Cheney Wanted to Use Military for Arrests to "Test Constitution"

Hey Obama, Dick Cheney is a war criminal and traitor to the Constitution... Stop protecting him and do what the Constitution says we should do to them.

Rachel Maddow interviews director Alex Gibney of "Taxi to the Darkside"

Excerpted from the LA Times:

Senior Bush administration officials held a series of meetings in the White House in 2002 and 2003 to discuss allowing the CIA to use harsh interrogation methods on Al Qaeda detainees, according to a written statement Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently provided to Senate investigators.

Rice's written response to investigators on the Senate Armed Services Committee marks the first time a high-ranking White House official has formally acknowledged the White House discussions, which led to the CIA's use of waterboarding and other coercive methods.

In particular, Rice wrote in the Sept. 12 statement that officials discussed simulated torture techniques that elite U.S. soldiers were subjected to as part of a survival training program, and that she and other officials were told that such methods "had been deemed not to cause significant physical or psychological harm."

Rice, who was serving as national security advisor at the time of the discussions, did not identify the source of that assertion. She was referring to a U.S. military program known as Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, or SERE, which at times has included waterboarding and other controversial methods subsequently employed by the CIA.

Parents question why Ozark police used stun gun on injured son

Excerpted from KY3.com:

By the time officers arrived, the teen was off the 30-foot overpass, lying on the shoulder below along U.S. 65, with no good explanation as to how he got there.

“According to the doctors, all injuries are consistent with a fall,” said his aunt, Samantha.

Mace's dad believes it was just that, a fall, not a jump. The question is why.

“They tested his system. He was clean of drugs and alcohol. We don't know why unless just being in shock and the whole thing in itself caused him to forget everything,” said Hutchinson.

His aunt says he is undergoing major surgery for a broken back and broken heel. While he was lying on the ground, she wonders why Ozark police used an electric stun gun on him up to 19 times.

“I'm not an officer, but i don't see the reason for ‘Tasering’ somebody laying there with a broken back. I don't consider that a threat,”

His dad says the use of the stun gun delayed what would have been immediate surgery by two days.

“The ‘Tasering’ increased his white blood cell count and caused him to have a temperature so they could not go into the operation.”

“He refused to comply with the officers and so the officers had to deploy their Tasers in order to subdue him. He is making incoherent statements; he's also making statements such as, ‘Shoot cops, kill cops,’ things like that. So there was cause for concern to the officers,” said Ozark Police Capt. Thomas Rousset.

Police say although there are several unanswered questions; the reason for the use of a stun gun is not one of them.

“It's a big concern for the officers to keep this guy out of traffic, to keep him from getting hurt,” said Rousset.

Ok, where do I start?

1. He was reported on top of a 30 ft overpass and when they get there he is below it lying on the ground. Gee, I wonder how he got there, an elevator perhaps?

2. He is obviously underage.

3. He isn't moving, most likely because (and I am no Adrian Monk or Sherlock Holmes but I'm guessing) he fell!!!

4. They wanted him to move away from traffic so he doesn't hurt himself.

Ok... So why the fuck did you tase him not once, but nineteen times?!?

Oh because he supposedly said "shoot police" and "kill cops"? You no what that sounds like to me? Bullshit. Only in the Ozarks.

I hope his family sues them into oblivion.

Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations

Iraqi veteran Mike Prysner discusses how racism is used as a tool by the elite:

Poor and working people in this country are sent to kill poor and working people in another country to make to make the rich richer, and without racism soldiers would realize they have more in common with the Iraqi people than with the billionaires who send us to war.

Thank Dog for Free Speech TV.

Torture makes Interrogator's "Dicks Hard"

Excerpted from The UK Guardian:

Under Beaver's guidance, a list of ideas slowly emerged. Potential techniques included taking the detainees out of their usual environment, so they didn't know where they were or where they were going; the use of hoods and goggles; the use of sexual tension, which was "culturally taboo, disrespectful, humiliating and potentially unexpected"; creating psychological drama. Beaver recalled that smothering was thought to be particularly effective, and that Dunlavey, who'd been in Vietnam, was in favour because he knew it worked.

The younger men would get particularly agitated, excited even: "You could almost see their dicks getting hard as they got new ideas." A wan smile crossed Beaver's face. "And I said to myself, you know what, I don't have a dick to get hard. I can stay detached."

That basically sums it up. Now when are these fucks who are responsible going to jail?

