Petraeus: Afghans burning own children alive to blame NATO 22 Feb 2011

[CLG_News]

Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government
22 Feb 2011
http://www.legitgov.org
All links are here:
http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news  

Petraeus: Afghans burning own children alive to blame NATO --Petraeus's comments on coalition attack reportedly offend Karzai government 21 Feb 2011 To the shock of President Hamid Karzai's aides, Gen. David H. Petraeus suggested Sunday at the presidential palace that Afghans caught up in a coalition attack in northeastern Afghanistan might have burned their own children to exaggerate claims of civilian casualties, according to two participants at the meeting. The exact language Petraeus used in the closed-door session is not known, and neither is the precise message he meant to convey. But his remarks about the deadly U.S. military operation in Konar province were deemed deeply offensive by some in the room. 

Norway joined NATO in suppressing reports of civilian Afghan deaths --'UN employees themselves in Kabul doubt the method that is used.' 21 Feb 2011 New WikiLeaks releases, accessed by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, continue to embarrass the Norwegian government as well as the US, with latest revelations suggesting that Norway's ambassadors joined their US-led NATO allies in attempts to avoid a messy debate on civilian casualties in Afghanistan. Leaked cables from the American delegation to NATO, written in September 2008, allege that "Norway’s ambassador emphasized the need to avoid a public debate about the reporting of the number of civilians killed."

Afghan officials allege that 65 civilians were killed in U.S. military operation 20 Feb 2011 Afghan government officials alleged Sunday that a U.S. military operation in the remote mountains of northeastern Afghanistan killed 65 innocent people, including 22 women and more than 30 children, the most serious allegation of civilian casualties in months. The governor of Konar province, Fazlullah Wahidi, said that NATO forces launched the operation four days ago in the Ghaziabad district, a desolate area near the province's northern border with Pakistan...

Afghans see warlord footprints in new police force [*Apparently,* GOP calls for budget cuts do NOT apply to the US taxpayer-funded drug lord-laden Afghan police force.] 21 Feb 2011 The village-level fighting forces the U.S. is fostering in hopes of countering the Taliban insurgency -- the concept that turned the tide of the Iraq war -- are having a rocky start, with complaints that recruits are not consistently vetted for ties to criminals and warlords. The Associated Press talked to elders, police officials and community leaders from 12 of the first 25 districts in the Afghan Local Police program and found reactions ranging from glowing praise to condemnation and fear, suggesting that promised safeguards aren't always applied.

Blast heard near NATO base in Kabul 22 Feb 2011 A blast has rocked an area near a NATO base in the Afghan capital city of Kabul in the latest wave of attacks on foreign forces in the Asian country. The explosion rocked a Kabul district that is home to the NATO headquarters on Tuesday. Police suspect the bomb was remote controlled and an investigation is underway.

MI5's bungled photograph crop meant 7/7 ringleader was missed by U.S. intelligence 22 Feb 2011 A crucial photograph of the July 7 ringleader was cut in half by an MI5 officer more than a year before the attacks in London, it was revealed yesterday. Key parts of secret surveillance pictures of Mohammed Sidique Khan and fellow bomber Shehzad Tanweer were 'entirely obliterated' before they were sent to the U.S. for identification. They were due to be shown to an al-Qaeda supergrass who had helped train Khan in Pakistan.

MI5 had chance for supergrass to identify 7/7 ringleader --The officer, referred to as Witness G, said Britain's security services had "no inkling" of the 7/7 attacks and that any suggestion otherwise would be "nonsensical and offensive" [albeit accurate.] 22 Feb 2011 The security services missed an opportunity to identify the ringleader of the 7/7 terrorist attacks [inside job] because a surveillance photograph of him which could have been shown to an overseas source was poorly copied. [!] The inquest into the 2005 attacks on London's transport system heard yesterday that MI5 officers had taken covert photographs of Mohammed Sidique Khan and his co-bomber Shehzad Tanweer in February 2004 at a Toddington service station. The pair has been tailed by security agents as they returned from a trip to West Sussex, where they had met with a group of extremists who were later convicted over a plot to attack a shopping centre using a fertiliser bomb.

Rumsfeld: Bin Laden should be in Guantanamo [Why? Did the CIA's check bounce?] 20 Feb 2011 If the U.S. had caught still-at-large Osama bin Laden, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he’d probably have wound up at the storied Guantanamo Bay prison on the island of Cuba. "He’d probably be subjected to a military commission," Rumsfeld told CNN in an interview aired Sunday on "State of the Union."

