Tuesday, May 24 2011   -   9/11 Consequences

May 24, 2011
By Laurie Kellman

WASHINGTON--The tortoise-like Senate is under uncommon pressure to pass a four-year extension of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act before key provisions expire Friday. But the deadline is even tighter, because President Barack Obama is in Europe.

Any extension passed by the Senate must be sent to the House and passed there, then flown overseas to be signed into law.

So the Senate's deadline for passage is more like midweek. And that's no accident.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who not long ago vowed to have a full week of debate on the Patriot Act extension, has instead backed up the vote against a tighter deadline to limit debate over legislation some say is less necessary now that al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden is dead.

Another motivator: The Senate's weeklong Memorial Day break begins just after the Patriot Act deadline.

 

Tuesday, May 24 2011   -   Research/Evidence

23 May 2011
by Jeffrey Kaye
Truthout

A great deal of controversy has arisen about what was known about the movements and location of Osama bin Laden in the wake of his killing by US Special Forces on May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Questions about what intelligence agencies knew or didn't know about al-Qaeda activities go back some years, most prominently in the controversy over the existence of a joint US Special Forces Command and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) data mining effort known as "Able Danger."

What hasn't been discussed is a September 2008 Department of Defense (DoD) inspector general (IG) report, summarizing an investigation made in response to an accusation by a Joint Forces Intelligence Command (JFIC) whistleblower, which indicated that a senior JFIC commander had halted actions tracking Osama bin Laden prior to 9/11. JFIC is tasked with an intelligence mission in support of United States Joint Force Command (USJFCOM).

The report, titled "Review of Joint Forces Intelligence Command Response to 9/11 Commission," was declassified last year, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from Steven Aftergood at the Federation of American Scientists.

The whistleblower, who the IG report identified as a former JFIC employee represented only by his codename "IRON MAN," claimed in letters written to both the DoD inspector general in May 2006 and, lacking any apparent action by the IG, to the Office of the National Director of Intelligence (ODNI) in October 2007, that JFIC had withheld operational information about al-Qaeda when queried in March 2002 about its activities by the DIA and higher command officials on behalf of the 9/11 Commission. The ODNI passed the complaint back to the IG, who then opened an investigation under the auspices of the deputy inspector general for intelligence.

 

Monday, May 23 2011   -   In the Media

May 22, 2011
By Kase Wickman
RawStory.com

Thomas Drake worked for the National Security Agency before he was indicted by it. Drake felt that taxpayer money was being misused on unnecessary intelligence, not the information that would lead to the successful capture of terrorists.

While the government says he betrayed his country, Drake, facing 35 years in prison if convicted, says he only pointed out government mismanagement. Drake was imprisoned under the Espionage Act of 1917.

"The entire national security establishment -- it was a failure, a fundamental systemic breakdown," Drake told "60 Minutes"' Scott Pelley in his first televised interview.

Watch the full interview below, which originally aired on "60 Minutes" on May 22, 2011, embedded courtesy of CBS.

 

Monday, May 23 2011   -   9/11 Consequences

Monday, 9 May 2011
Boilingfrogspost.com

Not All Sources and Experts Are Equal--Here Are some Real Ones!

There are 'experts' views,' and then there are experts' views. There are 'government sources,' and then there are government sources. Not all experts are equal. And, not all sources are reliable. Am I talking in riddles? Of course not; give me a chance and I'll explain.

We have members of the popular media (mainstream and quasi-alternatives alike) ever anxious to market and disseminate government conspiracy and propaganda. They, members of the popular media, have their own rolodex of 'experts' and analysts, some on their payroll, to help them propagate the delivery and execution of government-given propaganda-conspiracy. The same principle applies to 'sources.' The popular media relies on their government sources who act as middle-men-government messengers who've been given a government written and approved script to be delivered; almost always anonymously. Well, this is exactly what we have been getting from our media, around the clock, since the announcement of the Bin Laden Death Operation: ever-changing government scripts, delivered mainly by anonymous government sources to the US media, and further embellished and expanded upon by government-connected experts and analysts on the payroll.

On the other hand, there are many independent real experts whose analyses and views you won't, or rarely, get to hear or read about; at least not in the mainstream media or at quasi-alternative sites. And there are current and former government sources not tasked with messenger duties; many of whom don't see the 'calculated' necessity to remain 'anonymous.' I can assure you, you do not, and will not, read or hear these experts' and sources' statements, analyses or views when it comes to government-written stories and their media buddies.

