"No-Go" Tribal Areas Became Basis for Afghan Insurgency Documents Show

[bobthedrummer]

(The National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book 325 posted 9-13-10)

U.S. had "Absolutely No Inclination" to Negotiate with Taliban September 2001; Pakistan Disagreed Claiming "Real Victory" Only Through Talks

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB325/index.htm

And, in the context of "national security" vs. our right to know about policies involving our nation, our military, our role in the the world, etc. below is a related article from yesterday's Guardian

Pentagon tries to buy entire print run of US spy expose Operation Dark Heart

US defence department attempts to prevent book by former intelligence officer Anthony Schaffer from reaching the shops
(by Chris McGreal Guardian 9-13-10)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/13/pentagon-afghanistan-spy-book-pulp

What do the handful of DUers that pay attention to these so-called "national security" issues have to say today?

Who is still accountable to we, the people today regardless of the corrupt holding office?

[mike_c]

1. our government is no longer honorable or deserving of support....

It probably hasn't been since at least the cold war, but it's only recently that the veneer of democracy has been so blatantly discarded. Now, our government lies to us reflexively. If they're speaking, they're lying. There is no basis for trust any longer. The national government's primary purpose is to harvest the people's wealth for their powerful patrons, especially the MIC. Their secondary purpose is to "maintain security," which boils down to keeping the powerful wealthy and the poor weak and helpless.

Yeah, I've become pretty cynical about politics and government in recent years.

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. We no longer have 3 branches of government -

the 4th and 5th branches are the military and the intelligence industry, respectively. They operate outside of the control of any of the three original branches of government.

[bobthedrummer]

3. Some of US were calling the installation of BUSH/CHENEY a coup, which is what your post implies. We

were correct and let's not neglect the post-coup rise of the BUSH/CHENEY contracted "private military/intelligence companies" as well as the abuse and harm done to our military and their families by criminals in and out of uniform that have not been held accountable to the people.

Once upon a time there was a US intelligence community that prevented bloodshed and war by presenting the truth, not fanaticism and politicized religious militarism as "policy".

Those days are gone for now despite the efforts of the theoretical three branches that no longer represent US-but corporate entities of every ilk imo due to the criminal promotion of the "privatization" of government, or, fascism.

[bobthedrummer]

4. After 9/11, Making Matters Worse by Melvin A. Goodman (9-11-10 Consortium News article)

Btw, Mr. Goodman spent 42 years in the US intelligence community

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/091110a.html

[bobthedrummer]

5. Primary night kick n/t

[bobthedrummer]

6. In the context of secrecy policies & not letting we the people know ANYTHING about criminally

classified "national security" matters (a crime in itself, fellow citizens- just like laws against criminal conspiracy, corruption, etc.) here's a kick for today and a link to The Washington Post's Investigative Report "Top Secret Amnerica" (lead reporters Dana Priest and William Arkin)

Top Secret America
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/

"An informed citizenry is required in a democracy..."

[bobthedrummer]

7. Here's a fresh example, it's LBN about the contract between Pennsylvania and The Institute of

Terrorism Research and Response (a joint US-Israel nonprofit).

"Appalled" Pa. gov. shuts down reports on protests (9-15-10 AP via Yahoo)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_homeland_security_bulletin

When Political Activism Gets Treated as Potential Terrorism by Marcy Wheeler (9-15-10 Common Dreams)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/15-9

Contribute something to this thread and get yourself investigated-it's easy and "fun" DUers!

[bobthedrummer]

8. A kick for those that grasp deep politics-all the way through the bottom n/t

[bobthedrummer]

9. Gates: Surge seems to be working in Afghanistan (9-16-10 AP via Yahoo)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100916/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_afghanistan_gates

Who is Robert Gates?

[bobthedrummer]

12. AfghaniNam kick n/t

[bobthedrummer]

10. Staying alive is becoming quite a task for some people caught up in the violence of their neighbors.

n/t

[bobthedrummer]

11. "Taliban in Texas Negotiating Pipeline" from BBC 12/4/97 (archived FullCountNotRecount thread

started April 12, 2004) I can't "forget to remember" the fact that Taliban leaders were flown on corporate jets (possibly Ken Lay's) to Sugarland TX in 1997 as the archived thread below documents

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1396167

I can't "ignore" the fact that the Afghan niece of CIA Director Richard Helms, Laila Helms, was the American "public relations" representative of the Taliban shortly before 9/11, hosting them in her New Jersey home just across the river from NYC as the link below (from November 2001) documents.

U.S. Policy Towards Taliban Influenced by Oil (by Julio Godoy Common Dreams repost 11-15-01)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1115-06.htm

There's alot more that some of US refuse to forget to remember, isn't there?