://www.vt912projects.com/

--------------------------

West Virginia: Kim Kerns <westvirginiarevolution@yahoo.com> ;

PROFILE:

http://www.meetup.com/members/12031993/

MEETUPS JOINED

http://www.meetup.com/GooohHarrisonWV/

http://www.meetup.com/Kanwha-Putnam-County-Ron-Paul-2012/

http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-wv/

=====================

HERE ARE THE FULL ARTICLES, THAT ARE MENTIONED ABOVE, IN LARGE PRINT:

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Feb 18th 2011 11:02am

Filed Under:
fake profiles, falsification, government, social networks, spying

Companies:
hbgary federal


Permalink.

More HBGary Federal Fallout: The Government Wants To Buy Software To Fake Online Grassroots Social Media Campaigns

from the ipropaganda dept

The latest in the long line of revelations from the HBGary Federal email leak, is that HBGary Federal wanted to create software that could make it easy for staffers to create and maintain a massive number of fake online social network personas, allowing them to control virtual armies of totally fake people, whose only mission is to spy on others and spew paid-for propaganda. But, what's even more amazing is that not only did the emails reveal HBGary Federal employees talking about building a platform for letting people more easily manage an army of fake personas, but that the US government put out a request for exactly that kind of software last June, with its request for "Persona Management Software."

Software will allow 10 personas per user, replete with background , history, supporting details, and cyber presences that are technically, culturally and geographacilly consistent. Individual applications will enable an operator to exercise a number of different online persons from the same workstation and without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries. Personas must be able to appear to originate in nearly any part of the world and can interact through conventional online services and social media platforms. The service includes a user friendly application environment to maximize the user's situational awareness by displaying real-time local information.
The request appears to come from the Air Force, and the idea is to use such a tool in Afghanistan and Iraq... but if the government has such tools, is it really that big of a stretch to see them using them in other contexts as well? While I do wonder how effective such a tool really is, the idea that it can pretty successfully build up "friends" using social media, and then use those for propaganda purposes seems just wrong. It seems that even the folks at HBGary Federal were somewhat perplexed by this government opportunity, with one employee sending around an email that said, simply: "WTF Dude?" while someone else questioned whether it could really be serious.

Of course, once again we're seeing HBGary Federal in the middle of a plot that sounds like the script of a bad movie. Still, the question remains: are these kinds of actions par for the course, or did HBGary Federal's boss spend way too much time watching crazy SciFi movies and using them for inspiration?

By Erik Sherman | February 18, 2011
Bad enough that spammers are creating
fake Facebook accounts that acquire connections with unsuspecting people, then inundate them with crap. Now, though, the U.S. military is looking for software and services to manage upwards of 500 fake online personas designed to interact with social media, presumably including such sites as Facebook and Twitter. Last year, the U.S. Air Force created the document, which resides in the federal government’s contract database:

Here’s the description of the basic service sought:
0001- Online Persona Management Service. 50 User Licenses, 10 Personas per user.
Software will allow 10 personas per user, replete with background , history, supporting details, and cyber presences that are technically, culturally and geographacilly consistent. Individual applications will enable an operator to exercise a number of different online persons from the same workstation and without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries. Personas must be able to appear to originate in nearly any part of the world and can interact through conventional online services and social media platforms. The service includes a user friendly application environment to maximize the user’s situational awareness by displaying real-time local information.
In normal language, the Air Force wants software to create and control fictitious online identities, with up to 50 users controlling as many as 10 identities each. Each identity could use social media sites and other online services, giving the impression of an individual but really being a false face for the military.
As the rest of the contract explains, the Air Force would be able to manipulate IP addresses to make these “individuals” appear to be located in any part of the world. That is explicitly to protect the “identity of government agencies and enterprise organizations,” otherwise known as large defense contractors. The system would be used at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa as well as in Kabul, Afghanistan and Baghdad, Iraq.
In 2005, the U.S. military was involved in a multimillion covert operation to plant propaganda in the Iraqi media. So what could the government do with fake online personalities that could use social media sites and services? A number of things come to mind, including the following:
Play a part in antiterrorism activities.
Offer an outlet to disseminate propaganda as though it were the opinions of disinterested individuals.
Keep tabs on what military personnel do online.
What makes this story more complex is that one of the vendors interested in the contract was HBGary Federal, a division of HBGary allegedly hired by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to
attack Chamber critics, as my BNET colleague Alain Sherter writes. Bank of America (BAC) allegedly also hired HBGary Federal to develop plans to attack WikiLeaks, which had rumored to be readying a release of internal BoA documents.
[Update: Slashdot reader AHuxley (musings from a Brave New World?) pointed out an AP investigation showing that the U.S. military spends billions to affect public opinion, both domestic and international, including employing almost as many people in 2009 as the size of the entire State Department for recruitment, advertising, and public relations. There is a long history of government law enforcement and military agencies infiltrating groups that they deemed suspect or dangerous, including the old FBI COINTELPRO program that worked its way into civil rights organizations, among others, from the 1950s through early 70s. And the FBI has also infiltrated mosques more recently.]

Related:

------------------------------------------------------------

Spying on U.S Citizens — Uncle Sam turns his multi-billion dollar espionage network on U.S Citizens

Posted by Alexander Higgins - May 7, 2011 at 8:20 am - Permalink - Source via Alexander Higgins Blog
Spying On US Citizens - Uncle Sam Turns His Espionage Network On US Citizens And Pays 11 Billion A Year To Cover It Up Spying On US Citizens

Spying on U.S Citizens — Uncle Sam turns his multi-billion dollar espionage network on U.S Citizens. Massive spike in domestic spy operations, Over 12,000 “special ops” personnel deployed daily, 100′s of Thousands of secret surveillance requests rubber stamped by crooked judges, secret illegal spy operations conducted in over 75 countries and over $11 billion spent annually to cover it all up. And this is only the tip of the iceberg that the feds were willing to declassify through various Freedom of Information Request. Much more still remains classified in the interest of National Security.

Spying On US Citizens - Uncle Sam Turns His Espionage Network On US Citizens And Pays 11 Billion A Year To Cover It Up Spying On US Citizens

Spying On US Citizens - Uncle Sam Turns His Espionage Network On US Citizens And Pays 11 Billion A Year To Cover It Up Spying On US Citizens


A series of previously classified documents obtained by The Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy reveals that spy operation against U.S citizens here in the homeland have spiked massively over the last year and so has the government’s cost to cover up their plethora of illegal activities.

But first a little background to explain how America has arrived to this point in the first place.

The Executive Branch of the US Government has found a loophole in the legal system that has effectively abolished the constitution by allowing our entire bill of rights to be suspended at will. This probably best explains it.

Understanding Enemy Combatant Status and the Military Commissions Act, Part I. Enemy Combatant Status: No More Pernicious Doctrine

[...]

The Hamdi Decision: A Defeat and Deadly Precedent

The 2004 Supreme Court decision in the case of Yasir Hamdi has been touted by many, including the ACLU, human rights organizations, and the mainstream press, as a victory for civil rights, the Constitution, and the rule of law. It is nothing of the sort. While the Hamdi majority paid lip service to limits on the executive in time of war and to “due process,” it joined Bush as a willing accomplice in his current attempt to murder the Bill of Rights.

Apologists for the Court point out that Bush did not get all that he wanted. That is true. Bush wanted absolute and plenary power to designate anyone, citizen or not, an “enemy combatant” and do as he pleased with them – detaining, interrogating, even torturing and executing them if he saw fit – with no judicial interference at all. Instead, the Court insisted that there be some manner of a deferential administrative hearing before Bush got to do as he wished. That is the only difference of any substance.