David Rivkin Defends Waterboarding

A caller tells Rivkin that he witnessed a Vietmanese woman who died from this very same "enchanced interrogation technique" and all he can do is set up the strawman/slippery slope argument that opponents of waterboarding would do away with interrogation all together if they got their way.

I was actually looking for a video in which a viewer calls tells him he should try waterboarding and Rivkin says he is tempted to. I found it but the sound is off. This jackass also says that the Justice Department is not politicized. So douche bag, why is it the first question these fired U.S. attourneys were asked who they voted for? I guess it was for shits and giggles.

Candidates taking a stand against torture

It seems the good folks at the American Freedom Campaign have taken it upon themselves to send a pledge to all the presidential candidates stating:

“We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people’s phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power.

"I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President."

This is an important, the Constiution should be the law, and as you may well know, all civil servants swear an oath to uphold the Constitution. The fact that the Bush Administration has violated this oath repeatedly should be grounds for impeachment, but thanks to the acquiescence of congress and the "liberal" media, it will take nothing short of a blowjob to remove this dictator. So the question is, which candidates pledging to support the Constitution?

Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Senator John Edwards (D-NC)
Senator Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Senator Barack Obama (D-IL)
Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM)

Not one Republican candidate has signed, but to be fair one Republican candidate has signed a similar pledge from American Freedom Agenda. That candidate is the only Republican running who isn't a frothing at the mouth fascist: Ron Paul.

Secret U.S. Endorsement of Severe Interrogations

Excerpted from The New York Times:

The new opinion, the officials said, for the first time provided explicit authorization to barrage terror suspects with a combination of painful physical and psychological tactics, including head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures.

Mr. Gonzales approved the legal memorandum on “combined effects” over the objections of James B. Comey, the deputy attorney general, who was leaving his job after bruising clashes with the White House. Disagreeing with what he viewed as the opinion’s overreaching legal reasoning, Mr. Comey told colleagues at the department that they would all be “ashamed” when the world eventually learned of it.

Emphasis by Mildly Brilliant editor.

Democracy march crushed in Burma

Remember how Bush apologists tried label the Iraq invasion as a humanitarian effort to free Iraqi citizens from a vicious dictator? Where is their humanitarian spirit now? Hell, where was it when Liberia was asking for our help? Well if our government doesn't care then perhaps the businesses there might step in... Not likely, but Human Rights Watch is urging them to do so.

Excerpted from Human Rights News:

“Companies doing business in Burma argue their presence is constructive and will benefit the Burmese people, but they have yet to condemn the government’s abuses against its own citizens,” said Arvind Ganesan, director of the Business and Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “Keeping quiet while monks and other peaceful protesters are murdered and jailed is not evidence of constructive engagement.”

Human Rights Watch said that companies operating in Burma should use their influence with the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to put an end to ongoing human rights abuses. In the current environment, companies should urge the SPDC to halt the crackdown, release all political prisoners, and open a real dialogue with opposition and ethnic groups. If the situation does not improve, companies should be prepared to reconsider their operations in the country.

Of course those who have studied fascism know why big business embraces fascism: Civil liberties get in the way of making big bucks, why treat a worker decent when you can work him to death and then hire another?

Woman Arrested for Reading 1st Ammendment at Pro-War Rally

No Miranda rights, nor stated reason for arrest. Welcome to the police state.

Iraq: Blackwater guards fired unprovoked

Excerpted from Yahoo:

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said Iraqi authorities had completed an investigation into the Sept. 16 shooting in Nisoor Square in western Baghdad and concluded that Blackwater guards were responsible for the deaths.

He told The Associated Press that the conclusion was based on witness statements as well as videotape shot by cameras at the nearby headquarters of the national police command. He said eight people were killed at the scene and three of the 15 wounded died in hospitals.

Blackwater, which provides most of the security for U.S. diplomats and civilian officials in Iraq, has insisted that its guards came under fire from armed insurgents and shot back only to defend themselves.

Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said Saturday that she knew nothing about the videotape and was contractually prohibited from discussing details of the shooting.

Khalaf also said the ministry was looking into six other fatal shootings involving the Moyock, N.C.-based company in which 10 Iraqis were killed and 15 wounded. Among the shootings was one Feb. 7 outside Iraqi state television in Baghdad that killed three building guards.

"These six cases will support the case against Blackwater, because they show that it has a criminal record," Khalaf said.

Khalaf said the report was "sent to the judiciary" although he would not specify whether that amounted to filing of criminal charges. Under Iraqi law, an investigating judge reviews criminal complaints and decides whether there is enough evidence for a trial.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh denied that authorities had decided to file charges against the Blackwater guards and said Saturday that no decision had been taken whether to seek punishment.

