How Not to End the War on Terror
In the seven weeks since the killing of Osama bin Laden, pundits and experts of many stripes have concluded that his death represents a marker of genuine significance in the story of America’s encounter with terrorism. Peter Bergen, a bin Laden expert, wrote “Killing bin Laden is the end of the war on terror. We can just sort of announce that right now.” Yet you wouldn’t know it in Washington where, if anything, the Obama administration and Congress have interpreted the killing of al-Qaeda’s leader as a virtual license to double down on every “front” in the war on terror.
CIA's Bin Laden Hunter Told to Stand Down 10 Times
During his 22 years in the CIA – three and a half as head of a 18-man Osama bin Laden unit – Michael Scheuer told his bosses at Langley on 10 occasions that he had a clear opportunity to kill or capture the terrorist chief. On all 10 he was told to hold his fire.
The Ever-Expanding Bipartisan Surveillance State
Allowing government officials to shield their own conduct from transparency and even judicial review ensures that National Security State officials (public and private) can do whatever they want without any detection and (therefore) without limit or accountability. That is what the Surveillance State, at its core, is designed to achieve: the destruction of privacy for individual citizens and an impenetrable wall of secrecy for those with unlimited surveillance power.
Four More Years For Patriot Act
Top congressional leaders agreed Thursday to a four-year extension of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act, the controversial law passed after the Sept. 11 attacks that governs the search for terrorists on American soil. The deal between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner calls for a vote before May 27, when parts of […]
Death of Bin Laden May Distract from a More Disturbing Story
Bin Laden was never indicted for the crime of 9/11 by US authorities, even though he was always regarded as a suspect. The media has lately referred to him as the “mastermind” of the attacks, when in actuality it is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who has been officially named the mastermind, despite controversies regarding the reliability of his testimony and the nature of his role. More importantly, however, the role of the Pakistani ISI may well be even more significant than those of Osama Bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Lawmakers Must Visit CIA HQ to View bin Laden Pics
Lawmakers on key committees can view the photos of Osama bin Laden’s body, but only if they travel to CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. According to one lawmaker who made the trek, bin Laden looked like he was “hit by a truck.”
News Organizations Demand Proof of bin Laden’s Death
The Associated Press and other news organizations have officially taken the position that President Barack Obama should release visual proof of Osama bin Laden’s death, claiming that without this level of transparency the White House is essentially deciding what is and is not newsworthy.
In an interview with The Atlantic Wire, AP senior managing editor Michael Oreskes explained the organization’s position is that proof should be released to professional journalists, who would then decide whether to release the media or merely describe it.
“This information is important for the historical record,” he reportedly said. “That’s our view.”
Nafeez Ahmed on the Death of Osama bin Laden
“Nafeez Ahmed’s understanding of the post 9/11 power game, its lies, illusions and dangers, is no less than brilliant.” – John Pilger During filming for the upcoming documentary feature ‘The Crisis of Civilization’ i asked best-selling author and international security analyst Dr. Nafeez Ahmed for his thoughts on the recent death of Osama Bin Laden. […]
Intel Experts on the Ever-Changing bin Laden Death Script
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.