More visitors from the military today. Thank you, come again.
28 Mar, Thu, 06:11:14 BU-WCS1-KELLY.NIPR.MIL Netscape 3 Other
28 Mar, Thu, 06:11:14 BU-WCS2-KELLY.NIPR.MIL Netscape 3 Other
28 Mar, Thu, 07:00:50 yongsan-cache.korea.army.mil MSIE 6 Windows 98
28 Mar, Thu, 08:08:00 cits-amy.robins.af.mil MSIE 5 Windows NT
Relating to the post I made on the 22nd regarding the alleged Al Quaeda plans for chemical weapons, the Guardian reports allegations that the ‘discovery’ of an Al Quaeda biological weapons programs was leaked to the press to justify the deployment of a large force of 1,700 British troops into Afghanistan, the largest British force in the region since the Gulf War.
Of course, the media leaks about labs, no matter how fantastic, only buttress the US line.
The only evidence of a biological weapons laboratory was the discovery last December of an abandoned, half-finished building containing medical equipment, near the Taliban’s former power base of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. This had been reported previously.
The US is desperate to have active associates in their comical ‘war’. They need to give the appearance that a coalition really exists even though it is obvious that the US is involved in a unilateral enterprise that has nothing whatsoever to do with the WTC attacks.
Related:
There have been further reports of American troops abusing Afghans. The soldiers beat them and kicked them. Then shaved their hair and beards, which they are required by their religion to wear, before releasing them four days later. Classy. Makes you proud to be an American.
In an effort to shift focus away from the Government’s development and mishandling of anthrax there comes a timely story in the New York Times. As more evidence comes out that the anthrax that killed 3 people was developed by the United States it becomes necessary to remove scrutiny and place it back onto the mysterious and elusive Al Quaeda. The New York Times article, “US Says It Found Quaeda Lab Being Built to Produce Anthrax”, contains the routine half-truths and innuendo common to US propaganda. It is necessary to interpret the language carefully in order to derive any really useful information.
In an article that suggests Al Quaeda had plans to develop chemical/biological weapons there is astonishingly little substance. The news value is low and the ‘news’ consists mainly of statements of belief attributed to government officials. You hear these sort of phrases often: ‘US says’, ‘Government believes’, ‘According to a confidential assessment’, ‘American officials have repeatedly asserted’. None of those who speak for our government, these officials, are named. So in this case, vague statements are made, the statements consist mainly of the juxtaposition of the words anthrax and Al Quaeda, there is the absence of evidence, and the statements are anonymous. The conclusion is that this is just your ordinary manipulation of public opinion. The sort of thing once practiced in the Soviet Union. The story turns out not to be what Al Quaeda is really doing, but what the US wants to make sure we think they’re really doing. The New York Times journalist does point out the lack of evidence to support these claims by the government, but the overwhelming theme is that these ghostly terrorists are out to develop germ weapons. That’s not to say I think Al Quaeda (if it even exists) or any other terrorist organization would be above using chemical or biological agents. I would not put the use of biological weapons past any group who wished to do violence against others. However, even as Al Quaeda is suspected of planning to develop chemical weapons we know for certain that the US has. The US biological weapons program is advanced and well financed. And unlike any shadowy terrorist organization the United States has shown the proven ability to develop and use chemical and biological weapons against human beings. If you can drop atom bombs or fly planes into buildings you would most likely not be troubled by biological agents.
The point is, I suppose, that the US has no credibility in leading the fight against terrorism. No matter how often it tries to portray itself as the champion of freedom and goodness, the truth remains. Instead of the military acting to defend the people of the United States from violence they have become hired killers and tools of a machiavellian foreign policy.