Afghanistan peace council seeks release of Guantanamo Bay prisoners --About 20 senior Taliban still held in US military jail 21 Feb 2011 Hamid Karzai’s peace council will send a delegation to Guantanamo Bay to speak to imprisoned Taliban leaders about possible release in a peace process a senior Afghan official has said. The delegation is being sent with the cooperation of the United States he said, and follows Hillary Clinton’s announcement that America was launching an “intensified diplomatic push” to end the Afghan war.

Pakistan defiant in face of US pressure to free CIA agent --Barack Obama called CIA agent "our diplomat in Pakistan". 21 Feb 2011 Pakistan's prime minister has vowed to safeguard his country's sovereignty and dignity following revelations that Raymond Davis, the US official facing a double murder charge, is a CIA agent. The Obama administration is exerting pressure on Pakistan to release Davis, a 36-year-old former special forces soldier [mercenary] who shot dead two men during a murky confrontation in Lahore's rush-hour traffic on 27 January.

Raymond Davis Is CIA Contractor, U.S. Officials Say 21 Feb 2011 Raymond A. Davis, the U.S. official at the heart of a tense stand-off with the Pakistan government, was working for the CIA as an independent contractor when he shot and killed two Pakistani men, according to two senior U.S. intelligence officials. According to a current senior U.S. official and a senior intelligence consultant who worked with Davis, the 36-year-old American is a former Blackwater mercenary who was posted to Lahore as part of the CIA's Global Response Staff, or GRS, a unit of security and bodyguards assigned to war zones and troubled countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. [Yeah, they're 'troubled' because the US is invading and occupying them, and people are sick of the sociopaths.]

US official held in Pakistan 'is CIA' --An American official held in Pakistan after shooting dead two men is a CIA agent who was on assignment at the time of the incident, according to reports. 20 Feb 2011 Raymond Davis, a US contractor mercenary, has been held for more than a fortnight accused of murder after admitting shooting dead two men in Lahore in self defence. Despite the incident, the US has insisted he is entitled to diplomatic immunity, arguing that he is an "administrative and technical official" linked to its Lahore consulate. Pakistan intelligence officials however believe that Davis, a former special forces soldier, is employed by the CIA. "It's beyond a shadow of a doubt," one official told the Guardian.

Israel, U.S. successfully test Arrow missile 22 Feb 2011 Israel and the U.S. carried out a successful test of the Arrow anti-missile system off the coast of California, Israel's Defense Ministry said Tuesday. Israel's Defense Ministry said the Arrow detected, intercepted and destroyed a target missile launched from an offshore platform inside a U.S. Navy firing range in a test carried out late Monday. Jointly developed by Israel and the U.S., the system is primarily aimed at defending Israel from the threat of an Iranian missile strike.

12 killed, 18 wounded in Iraq's Samarra bombing 21 Feb 2011 The death toll of a suicide car bomb attack targeting Iraqi security forces in Samarra city of Salahudin province on Monday rose to 12, with 18 others wounded, provincial police source told Xinhua. The attack occurred in the morning when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a military base belonging to a quick reaction police force in northern Samarra, some 110 km north of Baghdad, the source from Salahudin's provincial operations command said on condition of anonymity.

Hundreds protest in Iraq, TV station torched 20 Feb 2011 Hundreds of protesters inspired by unrest around the Arab world took to the streets of the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya on Sunday and at least 48 people were injured. A police official said security forces fired in the air when demonstrators chanting against corruption tried to approach the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, where clashes on Thursday killed two people and wounded dozens.

'Obama can go to hell,' says Arab MK on UNSC vote 20 Feb 2011 US President Barack Obama betrayed the Palestinians and the Arab world by instructing the American delegation to the United Nations to veto a Security Council resolution condemning Jewish settlements in the West Bank as illegal, United Arab List MK Ibrahim Sarsour wrote in an open letter to Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas Saturday. In the letter, Sarsour accused Obama of surrendering to Israel, blind bias toward the Jewish state and directing undue pressure and threats against the Palestinian leadership. "After the exposure of lies from the US, we must say frankly to Obama: You no longer scare us and you can go to hell," Sarsour wrote.

Libya unrest: UK plans to charter plane for Britons 22 Feb 2011 The UK government is making plans to charter a plane to Libya to help stranded Britons return home, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said. At a news conference in Whitehall, he said a Royal Navy warship, HMS Cumberland, would also be moved to wait off the Libyan coast. Mr Hague said talks were under way to fly a charter aircraft to the capital Tripoli within 48 hours.