"The necessary measures will be taken that will preserve the honor of the Iraqi people," he said in New York, where al-Maliki arrived Friday for the U.N. General Assembly session. "We have ongoing high-level meetings with the U.S. side about this issue."

Al-Maliki is expected to raise the issue with Bush during a meeting Monday in New York.

It is doubtful that foreign security contractors could be prosecuted under Iraqi law. A directive issued by U.S. occupation authorities in 2004 granted contractors, U.S. troops and many other foreign officials immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law.

Emphasis by editor

O'Reilly: Andrew Meyer is "Biggest Wimp in America"

Someone ought to film Bill O'Really being tased and let's see how manly he reacts. Then again he claims that he was tased for a story. Maybe that was the same year he got his Peabody.

Student at University of Florida Tased by Police.

Video of afterward...



This is bad. The student asks a question, although it be a lengthy one and he is arrested. As he is being lifted out of the forum he dramatically shouts "help me" and eventually tries to break free, which leads to him being restrained and cuffed on ground. He rightfully asks what he has done and then in an ultimate act of cowardice the police tase an unarmed and restrained student!!! And what was his question?

Andrew Meyers: "I want to recommend a book to you. It's called 'Armed Madhouse by Greg Palast.' He's the top investigative journalist in America."

Kerry: "I have the book. I've already read it."

Andrew Meyers: "... In this book, it says there were 5 million votes and you won the election. ... How could you concede the election on the day?"

This is not only a legitimate question that I would like to see answered, but apparently one that is grounds for being arrested. I do have to admit that Mr. Meyers question had exceeded the time limit and he was actin like a jackass when they started to carry him away, but there is absolutely no excuse for these cops to tase him, especially when he was already handcuffed. If I was him I would have told them I was going to going to sue the Hell out of them--which probably would have gotten me tased again, but that would make my lawsuit that much stronger.

I hope he sues them for all they got and they lose their jobs. But this besides the point. What is wrong with our country? I first saw this on CNN, then I switched over MSNBC. For shits and giggles I flipped over to FOX NOISE. Predictably, Bill O'Reilly was defending the actions of the cops with a tortured form of pretzel logic that made George Orwell approach 7000 RPM's in his grave. None of the stations mentioned that the yellow book in his hands was Greg Palast's "Armed Madhouse," nor did any of them play the question that got him tased. Though I expected as much from our mainstream media. The fact that Kerry didn't try to stop it or say something at the moment didn't shock me either. What shocked me is the amount of idiots on Youtube who defended the cops actions, made snide remarks about how the taser should have more juice, or that he should have been tased more.

To these people all I can say is this: You have a right to your opinion however crass and wrong it may be. That opinion is supposed to be protected by the first amendment that you obviously don't believe in by your support of this egregious abuse of power. Should you spout your inane bullshit in person around me, you will wish I had a taser...

Update: Police are recommending a felony charge. I recommend suing the fuck out of the police department.

The Shock Doctrine

Only a crisis actual or percieved produces real change.

--Milton Friedman

This short film explains how society as a whole is being manipulated to accept the saddistic policies of "disaster capitalism." It starts off with the history CIA funded studies on shock therapy and progresses to the "alternative interrogation" techiques which are being honed in Iraq at the moment. All of which begs the question: Who will these technichs bennefit, and who will they ultimately be used on?

Quote Du Jour

"I'm not a trained interrogator, and there was one time I'm yelling a lot at this guy who's a chicken farmer, and that set up moral alarms for me," the young veteran said. "I thought, when did fighting for democracy come down to yelling at chicken farmers?"

--Evan Knappenberger, Iraq War Veteran (Army.) -Attribution.

Keith Olberman on the Death of Habeas Corpus

Keith Olberman, the talking head with balls of steel, comments on the signing of the Military Commission Act and what this means for American citizens. What this means is essentially the legal death of Habeas Corpus.

Blast from the Past: Michael Hayden and the Fourth Amendment

In this disturbing exchange we see former head of the NSA, General Michael Hayden, argue with reporter Jonathan Landay that the words "probable cause" are not found in the Fourth Amendment. I don't want to spoil the suprise for you, but "probable cause" is the measure for issuing a warrant in the Fourth Amendment. Of course, I would find this exceptionally humorous had not Bush recently appointed this man to be the new head of the CIA.

Who needs the 4th amendment anyways