Rather than insisting that Hamdi, a U.S. citizen, receive all of the protections of the accused which are his due under the Bill of Rights, the Court breathed new life and legitimacy into this destructive doctrine that had lain around unused and nearly forgotten, like a dusty, but still dangerous “loaded weapon,” since the World War II Ex Parte Quirin decision (1942). The Hamdi Court, citing Quirin, stated unequivocally that “[t]here is no bar to this Nation’s holding one of its own citizens as an enemy combatant.” According to the majority on the Court, the mere labeling of a person as an “enemy combatant” removes the shield of the Bill of Rights and replaces it with a new judge-created system of minimal administrative process to “challenge” that designation.

Under this system, the accused will have none of the procedural protections of our Bill of Rights: No Grand Jury indictment; no trial by jury with its requirement of a unanimous verdict of twelve of one’s peers; no possibility of an unreviewable acquittal and immunity from further prosecution; and no protection against compelled self incrimination. The presumption of innocence is gone, as is the requirement of a showing of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, the government will enjoy a presumption that its allegations are accurate. The accused will have the burden of proving his innocence, but will have no right to compulsory process of witnesses and no right to confront the secret evidence and witnesses against him.

At most, according to the Hamdi majority, “a citizen held in the United States as an enemy combatant [will] be given a meaningful opportunity to contest the factual basis for that detention before a neutral decision maker” and access to counsel to assist (as best they can) in that hearing. The Court made clear that the definition of “a meaningful opportunity” will have to be fleshed out by subsequent courts, and a military tribunal may qualify as a “neutral decision maker” for that minimal, administrative hearing to determine status. And this is touted as a victory.

How did we get here? As war is the greatest engine of tyranny known to man, it should come as no surprise that like many such usurpations before it, this doctrine of absolute power was born in the fires of war.

[...]

Source: Dirt Rhodes Scholar

The United States government has effectively undermined the very foundation of our Nation’s democratic roots and has destroyed the republic and all that for which it stands. Simply by alleging you are a terrorist, treasonous or a threat to national security without any due process of law whatsoever you immediately no longer have any constitutional rights or protections granted there under. Effectively our government has become an evil chameleon acting under the facade of a freedom loving democratic nation and protector of human rights only to shape shift into a ruthless totalitarian dictatorship at will.

Several articles from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Project on Government Secrecy reveals some stunning revelations about how out of control America’s espionage network has become through information learned from a series of documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

The information reveals that the US Government has been approved for hundreds of thousands of surveillance requests by categorically labeling hundreds of thousands of US Citizens as suspected “terrorists”, ie enemy combatants. As we have seen over the years the Department of Homeland Security is amassing a massive database of all kinds of “threats to National Security” from you local activists protesting against fracking that pollutes drinking water of millions of people to those attending anti-nuclear rallies.

The method really is ingenious. In essence the United States has declare war against its very own citizens and all civil and constitutional rights are immediately abolished.

The reports reveal the massive spike in domestic spying of alleged “suspected terrorists” has increased massively under the Obama administration and comes along with a bill of over $11 billion dollars to cover up their illegal activities, I mean classify them.

The massive increase in secrecy spending is also coupled with new that over 12,000 “special ops” are deployed in various covert operations on a daily basis to over 75 countries around the world.

Highlights:

  • Courts rubber stamped 1,579 applications for foreign intelligence purposes, along with 96 applications for access to business records and a whopping 24,287 “national security letter” requests to spy on 14,212 different U.S. persons.
  • While Obama has stumped on the campaign trail with repeated promises of “transparency” a sharp rise in national security secrecy under his watch was matched by a sharp increase in the financial costs of the classification system, causing classification-related costs to a whopping $11.42 which was a new record high.
  • The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has grown steadily by 3 to 5% every year since 9/11 bring the total number of special forces personal to over 60,000 with a total annual cost of $9.8 billion for 2011 and a requested budget of $10.5 billion for 2012.
  • It was reported that on any given day last year in excess of 12,000 Special Operations Forces are deployed in action in more than 75 countries across the globe.