'Libya air raids death toll hits 1,000' 22 Feb 2011 Some 1,000 people have been killed by Libyan security forces in bomb attacks against pro-democracy demonstrators in the North African country, reports say. A Rome-based group representing Arab expatriates revealed the mascara on Tuesday to become yet another aspect of the Tripoli's brutal crackdown on the country's popular revolution. "Hospitals have no electricity and no medicines," said Foad Aodi, who heads the Rome-based Arab World Communities in Italy (COMAI), dpa reported.

Libyan warplanes bomb Tripoli 22 Feb 2011 In a fresh wave of violent crackdown on protests which have rocked the North African nation for nearly a week, Libyan army warplanes have bombed the capital city of Tripoli. Reports suggested that the warplanes bombed the pro-democracy protesters in Tripoli early on Tuesday.

Libya jets bomb arms depots 22 Feb 2011 Seif al-Islam, the son of Muammar Gaddafi, says Libyan armed forces had launched air strikes on arms depots outside urban areas, state television reports quoting the official Jana news agency. "The armed forces have bombarded arms depots situated far from populated areas," the broadcaster reported in a banner across the screen. Reports from Libya: Warplanes had begun indiscriminate bombing across capital, leaving scores dead.

Gaddafi calls protesters "rats" 22 Feb 2011 Libya's embattled ruler Muammar Gaddafi, in a TV address, has declared that he has no intention to resign, calling protesters "rats and cockroaches." He threatened to step up crackdown against pro-democracy protesters, saying, "We have not used our power yet." "Any Libyan taking arms against Libya will be punished," he warned.

Two Libyan pilots defect, say ordered to bomb protesters 21 Feb 2011 Two Libyan Air Force fighter pilots defected on Monday and flew their jets to Malta where they told authorities they had been ordered to bomb protesters, Maltese government officials said. They said the two pilots, both colonels, took off from a base near Tripoli. One of them has requested political asylum.

Libyan jets open fire on protesters 21 Feb 2011 The government of Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi has deployed fighter jets to open fire on pro-democracy protesters, who have taken control of a number of cities. Pro-democracy protesters in Libya have seized several cities, including Benghazi, Sirte and in the border town of al-Zawiya, reports said on Saturday. The Air Force now has dispatched fighter jets to attack protesters amid a revolution that appears imminent.

If Libyan unrest spreads, gas could reach $5 [It's not 'Libyan unrest.' It's corpora-terrorist greed.] 22 Feb 2011 If political unrest in Libya spreads to other oil-rich countries and the ensuing chaos disrupts crude oil production, gas prices could hit $5 a gallon by peak summer driving season, industry analysts say. Oil prices soared to the highest level in more than two years as violence spread in Libya and Moammar Gadhafi's grip weakened. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate for April delivery jumped $4.59, or 5% to $94.30 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Record Glut of Oil Refineries Selling at 80% Discount: Real M&A 21 Feb 2011 Oil companies from Chevron Corp. to BP Plc are selling more refineries than at any time in history even as a rebound in demand for gasoline and diesel pushes profits from running the plants to the highest level since 2007. A glut of refineries put up for sale by integrated oil companies after the global recession dragged down profits are now available for 80 percent less than they fetched in 2006, Dahlman Rose & Co.’s Sam Margolin says.

Two students killed at Sana'a University 22 Feb 2011 At least two Yemeni university students have been killed and 10 others were wounded while they were protesting in front of Sana'a University. In the incident, which occurred in the capital on Tuesday, Yemeni security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters. On the same day, the police shot and killed a protester and wounded four others in the southern city of Aden.

Pirates who killed four Americans on hijacked yacht claim U.S. Navy fired on them first 22 Feb 2011 The U.S. military today reacted with fury after the pirates who killed four Americans claimed the Navy shot at them first. Two Somali pirates spoke with Reuters by telephone, claiming the murders had been their response to a U.S. attack. 'Our colleagues called us this morning (saying) that they were being attacked by a U.S. warship,' said a pirate who identified himself as Muhammad. 'The U.S. warship shot in the head two of my comrades who were on the deck of the yacht by the time they alerted us,' he said...

HBGary Email Viewer: Portal By AnonLeaks Feb 2011 Total: 71,800 emails 
greg at hbgary.com - Greg Hoglund - 27,606 emails 
aaron at hbgary.com - Aaron Barr - 16,906 emails 
ted at hbgary.com - Ted Vera - 12,134 emails 
phil at hbgary.com - Phil Wallisch - 15,156 emails

Bush aide 'was killed by hitman' claims distraught widow 18 Feb 2011 Prominent Washington aide John Wheeler was assassinated by a hitman in a targeted killing, his widow has claimed. Katherine Klyce said the way her late husband’s body was dumped at a landfill site could only have been carried out by a professional. The 66-year-old suggested his work with the Pentagon over his decades-long career could have made him enemies who wanted rid of him.

