Turning the Drone Program into a Weekly Lawn Maintenance Program
Greg Miller has the first of what will be three articles on Obama's efforts to institutionalize drone war in today's WaPo. After describing the Administration's efforts to systematize eliminating counterterrorist targets identified through a…
Lindsey Graham Must WANT the Terrorists to Have Kittens and Beard Dye
In the last week, we've had two stories about how terrorists at Gitmo have made themselves comfortable.
First there was Michelle Shephard's investigation into whether Majid Khan has a cat.
A week-long investigation into Guantanamo’s feline…
Yep, Jonathan Chait Was Wrong
A number of weeks ago, I disputed Jonathan Chait's claim that Obama would have a poorer chance in the last three debates.
The VP Debate: the Angry Old Man
Chait argues, first of all, that Joe Biden will try to refute Paul Ryan’s budget…
The Benghazi Suspect Was Headed to Syria
This Eli Lake story describing what has happened to one of two Benghazi suspects arrested in Turkey confirms something I long suspected: he was headed for Syria.
These people say Turkish officials held [Ali Ani] al-Harzi for less than…
Remember Larry Franklin...
I'm not a fan at all of what Larry Franklin did--leaking documents to help drum up a more hawkish policy on Iran.
But amid the news that John Kiriakou's lawyer, Plato Cacheris, has docketed a change of plea hearing today at 11, it's worth…
UK to Double Drone Fleet, Move Control From Nevada to England
While David Petraeus continues stewing over whether his request to expand the CIA's fleet of drones will be honored, The Guardian announced yesterday that the UK will double its drone fleet and move control of its drones from Nevada to England.
It…
Republicans Now Complaining Obama Relies on PDBs
Republicans are now accusing Obama of throwing the CIA under the bus because the White House released evidence that Obama and Susan Rice hewed to CIA talking points about Benghazi. For example, John McCain just said this on CNN:
First they…
Accused Ohio Mosque Arsonist Retaliated for Muslim 9/11 Protests and Attack
On Thursday, Randolph Linn, the guy accused of setting fire to Toledo's landmark mosque, was indicted on two Federal hate crime charges. There's an interesting detail that appears in the FBI press release about his indictment (that doesn't appear…
The Opportunistic Attack in Benghazi
In addition to the IssaLeaks dump, there were several reports on the Benghazi attack Friday suggesting it was an "opportunistic" attack: not planned in advance, but not an outgrowth of non-existent protests; not planned by al Qaeda, but carried…
New, Lower Number for Afghan Security Force Size Finally Appears
From the time that training of Afghan forces first became disrupted by the security measures put in place in response to the spiraling rate of green on blue killings, I've been convinced that at some point NATO is going to be forced to give…
Hint: If Hillary's Involved with Negotiations, They've Started Already
A bizarre little October Surprise just happened--and then un-happened.
The NYT released a blockbuster story--bylined by current White House and former diplomatic correspondents Helene Cooper and Mark Landler, with a "David Sanger contributed…
The US Attorney for CIA Scrambles to Cover-Up CIA's Torture, Again
Bmaz just wrote a long post talking about the dilemma John Kiriakou faces as the government and his defense lawyers attempt to get him to accept a plea deal rather than go to trial for leaking the names of people--Thomas Donahue Fletcher and…
The Kiriakou Conundrum: To Plea Or Not To Plea
There are many symbols emblematic of the battle between the American citizenry and the government of the United States in the war of transparency. One of those involves John Kiriakou. Say what you will about John Kiriakou's entrance into the…
Darrell Issa Exposes the CIA as a Foreign Policy Debate Stunt
Darrell Issa just released a bunch of documents so as to seed the Sunday shows in time for Monday's foreign policy debate. [Update: See Josh Rogin's reported description of some of the sensitivities Issa exposed.]
Here's a running explication…
Don't Fuck With The Ducks Trash Talk
I have been flattened like a bug in the road by a steamroller. Holy crap Batman, that Oregon jizzle shizzled on the Devils in Old Town Tempe last night. Like a nuclear tsunami plague earthquake. This year's ASU Sun Devils have talent, and newly…
Abu Khattala's Info Ops Suggest Other Militias Involved in Benghazi Attack
Spencer Ackerman argues that Ahmed Abu Khattala had an interview with the NYT (and before that Reuters) so he could laugh at Obama's manhunt for the Benghazi killers.
That's true to a point: Abu Khattala has gone out of his way to make it…
The Iran Sanctions Regime: Tracking Criminals Who Transship $5,241 of Dental Equipment
As the sanctions regime makes life worse and worse for ordinary Iranians, we will hear more about the humanitarian impact of it.
Which is why I find OFAC's latest enforcement action of note: Treasury fined the medical supply company, Brasseler,…
Petraeus Pouts About His Small Drone Fleet, But Did He Hide Benghazi Intelligence?
CIA Chief David Petraeus wants to expand his drone fleet by about one third, according to the Washington Post. We learn from the Post that the CIA now has a fleet of about 30 to 35 drones capable of use in attacks and Petraeus would like…
Obama Makes the Case for Releasing the Targeted Killing Memo
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
As is typical, Jon Stewart conducted a more substantive interview with Obama last night than most "real"…
Latif's Unexplained Death: Yemeni Government Facilitates US Stall
Jason Leopold has an important story on Adnan Farhan abd al Latif's unexplained death. He provides more detail of Latif's struggles with his 1994 head injury the government claimed wasn't the reason for his 2001 trip to Pakistan. He describes…