Domestic Intelligence Surveillance Grew in 2010

FAS reports that the Feds have increased domestic spy operations in every available arena that they were required to report on. It should be noted that these figures do not include numbers for the various methods of spying on US citizens the Government implements for which they need not receive permission, such as warrant-less wiretapping, GPS tracking and of course the various CIA and NSA spy operations which are considered “a matter of national security.

FAS first reports on applications granted through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

“During calendar year 2010, the Government made 1,579 applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (hereinafter ‘FISC’) for authority to conduct electronic surveillance and/or physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes,” according to the new report (pdf). This compares to a reported 1,376 applications in 2009. (In 2008, however, the reported figure — 2,082 — was quite a bit higher.)

They then also highlight espionage applications which granted access to spy on business records.

In 2010, the government made 96 applications for access to business records (and “tangible things”) for foreign intelligence purposes, up from 21 applications in 2009.

And finally touch base on the astounding level of “national security level” requests granted to the FBI

In 2010, the FBI made 24,287 “national security letter” requests for information pertaining to 14,212 different U.S. persons, a substantial increase from the 2009 level of 14,788 NSL requests concerning 6,114 U.S. persons. (In 2008, the number of NSL requests was 24,744, pertaining to 7,225 persons.)

Finally they note that there is no indication that the Federal Governments oversight spying on U.S citizens has grown the amount of spying that is being done.

A copy of the latest report to Congress, dated April 29, was released under the Freedom of Information Act.

A recent report from the Congressional Research Service addressed “Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Set to Expire May 27, 2011 (pdf). FISA Amendments in the USA Patriot Act were discussed at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Reauthorization of the Patriot Act” (pdf) on March 9, 2011, the record of which has just been published. Related issues were discussed in another House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Permanent Provisions of the Patriot Act” (pdf) on March 30, 2011.

Annual Secrecy Costs Now Exceed $10 Billion

Next the FAS newsletter reveals the Federal governments tab to censor and cover up all of their illegal activities to maintain “national security” has grown over 15% since last year reach a staggering $11.42 billion for all “classification-related” expenses. They also reveal that over classification is one of the many contributing factors to the staggering increase in cost.

Ironically the costs for “classification” related expenses” did not include the costs for did not disclose security cost estimates for the large intelligence agencies — the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office — because those costs are considered classified.

When pressed on why the costs of classification for the other agencies could be revealed the government responded because that is classified information. However, as FAS revealed the information is classified because somebody said it’s classified, not because it could demonstrably or even plausibly damage national security.

The rise in national security secrecy in the first year of the Obama Administration was matched by a sharp increase in the financial costs of the classification system, according to a new report to the President (pdf).

The estimated costs of the national security classification system grew by 15% last year to reach $10.17 billion, according to the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO). It was the first time that annual secrecy costs in government were reported to exceed $10 billion.

An additional $1.25 billion was incurred within industry to protect classified information, for a grand total of $11.42 in classification-related costs, also a new record high.

[...]

Many factors contribute to the rise in secrecy costs, but one of them is widespread overclassification. Ironically, the new ISOO report provides a vivid illustration of the overclassification problem.

[...]

Secrecy News asked two security officials to articulate the damage to national security that could result from release of the security cost estimates for the intelligence agencies, but they were unable to do so. They said only that the classification of this information was consistent with intelligence community guidance. But this is a circular claim, not an explanation.

Special Operations Forces on the Rise

Finally the FAS newsletter touches base on the sharp increase in US special forces operations, nothing that special forces and the CIA worked hand in hand the reported assassination of Osama bin laden. Yes, “reported” is there words as well as mine. FAS reports the number of special operations personal has steadily risen 3-5% over the last several years. Over 12,000 Special Ops personnel are deployed to various missions on a daily basis with a budget that has increased from $2.1 billion in 2001 to $9.8 billion for the 2011 fiscal year and a request for $10.5 billion for the 2012 fiscal year.

