Presidential Remarks to CIA Employees video: http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=285394-3
President Obama spoke to employees at the Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. In his remarks thanked agency employees and identified cyber-terrorism, rogue regimes, failed states and piracy among the challenges the agency must help handle. He also mentioned recently released memos written during the Bush administration authorizing enhanced interrogation techniques, saying the releases were necessary due to pending court cases. ID: 285394-3 News Briefing 04/20/2009 23 minutes ---- Citizens for Legitimate Government 20 Apr 2009 http://www.legitgov.org/ Mollycoddle your torturers: Obama Urges C.I.A. Not to Be Discouraged by Torture Memos 21 Apr 2009 21 Apr 2009 President Obama, making his first trip to C.I.A. headquarters, acknowledged Monday that agency officials had expressed "understandable anxiety and concern" about his decision to release confidential torture memos detailing brutal interrogation techniques used by agency operatives, and urged employees not to be discouraged about the ensuing uproar. "Don’t be discouraged by what’s happened in the last few weeks," the president said. "Don’t be discouraged that we have to acknowledge potentially we've made some mistakes. That’s how we learn." [Yeah, and the only *bigger* mistake we made was allowing Obama to trick us into voting for him.] Waterboarding Used 266 Times on 2 Suspects 20 Apr 2009 C.I.A. interrogators used waterboarding, the near-drowning technique that top Obama administration officials have described as illegal torture, 266 times on two key prisoners from 'Al Qaeda,' far more than had been previously reported. The C.I.A. officers used waterboarding at least 83 times in August 2002 against Abu Zubaydah, according to a 2005 Justice Department legal memorandum. The 2005 memo also says that the C.I.A. used waterboarding 183 times in March 2003 against Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described planner of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ['According to ABC News, CIA officers said that the highest-ranking al Qaeda operative yet captured, Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, held out for two and a half minutes before begging to talk.' So, even using 'their' rationale --why continue to waterboard him *after* he talked?] Obama Obama Pledges 'Full Support' to CIA --President Obama assures the CIA that he will vigorously protect the security and identities of its torturers after his administration last week released classified memos on interrogation techniques. 20 Apr 2009 President Obusha on Monday pledged his "full support" to the CIA, assuring the covert agency he would vigorously protect the security and identities of its torturers after his administration last week released classified memos on interrogation techniques. Ex-CIA chief: Obama risks national security 19 Apr 2009 A former head of the CIA slammed President Obama on Sunday for releasing four Bush-era memos, saying the new president has compromised national security. Michael Hayden, who served as former President [sic] Bush's last CIA director from 2006 to 2009, said releasing the memos outlining terror interrogation methods emboldened terrorist groups such as 'al Qaeda.' Obama is same as Bush, says al-Qaida chief [You don't have to be an al-Qaida 'second-in-command' to know that.] 20 Apr 2009 Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's second-in-command, has urged Muslims not to be fooled by Barack Obama's policies -- which he insisted were no different from those of George Bush. "America came to us with a new face, with which it is trying to fool us," Osama bin Laden's deputy said in a video message posted on a Jihadi website. "He is calling for change, but he aims to change us so that we abandon our religion and rights. "It is America that is still killing Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It is America that steals their fortunes, occupies their land, and supports the thieving, corrupt, and traitor rulers in their countries. And consequently, the problem is not over. Rather, it is likely to deteriorate and escalate." [America itself is fooled, but not for long. The mask is already wearing thin. --MDR.] Binyam Mohamed: MI5 officer gave false evidence in Guantánamo detainee case 21 Apr 2009 Lawyers for the government have admitted that a senior MI5 officer gave false evidence to the high court in the case of former Guantánamo Bay prisoner Binyam Mohamed. The admission, combined with an apology, is contained in a letter from Treasury solicitor David Mackie to Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones, who tomorrow will hear fresh demands from lawyers representing Mohamed, and the media, for the disclosure of information about who was complicit in his interrogation and torture. Iraq arrests children for alleged terror ties 19 Apr 2009 Iraqi security forces have arrested four children who were recruited by 'Al-Qaeda' to carry out suicide attacks in and around the northern city of Kirkuk, an army