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The Daily Muck
Exclusive: The Secret War Against Iran
"A Pakistani tribal militant group responsible for a series of deadly guerrilla raids inside Iran has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials since 2005, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence sources tell ABC News. US officials say the relationship is arranged so that the US provides no funding to the group, which would require an official presidential order or "finding" as well as congressional oversight." (ABC's The Blotter)
Schumer Defies Justice
"Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) last week ignored a plea from the Bush administration by demanding that Kyle Sampson name other U.S. attorneys the Justice Department had been planning to fire. Schumer’s query to the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at last Thursday’s Judiciary Committee hearing is notable because he made it in highly public fashion after the Justice Department already gave him access to the answer." (The Hill)
New Mexico GOPs Face More Questions About Iglesias
"Statements from Sampson, who served as chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales before resigning last month, to the Judiciary Committee last Thursday are placing additional pressure on New Mexico GOP Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) for making potentially coercive calls made to US Attorney David Iglesias. Domenici and Wilson dispute the nature of the calls; the Senate Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into the matter, while members of the House ethics panel have refused to comment on whether they’ve launched a probe." (The Hill)
Police Log Confirms FBI Role in Arrests
"A secret FBI intelligence unit helped detain a group of war protesters in a downtown Washington parking garage in April 2002 and interrogated some of them on videotape about their political and religious beliefs, newly uncovered documents and interviews show. For years, the FBI and D.C. police said they had no records of such an incident." (Washington Post)
NIH Sidelines Contractor in Conflict Inquiry
"The National Institutes of Health has temporarily suspended a federal contractor that had been reviewing the health dangers of chemicals for the government while also working for the chemical industry. For eight years, Sciences International, an Alexandria, Va., consulting firm, played a major management and scientific role at the federal Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, which is responsible for deciding which chemicals harm human reproduction." (LA Times)
Comments (20)
Michael Jones wrote on April 4, 2007 10:33 AM:Iran Contra II- Starring most of the same guys, but featuring "W". Remember how indignant we were about Iran supporting militant factions in Iraq?
God of Gods wrote on April 4, 2007 10:52 AM:"No funding" is not the same as "No indirect funding"
Jundullah is the next Al-Qaeda
Abd el Malik Reg is the next UBL.
You're doing a heckuva job Bushies!
After having installed a pro-Hizbollah, pro-extremist-Iranian, Shiite fundy govt in Iraq, what will the Bushies do for an encore?
Anonymous wrote on April 4, 2007 10:56 AM:All of that free, newly printed US cash that was "lost" and "stolen" after being shipped over to Baghdad had to end up somewhere.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on April 4, 2007 11:11 AM:Anyone hear anything about the attack on Iran scheduled from 4 a.m. until 4 p.m. on April 6, Good Friday?
12 hours straight sounds a lot like carpet bombing to me. I wonder if we are doing urban centers, etc.
Scott wrote on April 4, 2007 11:17 AM:There was a potentially very significant story a couple weeks ago in.... Can't now recall where it was, but in any event the story dwelt on the massive increase in cash military assistance we have given Pakistan over the past few years, and how loosely it has been handled (even to the extent that Pakistan bills us for "expected operating costs in Q4" as opposed to concrete line items and receipts, which we demand from everyone else). So, potentially, this is how it is done: We give piles of cash to the Pakistanis, and after the various rake-offs, there is enough left to incentivise and equip tribal groups, who are our proxy force in Iran. The real question is, what is the ultimate objective of these tribal groups, and what unintended consequences are being set up here (as was the case in Iran-Contra)? If this approach works at any level, it is likely that the blow-back will be a bitch.
3G wrote on April 4, 2007 11:26 AM:Iran to release British captives.
http://www.nytimes.com/
B W wrote on April 4, 2007 11:29 AM:Brits Pardoned Only After Iranian Diplomat Released
Babel-17 wrote on April 4, 2007 11:30 AM:newsweek.washingtonpost.com/
http://tinyurl.com/2zark7
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3005348
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jundullah
Top link is to the Nightline video.
Robin Boerner wrote on April 4, 2007 11:58 AM:Anyone hear anything about the attack on Iran scheduled from 4 a.m. until 4 p.m. on April 6, Good Friday?
12 hours straight sounds a lot like carpet bombing to me. I wonder if we are doing urban centers, etc.
Posted by: Mrs Panstreppon
Date: April 4, 2007 11:11 AM
I have read several accounts this week of people in Iran being told to get get by then, that Russia sent out a warning to their employees the bombing was to start. I haven't yet come across any actual copy of any Russian order.
Bush is trying as hard as he can to provoke a war with Iran. It's only a matter of time.
In his warped little mind it must make sense...losing in Afhganistan, losing in iraq, our military stretched thin, of course, attack a third country.
3G wrote on April 4, 2007 12:08 PM:You gotta wonder....Did the Russians get the intel from the GWB43.com mail server?? Even if the story is fake, its still nagging at me.
That whole RNC mail server thing is going to implode on the RNC...eventually.
Anonymous wrote on April 4, 2007 12:12 PM:We should be really worried about military readiness Stateside.