Last weekend Boiling Frogs Post contacted several independent sources and experts, and asked them for their straight-forward take on the absurdity-filled and ever-changing Bin Laden Death story. I say independent, because they are. As you'll see these veterans and sources come from all different walks of Intelligence-Law Enforcement-Military, and as far as political orientation goes, they fall into every single category-liberal, conservative, libertarian and none. I want to thank them all for honoring the request given to them on extremely short notice, and for being honest, direct, commonsensical, and in some cases realistically humorous. Here is what they had to say, and say it briefly per my request, starting with my favorite investigative reporter and bestselling author, whom I respect tremendously and consider 'truly independent,' James Bamford:

 

Monday, May 23 2011   -   9/11 Consequences

by Paul Craig Roberts
May 17, 2011
VDARE.com

In a sensational and explosive TV report, the Pakistani News Agency has provided a live interview with an eye witness to the US attack on the alleged compound of Osama bin Laden. The eye witness, Mohammad Bashir, describes the event as it unfolded. Of the three helicopters, "there was only one that landed the men and came back to pick them up, but as he [the helicopter] was picking them up, it blew away and caught fire." The witness says that there were no survivors, just dead bodies and pieces of bodies everywhere. "We saw the helicopter burning, we saw the dead bodies, then everything was removed and now there is nothing."

I always wondered how a helicopter could crash, as the White House reported, without at least producing injuries. Yet, in the original White House story, the SEALs not only survived a 40-minute firefight with al Qaeda, "the most highly trained, most dangerous, most vicious killers on the planet," without a scratch, but also survived a helicopter crash without a scratch.

. . . Other than on the Veterans Today and ICH Internet sites, I have not seen any mention of the Pakistani news story. If the White House press corps is aware of the report, no one has asked President Obama or his press spokesperson about it. Helen Thomas was the last American reporter sufficiently brave to ask such a question, and she was exterminated by the Israel Lobby.

In America we have reached the point where anyone who tells the truth is dismissed as a "conspiracy theorist" and marginalized. Recently, a professor of nano-chemistry from the University of Copenhagen made a lecture tour of major Canadian universities explaining the research, conducted by himself and a team of physicists and engineers, that resulted in finding small particles of unreacted nano-thermite in dust samples from the wreckage of the World Trade Center towers in addition to other evidence that the professor and the research team regard as conclusive scientific proof that the towers were brought down by controlled demolition.

No American university dared to invite him, and as far as I know no mention of the explosive research report has ever appeared in the American press.

I find it astonishing [continued]

 

Saturday, May 21 2011   -   Anthrax

May 20, 2011
By Greg Gordon
McClatchy Newspapers



WASHINGTON -- Buried in FBI laboratory reports about the anthrax mail attacks that killed five people in 2001 is data suggesting that a chemical may have been added to try to heighten the powder's potency, a move that some experts say exceeded the expertise of the presumed killer.

The lab data, contained in more than 9,000 pages of files that emerged a year after the Justice Department closed its inquiry and condemned the late Army microbiologist Bruce Ivins as the perpetrator, shows unusual levels of silicon and tin in anthrax powder from two of the five letters.

Those elements are found in compounds that could be used to weaponize the anthrax, enabling the lethal spores to float easily so they could be readily inhaled by the intended victims, scientists say.

 

Wednesday, May 18 2011   -   In the Media

May 18, 2011

USA Today has posted an online poll asking whether readers think Champion should have dismissed Rashard Mendenhall as their spokesperson. As of last count, 65% of those voting think the company did the right thing. If you have not read this football running back's Tweets, which initially stirred such "controversy" (read, blather for 24/7 sports "news" and fodder for haters), see this. Mr. Mendenhall's clarification statement, published on his new blog May 4, is also reposted below.

As a mother of three young athletes myself, with ten more years of athletic equipment purchases in front of me, I can state with certainty I will never buy them another product made by this company and will be writing to let them know they should have been proud to have an intelligent, thinking athlete speaking for them.

 

Wednesday, May 18 2011   -   9/11 A/V Galleries

 

Wednesday, May 18 2011   -   Get Involved

Sen. Mike Gravel and Lt. Col. Bob Bowman on Empowering Citizens to End the 9/11 Wars and Restore Lost Liberties

Introductory Speakers

Peter Phillips will be our MC and first speaker. Professor of Sociology at Sonoma State University and former Director of Project Censored, Peter currently co-hosts The Morning Show on KPFA and is President of The Media Freedom Foundation.

Richard Gage, AIA, is well known to many in the Bay Area. He is the dynamic founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, which has grown to 1500 petition signing professionals. He will update us on the many recent activities of AE911Truth.

Introducing Kathy McGrade, a Silicon Valley engineer now affiliated with AE911Truth. Her work includes ensuring the safety of firefighters during structural fires. She presents a sharp critique of the government's account for the demise of the three WTC Towers.

Featured Speakers ...

 

Tuesday, May 17 2011   -   In the Media

May 17, 2011

KPFA, the community radio station in Berkeley, California whose signal reaches one third of the state, is broadcasting a three-and-a-half hour 9/11 special this Thursday, May 19th, from noon to 3:30 PST.