general told AFP on Sunday. "Special forces units have arrested an organisation of children consisting of four individuals under the age of 14 who call themselves the 'Birds of Paradise'," General Abdelamir al-Zaidi said. AP: Blackwater to continue operations in Iraq 'long into' summer 20 Apr 2009 Armed mercenaries from the security firm once known as Blackwater Worldwide are still protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq, even though the company has no license to operate there and has been told by the State Department its contracts will not be renewed two years after a lethal firefight that stirred outrage in Baghdad. Private mercenaries employed by the company, now known as Xe, are slated to continue ground operations in parts of Iraq long into the summer, far longer than had previously been acknowledged, government officials told The Associated Press. Bomber in Iraqi army uniform strikes GIs meeting with Iraqi officials 20 Apr 2009 A suicide bomber wearing an Iraqi army uniform struck a U.S. military delegation visiting the mayor of violence-wracked Baqouba on Monday, injuring at least eight American soldiers and killing three Iraqi civilians. Police officials claimed the attacker was disguised as a soldier... U.S. forces have faced attacks from actual members of the security forces. US urges world action against Pakistan's Taliban 20 Apr 2009 The United States urges the international community to confront Taliban insurgent's rule in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley. State Department spokesman Robert Wood on Monday said that the international community should join Pakistan in confronting violent extremists like those who now run the Swat. In remembering Holocaust, Netanyahu warns against Iran 21 Apr 2009 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his speech at the ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day last night to convey a tough message to Iran. "Holocaust deniers cannot commit another Holocaust against the Jewish people," he said, referring to Iran's nuclear program. Speaking at Yad Vashem, Netanyahu also hinted Israel had to be prepared to act alone against Iran if necessary. UN rights chief shocked by U.S. boycott of anti-racism conference 20 Apr 2009 The United Nations' top human rights official said on Sunday she deeply regretted the decision by the United States to boycott a major UN anti-racism conference to be convened in Geneva on Monday. "I am shocked and deeply disappointed by the United States decision not to attend a conference that aims to combat racism, xenophobia, racial discrimination and other forms of intolerance worldwide," said Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights. Sources: Wiretap Recorded Rep. Harman Promising to Intervene for AIPAC 19 Apr 2009 Rep. Jane Harman (D-Traitor-CA) who has a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington. Harman was recorded saying she would "waddle into" the AIPAC case "if you think it’ll make a difference," according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript. In exchange for Harman's help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win. Secret police intelligence was given to private firm 20 Apr 2009 Government officials handed confidential police intelligence about environmental activists to the energy giant E.ON before a planned peaceful demonstration, according to private emails seen by the Guardian. Correspondence between civil servants and security officials at the company reveals how intelligence was shared about the peaceful direct action group Climate Camp in the run-up to the demonstration at Kingsnorth, the proposed site of a new coal-fired power station in north Kent. Intelligence passed to the energy firm by officials from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) included detailed information about the movements of protesters and their meetings. Shortages of ammo and gun accessories cropping up nationwide 20 Apr 2009 Most days are like Christmas for Glen Furtardo. When he opens boxes sent to the Winchester Gallery gun store in east Fort Worth, he finds out what ammunition he'll have to stock his shelves with that day as demand for weapons and ammo soars. Reports of heavy sales at gun stores began around the time of Barack Obama's election as president, and months later, dealers are facing ammo shortages nationwide. 'Superweed' explosion threatens Monsanto heartlands -- "Superweeds" are plaguing high-tech Monsanto crops in southern US states, driving farmers to use more herbicides, return to conventional crops or even abandon their farms. 