America's Violent Crackdown on Whistleblowers and Dissent

RT interviewed Naomi Wolf.  The tape is chilling:



U.S. District Court of New York struck down President Obama's right to snatch citizens off the street and hold them without charges or trial.

President Obama's lawyers refused to reveal if they're complying with a ban against indefinite detention of citizens.  For all of Obama's 2008 campaign talk, he's a bigger Unitary Executive than W.

(Thanks to Economic Policy Journal)

U.S. Israel Military Exercise on Iran

Haaretz reported:

The U.S. and Israeli navies conducted a joint search-and-rescue exercise in the Mediterranean Sea last week. The four-day exercise, known as Reliant Mermaid, included the use of live fire, and the U.S. participants included Aegis guided-missile destroyers of the type that would in theory be used to help defend Israel against Iranian missiles. But the exercise didn't include any missile interceptions - though such interceptions are supposed to be part of a bigger joint exercise in another two months.

Though the exercise is supposed to take place annually, this is actually the first time it has taken place in three years.

Nothing to worry about here.  It's just an irregular, regular thing. America's tampering in global affairs wouldn't end with a Romney-Ryan tickert.  Paul Ryan offered:

Let me be really clear. Under President Romney, our adversaries will think twice about challenging America and our allies because we believe in peace through strength. There will be no daylight between America and our friends around the world.

It harkens back to President George W. Bush's clipped speech and mentality of "you're either with us, or against us." 

Clinton & Lieberman on Iran

The Jerusalem Post reported:

“I have absolutely no doubt that it is within our power to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons country.  The question is not whether we can stop them, but whether we will choose to stop them.”

To that end, he pointed to a bipartisan Senate resolution with 78 cosponsors declaring that when it comes to Iran, “all options are on the table except one, and that one is containment of a nuclear Iran.”

The US-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act passed both houses of Congress and is headed to President Obama's desk.

Lieberman loves war, as evidenced by his position:

The US soon faces a choice between allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons or taking military action to stop it.

“For me, there is only one choice.”

More war.  Lieberman is joined by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Update 7-29-30:  President Obama's National Security Advisor Tom Donilon shared Iranian strike plans with Israeli leaders (Haaretz) and Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was in Israel for a campaign fundraiser, during which he made war talk.  Jerusalem Post reported "The cost to attend the event, where Romney is expected to appear for 45 minutes, is $50,000 a couple."

U.S. Navy Buildup in Persian Gulf Continues

Jerusalem Post reported on the latest arrival for the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf:

The USS Ponce, described as an "afloat forward staging base" (AFSB), arrived on Thursday after undergoing refitting for its new mission.

This followed the deployment of four minesweepers.   The U.S. has huge assets in the Persian Gulf and Africa.  They're part of a chess game or plans for the next war. 

Update 7-13-12:  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is headed to Israel for two days of meetings.  The number one topic is Iran.

War is the Point

Syrian rebel forces resorted to roadside bombs and kidnappings, the very thing the U.S. decried in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Reports have the West already helping
Syrian rebels.  Just as in Libya, the U.S. wants Syrian regime change.  American black ops preceded formal declarations of support in Libya.   

Turkish Jet Shot Down: Inciting Incident for War?

Bloomberg reported:

A Turkish warplane shot down by Syrian forces was in international airspace when it was struck, and Turkey is still weighing a response to the attack, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu said.

The unarmed plane briefly entered Syrian airspace minutes before it was hit on June 22, and then plunged into Syrian waters about 8 miles (13 kilometers) offshore, Davutoglu said on state television today. It was on a test flight related to Turkey’s radar system, and was not spying on Syria, he said. The plane was clearly identifiable as Turkish, and Syria made no attempt to issue a warning after the earlier infringement, Davutoglu said. Turkish rescue teams are still searching for the F4 Phantom jet’s two crew members, he said. 

The Turkish Foreign Minister went on to say, “No one should doubt Turkey’s determination to do what is necessary” in response to the incident.  CNN cited Turkey's classification of the downing as a hostile act.

BBC reported:

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said Syria's actions were "outrageous" and underlined "how far beyond accepted behaviour the Syrian regime has put itself".

"It will be held to account for its behaviour. The UK stands ready to pursue robust action at the United Nations Security Council."

NATO will meet on the incident Tuesday, June 26.  Meanwhile UN Syria Envoy Kofi Annan is working on a Syria summit for June 30 " to which all potential contributors to a solution would be invited."

Hillary Describes Government Corporate Monstrosity

U.S. Secretary of State described her Global Statecraft Initiative Agenda as:
"harnessing global economics to strengthen our diplomacy abroad." 

We have to position ourselves to lead in a world where security and prosperity are shaped in boardrooms and on trading floors, as well as battlefields or diplomatic negotiations.  That's why I'm pleased to announce a new initiative called Global Economic Statecraft Day.

Frankly, it sounds much like her husband's Clinton Global Initiative, the must make event for American brand global corporate CEOs.  Hillary touched on public-private partnerships, which have private equity firms salivating over guaranteed 20% annual returns.

Boardrooms seek the lowest global common denominator on worker pay and benefits.  Trading floors are structured by and benefit the greed boys, until their machinations explode in their faces, after which they ask government to backstop their losses.

America's Red and Blue parties spend billions for the right to captain the G portion of the Government-Corporate Monstrosity (GCM).  Think Eisenhower's Military Industrial Complex on trillions in federal steroids.

President Bill Clinton courted the GCM hard in his second term in office.  His Clinton Global Initiative is a huge GCM annual gathering.  It seems Hillary's Global Economic Statecraft is but a variation of her husband's theme.

Update 6-27-12:  Bloomberg Government noted PEU's propensity to feed off the federal teat.