Hosts for the program are: Dennis Bernstein, Bonnie Faulkner, Mickey Huff, and Peter Phillips

Guests during the day will include: 12:15 David Ray Griffin, 12:45 Frank Morales, 1:00 PM Bob Bowman, 1:30 Paul Rea, 2:00 Mike Gravel, 2:30 Carol Brouillet, 2:45 Richard Gage and Kathy McGrade, and more. Clips from Press for Truth, Zero, Griffin's best DVDs will be played on the air.

Program will be on-line live from KPFA.org (listen live here, and archived on line from Noliesradio.org.

This is a fundraiser for KPFA Radio, which as a community radio station is supported by listeners. Please thank the station and these great hosts for airing programming that supports truth as generously as you can.

 

Friday, May 13 2011   -   Other Important News

The Associated Press
First published May 11, 2011
Updated May 12, 2011
Salt Lake Tribune

A federal judge in Utah on Wednesday ordered the FBI to produce more information about its record-keeping in response to an inquiry by a man who contends unreleased video and other records from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing will show more people were involved in the attack.

U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups said he believes Salt Lake City attorney Jesse Trentadue has raised valid questions about whether the agency has done enough to find a pair of videotapes sought as part of a Freedom of Information Act request.

Waddoups also wants to know whether bureau officials believe they can conceal information from the public and the courts and ordered a Department of Justice attorney to detail how difficult it would be for the FBI to manually search for the records in evidence control centers in Oklahoma City, Washington, D.C., and at an FBI crime lab.

 

Saturday, May 7 2011   -   Get Involved

Announcement dated May 6, 2011

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the International Center for 9/11 Studies will sponsor four days of citizen hearings at Ryerson University in the city of Toronto, Canada. These international hearings will be commonly referred to as the Toronto Hearings and more information can be found at http://torontohearings.org/.

The objectives of the hearings are as follows:

(1) To present evidence that the U.S. government's official investigation into the events of September 11, 2001, as pursued by various government and government-appointed agencies, is seriously flawed and has failed to describe and account for the 9/11 events.

(2) To single out the most weighty evidence of the inadequacy of the U.S. government's investigation; to organize and classify that evidence; to preserve that evidence; to make that evidence widely known to the public and to governmental, non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations.

(3) To submit a record and a summary of the Hearings, together with signed Statutory Declarations by witnesses, to relevant governments, groups and international agencies with the request that a full and impartial investigation be launched into the events of September 11, 2001, which have been used to initiate military invasions and to restrict the rights of citizens.

Continues ...

 

Saturday, May 7 2011   -   9/11 Consequences

by David Ray Griffin
May 6, 2011
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/obama-says-justice-has-been-done-bin-laden-scholar-says-no-121381654.html

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. David Ray Griffin's 2009 book, "Osama bin Laden: Dead or Alive?" presented compelling evidence that bin Laden died in December 2001 -- prompting a BBC documentary of the same name.

Griffin, founder of the soon to be announced 9/11 Consensus Panel, and named among the New Statesman's "50 People Who Matter Today," today released the following statement:

President Obama, speaking of the operation to kill Osama bin Laden, said: "Justice has been done."

It has been widely assumed that, if bin Laden is now dead, the person most responsible for the 9/11 attacks has been brought to justice. But the US government has never provided evidence that the attacks were carried out by bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organization.

 

Thursday, May 5 2011   -   Other Important News

Supporters of accused WikiLeaks source vow to fight on for open trial and freedom

May 5, 2011
By the Bradley Manning Support Network
Published at Couragetoresist.org

Hundreds of thousands of individuals globally celebrate today the confirmation that their efforts to end the torturous pre-trial confinement conditions inflicted upon US Army PFC Bradley Manning have been successful. Manning's lead defense attorney, David E. Coombs of Rhode Island, has personally verified that Manning is indeed being held in Medium Custody confinement at the Joint Regional Corrections Facility (JRCF) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as claimed by the Army last week.

"We won this battle because 600,000 individuals took the time to write letters and sign petitions, because thousands called the White House switchboard, because 300 of America's top legal scholars decried Bradley's pre-trial conditions as a clear violation of our Constitution's 5th and 8th Amendments," declared Jeff Paterson of Courage to Resist and the Bradley Manning Support Network. "We won this battle because over a hundred concerned citizens engaged in civil disobedience at the White House and at Quantico, and because our grassroots campaign shows no sign of slowing."

 

Wednesday, May 4 2011   -   In the Media

May 2, 2011

From the CBC Radio program "As it Happens:"
BIN LADEN: US REACTION Duration: 00:07:47

News of Osama Bin Laden's death last night brought Donna Marsh O'Connor sadness and a sense of loss.

That's an unusual reaction for anyone --- but especially for someone who lost a pregnant daughter in the September eleventh attacks nearly ten years ago, and could have had a grandchild by now.

Donna is now the spokesperson for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a group that aims to turn the grief of losing a loved one in the 2001 attacks into a catalyst for peace.

We reached her in Syracuse, New York.

Hear the audio at:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audioplayer.html?clipid=1906256326