NYPD Makes Work But Not Knowledge
When I read the Judy Miller/Richard Clarke op-ed defending Ray Kelly (this is Judy's second go-around defending Kelly, btw), I realized something about the NYPD CIA-on-the-Hudson program. They write,
Yet NYPD efforts to engage with and selectively…
Uniforms and WikiLeaks in the Discussion of the Anwar al-Awlaki Killing
This panel discussion between former State Department spokesperson PJ Crowley, former Gitmo Chief Prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis, and ACLU's Jameel Jaffer is one of the more nuanced, interesting discussions on the Anwar al-Awlaki killing.…
Agreement in Principle Signed on Handover of Afghan Prisons, Night Raid Agreement to be Separate
Creating conditions dangerously close to those under which we have been warned that Lindsey Graham's head will explode, the US and Afghanistan have signed an agreement in principle on the handover of prisons to Afghan control. The negotiations…
Is Our War-Mongering on Iran Making Syria Go Dark?
Greg Miller has a story describing how little decent intelligence we've got on Syria. Now, Jeff Stein suggests that denials in the story of any CIA covert actions in the story are just an effort to knock down fairly widespread allegations that…
The Senate Judiciary Committee Hasn't Seen the Targeted Killing Memo Either
I guess it should be no surprise that Pat Leahy, the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, hasn't seen the memo authorizing the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki. After all, if the full Senate Intelligence Committee--which is supposed to exercise…
The Answer, Robert Mueller, Is "Yes, DOJ Does Believe It Could Kill a Citizen in the US"
FBI Director Robert Mueller tried to avoid answering whether or not we can target US citizens in the United States.
FBI Director Robert Mueller on Wednesday said he would have to go back and check with the Department of Justice whether Attorney…
RickyLeaks
In a post at the Document Exploitation blog, Douglas Cox reminds us of how Crazy Pete Hoekstra and Rick Santorum pressured the government to make all of Saddam's documents--including a plan for a nuke--available on the InterToobz.
The drive…
Opponent Claims FBI Recorded Phone Calls Investigating Stearns Bribery Allegations, Prohibited Recording Boehner
There is a convoluted series of allegations and counterclaims between Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Clay County Clerk of Court James Jett, his Republican opponent in the Third Congressional District in Northern Florida created…
Why Doesn't the FBI Follow SAC Michael Ward's "Specific Articulable Basis" Standard?
The Special Agent in Charge of the Newark FBI, Michael Ward, laid into the NYPD's CIA-on-the-Hudson program for its spying on New Jersey's Muslims. He raised several legitimate gripes: that the NYPD was picking and choosing the information…
Dianne Feinstein Assures Us Her Review of Targeted Killing Is Adequate
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Dianne Feinstein just sent out a release assuring us all that her committee keeps close watch over counterterrorism programs, including targeted killing. In her statement, she asserted that "our counterterrorism…
So It Was the FBI Threatening to Take Down the Internet, Then?
As soon as the news came out today that Sabu, the head of LulzSec, offered an FBI computer to facilitate the publication of Stratfor (no doubt set up a LulzSec-assisted indictment of Julian Assange in the future)...
Hector Xavier Monsegur,…
MI's 3rd CD: "West Michigan Values" of Exclusion, or American Values of Equality and Justice for All?
I was disappointed with Steve Pestka's announcement to run for the 3rd CD. While he promised jobs, he also repeated the "West Michigan Values" phrase a top Kent County Dem used when telling me and others to shut up. And he suggested he was running…
First They Came for Russ Feingold, Then They Came for CATO
As I've followed all the really interesting commentary on the Koch Brothers' efforts to take over Cato (Dave Weigel, Jonathan Adler, Jane Mayer, Brad DeLong) I keep thinking back to this Adam Serwer post last year, pointing out one of the most…
Graham Throws Tantrum Over an Afghanistan With No Night Raids or US Control of Prisons
With most eyes yesterday on Super Tuesday and political wrangling over Iran's nuclear technology, not many took notice of the update from Reuters Tuesday morning letting us know that an agreement on transfer detention faciliies to full Afghanistan…
Lisa Murkowski Admits She Voted To Help Catholic Church Enforce a Doctrine She Ignores
As I noted last week, every single Catholic Senator save Susan Collins who voted for the Blunt Amendment last week appears likely to have relied on the birth control their Church prohibits to limit the size of their families. Lisa Murkowski,…
While Obama Urges Caution, Netanyahu, McConnell, IAEA Fan Anti-Iran Rhetoric, Iran Takes Positive Diplomatic Steps
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdECxrhmFbc[/youtube]
President Obama and his administration have spent the last week trying to point out the extreme downside to an attack by Israel on Iran's nuclear sites. Unfortunately, Obama's…
Remember When that "Recidivist" Jabir al-Fayfi Saved American Lives?
It's recidivist season again, when the DNI releases data about how many Gitmo detainees have "reengaged" and fear-mongering reporters (including, uncharacteristically, Mark Hosenball) then describe how many "recidivists" from Gitmo there have…
Holder's Unproven Claims about Anwar al-Awlaki the AQAP Leader
Perhaps it's because of all the dubious reasons the Administration continues to keep its case against Anwar al-Awlaki secret, but Eric Holder gave the impression of not knowing precisely what evidence the government had shown against Awlaki.
Or,…
Congress and Killing Oversight: Eric Holder v. Ron Wyden
Eric Holder today said that giving "appropriate members of Congress" information on the "legal framework" of its operations where "lethal force is used against United States citizens" is a key part of robust oversight.
That is not to say that…
Eric Holder's View on National Security: Three Branches. Except for When the Third becomes Inconvenient.
Eric Holder's speech--which starts with a defense of civilian trials and ends with dead American citizens--fails to achieve its impossible task. Granted, Holder frames his defense of civilian trials in efficacy, not rule of law (in language…