There is more evidence that the US Military has been lying about body counts. Afghan commanders have reported that as many as 1000 rebels escaped through US perimeters. This would directly contradict the US Military which asserts that that Operation Anaconda was an “unqualified and absolute success” and the suggestion that they completely annihilated the rebel forces due to the overwhelming power and ability of the American forces. However, the evidence supports the claim that the US has been less than honest about the number of enemy dead for public relations purposes. Even our Afghan allies contradict the brilliant victory reported by the US. “Only 50 to 60 were killed. Most of them escaped,” said Gulbuddin, a top aide to Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim. When asked about the US figures of 800-1000 dead Gulbuddin told Reuters: “No, no. It is not so. Most scattered across the mountains and fled.”
The US stands by their claim. Their explanation for a lack of bodies or real evidence to support their estimates? U.S. Major-General Frank Hagenbeck, commander of ground forces in Afghanistan, says that the Al Quaeda bodies were disintegrated by powerful American bombs. “When the troops went in on the ground afterwards they found 40 pairs of shoes,” Hagenbeck said. “All we saw were a couple of body parts sticking out of a 15-foot high mud heap.” This begs the question, why would 40 pairs of shoes not be similarly shredded and why is a pile of shoes considered strong evidence?
There is little reason to take the Military at its word. It has a long history of manipulating body counts and controlling media access to independent information. The Freedom of Press guaranteed by the Constitution has not kept the government from controlling the access of the press and censoring information they feel harms their public image. We may never know how many people have really died. This includes Americans, ‘terrorists’, and innocent civilians. These are troubling times when you cannot tell the good guys from the bad guys.
Thank goodness for the ACLU (membership 35$). They’re trying to block the use of an x-ray security machine that can view your body through clothing [pic].
“This body-scan technology is nothing more than an electronic strip search,” said Barry Steinhardt, ACLU Associate Director. “This technology brings an extraordinary potential for abuse. We certainly should not be using it in our airports before other, less intrusive alternatives have been tried out.”
Steinhardt cited as an example of a less-intrusive approach another technology being tested in Orlando, a particle analyzer that blows air on passengers as they walk through a short corridor and reacts if any explosives particles are detected.
One journalist’s experience trying to find out about shadow government bunker ‘Site-R’. This piece also illustrates the operating mentality of the FBI and other fascist cogs. *chuckle* I’m heartened to know that if and when we are attacked with nuclear weapons our fearless leaders will be snug and safe deep in their underground burrows:
“Are you an American?” he shouts, shaking his head. “Do you speak English?
I answer yes to both.
“Do you read English?”
Before I can answer that question, he shouts again, demanding that I take my hands out of my pockets because, he says, “it makes me want to shoot somebody.”
Then he launches into his take on the media.
“Our boys are dying over there. Unacceptable. You guys in the media, don’t you think that Saddam Hussein was watching CNN?” …
Then Powers.
“Tell your buddies in the media to keep the body count down,” he says. “Now, I don’t expect to see you up here again. Understand?” …
And, this is from the secretive fellow who wanted to sell the reporter photos of Site R over the internet:
From Texans for Public Justice:
A little more than a year after more than 200 “Pioneers” narrowly helped put him in the White House, George W. Bush has rewarded at least 43 of these elite fundraisers with federal appointments. The Bush “Pioneers” raised a minimum of $100,000 for Bush by bundling together contributions of up to $1,000 (the legal limit) from other individuals. Bush’s 43 Pioneer appointees delivered more than $4.3 million to Bush’s presidential race. Collectively they also gave $204,000 to Bush’s two gubernatorial races.
“Political patronage is alive and well in the Bush White House,” said Craig McDonald, Director of Texans for Public Justice. “Rewarding big donors with ambassadorships is a sure-fire way to keep the campaign money rolling in. If Congress outlaws soft money, Pioneer bundling will become a blueprint for the future of special-interest politics in Washington.”
The highest-ranking Pioneers are Terrorism Czar Tom Ridge (a former Pennsylvania Governor) and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao (an ex-Heritage Foundation Fellow and the wife of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell).
Other Pioneers who received Bush appointments include:
More on the ‘Pioneers’ and their backgrounds available here.