U.S. Special Operations Forces continue to experience rapid post-9/11 growth, with swelling ranks, rising budgets and a new set of missions. Special operations forces were reportedly involved along with CIA personnel in the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 1.

“Special operations” are defined (pdf) as military operations that are “conducted in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments to achieve military, diplomatic, informational, and/or economic objectives employing military capabilities for which there is no broad conventional force requirement. These operations often require covert, clandestine, or low visibility capabilities…. Special operations differ from conventional operations in degree of physical and political risk, operational techniques, mode of employment, independence from friendly support, and dependence on detailed operational intelligence and indigenous assets.”

[...]

New doctrine (pdf) published last month for Special Operations lists 11 “core activities” versus 9 in the previous edition (2003), reflecting the addition of “security force assistance” — aiding the development of foreign security forces — and counterinsurgency. See “Special Operations,” Joint Publication 3-05, April 18, 2011.In addition to its core tasks, US SOCOM is also assigned by law (10 USC 167j) to perform “such other activities as may be specified by the President or the Secretary of Defense.” This is an open-ended category that is analogous to the statutory language used to authorize CIA covert actions, and it can be used to underwrite an almost unlimited variety of clandestine missions. But while there is a well-defined mechanism for congressional oversight of covert action, no similar process for congressional notification and review appears to exist for clandestine SOF missions.

A U.S. SOCOM Factbook, dated November 2010, is available here (pdf).

Traditionally all male, Special Operations Forces are recognizing new roles for women, Adm. Olson said. “Our attached female Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) allow us to reach key elements of the population in some environments which was not previously possible. This concept of attaching females to SOF units is effective and long overdue; we are urging the Services to recognize the capabilities of CSTs as essential military skills.”

Curiously, Adm. Olson cited the Office of Strategic Services, the CIA precursor organization, as an exemplar of innovation for SOCOM to follow, suggesting that more contemporary models were hard to find. “Our efforts to become more innovative include studying the best practices of other organizations. For example, we are inspired by the ability of the World War II’s Office of Strategic Services to rapidly recruit specialized talent, develop and acquire new technologies and conduct effective global operations within the period of its relatively brief existence.”

Other referenced documents in the Special Ops report which were in text clipped removed from the excerpt

Why Does Any Of This Matter To Me?

So you just mind your own business, do the daily rat race, come home sit on the couch and watch the tube. Rinse, later and repeat. You have nothing to worry about right?

Wrong! Let us not forget history, lest we be bound to repeat the same mistakes.

Nazi Germany:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

And they will come for you. In fact they already are.

Silence is the Death of Liberty

Posted by George Washington – September 14, 2010 at 8:50 pm - Permalink Source via Washington’s Blog

First they tortured a U.S. citizen and gang member …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a criminal

Then they tortured a U.S. citizen, whistleblower and navy veteran …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a whistleblower

Then they locked up an attorney for representing accused criminals …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a defense attorney

Then they arrested a young father walking with his son simply because he told Dick Cheney that he disagreed with his policies …
I remained silent;
I’ve never talked to an important politician

Then they said an entertainer should be killed because she questioned 9/11 …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t an entertainer

Then they arrested people for demanding that Congress hold the President to the Constitution …
I did not speak out;
I’ve never protested in Washington

Then they arrested a man for holding a sign …
I did not speak out;
I’ve never held that kind of sign

Then they broke a minister’s leg because he wanted to speak at a public event …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a religious leader

Then they shot a student with a taser gun and arrested him for asking a question of a politician at a public event …
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a student

They they decided that they could assassinate U.S. citizens without trial
I said nothing;
I assumed I wasn’t on any hit list

When they came for me,
Everyone was silent;
there was no one left to speak out.

Inspired by the poem First They Came by Martin Niemöller, which was written about the Nazis.

I originally wrote this poem in 2007. I have updated it with the additional verse about assassinations.

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