TSA Bars AK State Rep. Sharon Cissna from flying --'For these people, as well as myself, I refused to submit.' 21 Feb 2011 Alaska State Rep. Sharon Cissna (D) of Anchorage was returning from Seattle when the TSA insisted on an intrusive hand exam at SEA-TAC Airport. The following is Rep. Sharon Cissna's account of the events of February 20th, 2011, at SEA-TAC International Airport: 'So last night, as more and more TSA, airline, airport and police gathered, I became stronger in remembering to fight the submission to a physical hand exam...'

Alaska State Rep. objects to airport search demand, returns via sea 21 Feb 2011 State Rep. Sharon Cissna is returning to Alaska by sea after refusing a pat-down search at a Seattle airport. A spokeswoman for the Anchorage Democrat says she underwent a body scan and was then required to undergo the pat-down by Transportation Safety Administration or leave Sea-Tac airport. Cissna says TSA called for the pat-down because the scan showed Cissna had had a mastectomy. She described the search as "intrusive" in a statement.

Police arrest 11-year-old over 'inappropriate' stick figure drawing 22 Feb 2011 An 11-year-old Arvada, Colorado, boy was arrested and hauled away in handcuffs for drawing stick figures in school, something his therapist told him to do. His parents say they understand what he did was inappropriate, but are outraged by the way Arvada Police handled the case... They put him in a cell, took his mug shot and fingerprinted him.
Supreme Court rules against Pittsburgh parents in drug vaccine case 22 Feb 2011 The Supreme Court ruled today that a federal law bars lawsuits against drug makers over serious side effects from childhood vaccines. By a 6-2 vote, the court ruled against the parents of a child who sued the drug maker Wyeth in Pennsylvania state court for the health problems they say their daughter, now 19, suffered from a vaccine she received in infancy. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the court his pharma-terrorist overlords, said Congress set up a special vaccine court to handle such claims as a way to provide compensation to injured children without driving drug manufacturers from the vaccine market.

US union protests: Demonstrations move beyond Wisconsin 22 Feb 2011 Union unrest is spreading through the mid-western US, as labour activists in at least three states protest against pending anti-union legislation. Thousands of protesters were expected to gather in Ohio and Indiana and, for the second week in a row, Wisconsin. Democratic-leaning unions say fiscal woes are being used as an excuse to erode collective bargaining rights.

Unions to rally in Lansing over GOP proposals 22 Feb 2011 A top Michigan union official said Monday that Republicans in the Legislature want to strip Michigan unions of their bargaining rights, just as Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has threatened to do. Mark Gaffney, president of the Michigan AFL-CIO, said that as many as 400 union workers would come to the Capitol today to lobby against bills that he said would undermine unions, such as by allowing emergency financial managers to terminate union contracts in cities and school districts.

New York's Teamsters Local 237 to bus in support to union protestors in Wisconsin 21 Feb 2011 The Wisconsin workers who have staged a week-long protest against their Republican union-busting governor are getting some Big Apple reinforcements. Teamsters Local 237, which represents various city workers, intends to "bus a couple hundred" members to Madison - possibly this week, Deputy Director Pete Gutierrez told The Daily News. "This governor has awakened a sleeping giant," Gutierrez said of Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican. "We're going to bring down as many people as possible. It's an important issue and legitimate cause."

Wisconsin senators living day-to-day south of border --Escape to Illinois to avoid vote on budget leaves lawmakers short on essentials 21 Feb 2011 Some senators left Wisconsin with little more than the clothes on their backs. Others came to Illinois equipped with an Urban Essentials pack... Facebook and Twitter ready. Since they skipped across the state line Thursday to block a Republican budget plan, the 14 Wisconsin Democrats have gone into survival mode in Illinois, doing small loads of laundry and eating "whatever we can get our hands on."
Madison Pizzeria Feeding Protesters --Orders Are Coming In From Across the Globe 22 Feb 2011 A local pizza chain is being pulled into the protests in Madison. Ian's Pizza on State Street in Madison has had to shut down to the public because so many people are ordering pizza's for the protesters. Elliott Flax, the Milwaukee store manager, said Ian's has gotten orders from all over the world including Egypt, China and Australia. He said some people just call in with a dollar amount and tell them to feed as many people as possible.