19 Apr 2009 The gospel of high-tech genetically modified (GM) crops is not sounding quite so sweet in the land of the converted. A new pest, the evil pigweed, is hitting headlines and chomping its way across Sun Belt states, threatening to transform cotton and soybean plots into weed battlefields. In late 2004, "superweeds" that resisted Monsanto’s iconic "Roundup" herbicide, popped up in GM crops in the county of Macon, Georgia. Monsanto, the US multinational biotech corporation, is the world’s leading producer of Roundup, as well as genetically engineered seeds. Fortune 500: Exxon Mobil back on top --2008 profit: $45.22 Billion 19 Apr 2009 Exxon Mobil has regained the Fortune 500's No. 1 slot this year, despite the sharp fall in oil prices. Indeed, if the fourth quarter of 2008 demonstrates anything, it's that Exxon Mobil is perfectly capable of making billions of dollars even with oil at $50 a barrel or less. Bank Lending Keeps Dropping --Analysis of Treasury Data Paints Starker Picture Than Official Government Snapshots 20 Apr 2009 Lending at the biggest U.S. banks has fallen more sharply than realized, despite government efforts to pump billions of dollars into the financial sector. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Treasury Department data, the biggest recipients of taxpayer aid made or refinanced 23% less in new loans in February, the latest available data, than in October, the month the Treasury kicked off the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Obama calls credit card executives to the White House 20 Apr 2009 Executives of the nation's largest credit-card companies will meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday to discuss growing concerns about questionable practices in the industry. Disney documentary 'Earth' features eye-popping images --Review by James Ward 20 Apr 2009 Timed to hit theaters on Earth Day, Disney’s documentary "Earth" certainly achieves its main goal... The film’s most compelling story is that of a polar bear that fruitlessly searches for thick enough ice to hunt seals, the magnificent white animal’s main source of food. But, as the documentary points out, global warming has made the polar bear's quest to find thick ice next to impossible. CLG needs your support. http://www.legitgov.org/donate.html Or, please mail a check or money order to CLG: Citizens for Legitimate Government (CLG) P.O. Box 1142 Bristol, CT 06011-1142 Contributions to CLG are not tax deductible Previous lead stories: CIA fears torture prosecutions --Only some of the secrets of US 'ghost' prisons have been revealed 19 Apr 2009 The CIA fears some of its operatives could face prosecution for torturing high-level terrorist suspects, despite President Barack Obama's promise of legal immunity. The confidential US Department of Justice guidelines on interrogating high-level detainees, which were made public last week, provide only a small window into the secret prisons or "black sites" run by the CIA. "These are the first dominoes," said Jameel Jaffer, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the lawsuit that forced the release of the memos. "It will be difficult for the new administration to argue now that other documents can be lawfully withheld." CIA ordered waterboarding despite belief of interrogators the prisoner already told them all he knew 18 Apr 2009 The first use of waterboarding and other rough treatment against a prisoner from 'Al Qaeda' was ordered by senior Central Intelligence Agency officials despite the belief of interrogators that the prisoner had already told them all he knew, according to former intelligence officials and a footnote in a newly released legal memorandum... Abu Zubaydah had provided much valuable information under less severe treatment, and the harsher handling produced no breakthroughs, according to one former intelligence official with direct knowledge of the case. Instead, watching his torment caused great distress to his captors, the official said. Even for those who believed that brutal treatment could produce results, the official said, "seeing these depths of human misery and degradation has a traumatic effect." Psychologists' Work at CIA Prisons Denounced --Extent of Health Professionals' Role at CIA Prisons Draws Fresh Outrage From Ethicists 18 Apr 2009 When the CIA began what it called an "increased pressure phase" with captured terrorism suspect Abu Zubaida in the summer of 2002, its first step was to limit the detainee's human contact to just two people. One was the CIA interrogator, the other a psychologist. During the extraordinary weeks that followed, it was the psychologist who apparently played the more critical role. Extreme sleep deprivation, waterboarding, the use of insects to provoke fear -- all were deemed acceptable, in part because the psychologist said so. Those who wish to be added to the list can go here: http://www.legitgov.org/#subscribe_clg and add your name. Those who wish to unsubscribe can go here: http://lists.people-link.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/legitgov. If your email provider has marked this newsletter as spam, please mark it as 'not spam' and do not delete from a spam or 'junk' folder, as such actions trigger false spam complaints against the CLG. If you have any inquiries/issues with your subscription, please write: signup at legitgov dot org. more here: All links are here: http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ShadowGovernment" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/ShadowGovernment -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