9/11 should have taught us that a robust home defense is essential, yet, again, we have our forces deployed externally.
Yet the home defense is depoyed.
legion wrote on April 4, 2007 12:16 PM:Hey, you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists. Unless you _are_ the terrorists, in which case we'll make you a nice offer to be with us. Unless you're against us, and then we'll kill you. With terrorists.
'60s Flashback wrote on April 4, 2007 12:30 PM:Message to the G-Men spying on everyone:
I wear black all of the time and have lots of tattoos.
Come and get me, motherfuckers!
Robin Boerner wrote on April 4, 2007 12:41 PM:Mrs. P,
This is an interesting article out of Bahrain. One of the other rumors is that hotel rooms are seeing business people leaving and American military taking their place....along with the news crews that follow wars.
US denies 'quit Bahrain' warning
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 2nd April 2007
AMERICANS are not being advised to leave Bahrain, a US Embassy spokeswoman stres-sed yesterday. Rumours circulated widely in the country last week that Americans have been asked to ensure that in the eventuality of any escalation in tensions with Iran that they be prepared to leave immediately.
The rumours may have stemmed from an article published online by Israeli website Debkafile, which stated that Americans have been advised to "pack up and leave" Bahrain due increased tensions following the seizure of 15 British sailors and marines by Iran.
The website quoted officers from the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, saying that there was a hint of approaching war in Iran.
High-ranking officials have denied the rumours, including a senior representative of the White House, who stated in a Press conference that he hasn't heard anything about the advisory.
"There is no truth in it," United States Embassy Public Affairs officer Helen LaFave told the GDN.
"If you go to our website there is no such information out there.
"The rumours are ridiculous.
"The United States embassy has nothing to do with starting any (of the rumours)."
The United States' Fifth Fleet also denied having released any information to the website.
"These are completely unfounded rumours," said Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lieutenant Denise Garcia.
"We have not put out any nor are we aware of any actions that would lead to this kind of reporting.
"I have no idea why (Debkafile) reported that there has been an influx of US military personnel in the region.
"The news that 90 per cent of hotels in the UAE are occupied by US military personnel is completely unfounded."
The site also reported that Western media crews normally employed in military coverage are arriving in packs.
Lieutenant Garcia said that with the increased tempo of having two aircraft carriers in the Gulf, namely the USS John C Stennis and the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, there might have been many requests from media.
"There is also the upcoming Formula One event, which is possibly why there are more foreign media arriving in Bahrain," she said.
"(The story on Debkafile) is completely untrue."
The United States Embassy's website did not carry anything advising Americans to leave Bahrain yesterday.
Its last Warden Message on the US Citizens Services section is dated March 28, which advised Americans in Bahrain of events or gatherings that may affect them.
These events included four gatherings held over last weekend in villages located in Riffa, Hamad Town and Budaiya.
Americans are also urged by the embassy to monitor events in the local press and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
"We wish to remind Americans that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence," said the message.
"If you find yourself encountering large unexpected gatherings or demonstrations, you should simply depart the area."
Meanwhile, more than 6,000 sailors onboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz leave San Diego, California, United States, today for the Gulf.
Nimitz, a nuclear-powered carrier based at North Island Naval Air Station in California, will replace the Eisenhower and join the Stennis in the Gulf and Horn of Africa regions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
melior wrote on April 4, 2007 12:44 PM:© Gulf Daily News
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/printnews.asp?Article=176332
“The Department is greatly concerned about any public disclosure of the identities of the U.S. Attorneys who were considered for possible replacement but not asked to resign,” Hertling wrote.
"Sunshine is dangerous..." -Timbuk 3
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on April 4, 2007 1:59 PM:For the last six months, anyone paying attention to the news has known all along that the plan is to attack Iran in the spring. It may not be on Good Friday but it will be sometime soon.
Bush's job is to keep the war going in the Middle East and get a hold of the Iranian oil business. He doesn't give a shit about his ratings or his legacy.
Bush was elected to take care of corporate America and especially the energy and defense industries.
Bush's supporters consider the Bush presidency to be a resounding success and the rest of us can all go fuck ourselves for all George W. Bush cares.
Nothing we can say or do will stop George W. Bush from starting another goddamn war.
LnGrrrR wrote on April 4, 2007 2:27 PM:Pfft...I'd like some sources before I believe this...ABC News has a tendency not to use those...sorry if I'm skeptical.
Impeach Bush wrote on April 4, 2007 2:36 PM:Executive Order No. 13224
Executive Order on Terrorist Financing
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010924-1.html
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America,... hereby order:
...
Section 2(d)
the term "terrorism" means an activity that --
(i) involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, property, or infrastructure; and
(ii) appears to be intended --
(A) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(B) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(C) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, kidnapping, or hostage-taking.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 23, 2001.
Gregory X wrote on April 4, 2007 5:19 PM:A covert war just wouldn't be the same without heroin smuggling on the side. I am sure European countries will be very happy with all the cheap smack on it's way, courtesy of the USA.
britney spears upskirt wrote on September 28, 2007 9:07 PM:britney spears upskirt