What's really going on in our country the last few weeks?

[Paulyski 2,227]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu_30-8ZlmQ&feature=player_embedded

 

We've had some interesting & disconcerting developments in the last couple of weeks.

I'm sure many have heard of them, but have you really looked into them yet?

 

Here's an interesting take that seems rather interesting to myself...

 

 

FBI foils FBI terrorist plot.....Again!

 

 

Many Americans have been unsettled by two supposed terrorist plots foiled by the FBI in less than two weeks. Back in late November, Somali-born Mohamed Osman Mohamed, 19, was arrested in Portland, Oregon for allegedly setting off what he thought was the detonator to a bomb at a public holiday gathering, when in fact the FBI had supplied fake explosives for the plot. This was the culmination of an eight-month long undercover sting, the continuity of which was made possible thanks to the FBI preventing Mohamud from traveling to Alaska for a summer job.

 

The media is of course quick to laud the feds, but Glenn Greenwald over at Salon had a more cautious and skeptical take:

 

It may very well be that the FBI successfully and within legal limits arrested a dangerous criminal intent on carrying out a serious Terrorist plot that would have killed many innocent people, in which case they deserve praise…

 

But it may also just as easily be the case that the FBI—as they've done many times in the past—found some very young, impressionable, disaffected, hapless, aimless, inept loner; created a plot it then persuaded/manipulated/entrapped him to join, essentially turning him into a Terrorist; and then patted itself on the back once it arrested him for having thwarted a “Terrorist plot” which, from start to finish, was entirely the FBI’s own concoction. Having stopped a plot which it itself manufactured, the FBI then publicly touts—and an uncritical media amplifies—its “success” to the world, thus proving both that domestic Terrorism from Muslims is a serious threat and the Government’s vast surveillance powers—current and future new ones—are necessary.

 

That was not two weeks ago, and today we were informed that incredibly the FBI had prevented yet another terrorist attack from happening, this time at a US Army recruiting center in Maryland. The story contained familiar themes:

 

A Baltimore man who is a recent convert to Islam has been charged with plotting to blow up a military recruiting office in Catonsville, Md., authorities said Wednesday, but the bomb was a fake provided by the FBI.

 

Antonio Martinez, 21, who changed his name to Muhammad Hussein when he converted, was charged with the attempted murder of federal employees and the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction against U.S. property. He faces life in prison if convicted.

 

Martinez was arrested Wednesday morning after he tried to remotely detonate what he believed to be explosives in a vehicle parked in the Armed Forces recruiting station parking lot, federal authorities said.

 

Washington Post

 

What caught the attention of the FBI were postings Hussein made to his Facebook page. The worst of those seem to be:

 

“The sword is cummin the reign of oppression is about 2 cease,” (posted Sep. 29)

 

“Any 1 who opposes ALLAH and HIS Prophet Peace.Be.upon.Him I hate u with all my heart [sic].” (posted Oct. 1)

 

According to the FBI’s affidavit, it was on the basis of these two postings that an undercover agent initiated contact with Hussein. Are these postings the sincere ravings of a radical Muslim hell-bent on jihad, or just venting from a disillusioned 21 year old construction worker? We can’t know for sure, but we do know that up until his association with undercover FBI agents, Hussain seemed to be all talk, and that it took the intervention of the feds to turn a talker into a doer, just like on previous occasions, including the case of Mahmoud in Oregon.

 

The FBI is beginning to look like an exterminator who puts rats in other people’s houses just so he can come in and show everyone how useful he is. Either that or the United States is run by the Norsefire Party:

 

 

 

 

- Max Canning

 

max.canning@gmail.com

 

ps: Doesn’t the FBI ever try to get a respected imam to talk to any of these would-be terrorists to see if they can be redeemed? Or how about instead of paying for these broke-as-shit potential terrorists’ living expenses while cultivating their nascent jihadist fantasies, the FBI tries to find them gainful employment? Might not these at least be worth trying before conducting elaborate stings that may turn nothing into something?

 

http://www.inebriateddiscourse.com/2010/12/fbiterror.html

 

 

I mean, Governments have been playing games like this for quite some time....

 

Like in the Gulf of Tonkin that got us deeper into Vietnam;

 

Conflict & Dates:

 

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident took place on August 2 & 4, 1964, and helped lead to greater American involvement in the Vietnam War.

 

Fleets & Commanders:

 

US Navy

 

-Captain John J. Herrick

-1, then 2 destroyers

 

North Vietnam

 

-3 patrol boats

 

 

Gulf of Tonkin Incident Overview:

 

Shortly after taking office following the death of President John F. Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson became concerned about South Vietnam's ability to fend off the Communist Viet Cong guerillas that were operating in the country. Seeking to follow the established policy of containment, Johnson and his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, began increasing military aid to South Vietnam. In an effort to increase pressure on North Vietnam, several Norwegian-built fast patrol boats (PTFs) were covertly purchased and transferred to South Vietnam.

 

These PTFs were manned with South Vietnamese crews and conducted a series of coastal attacks against targets in North Vietnam as part of Operation 34A. Originally begun by the Central Intelligence Agency in 1961, 34A was a highly-classified program of covert operations against North Vietnam. After several early failures, it was transferred to the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group in 1964, at which time its focus shifted to maritime operations. In addition, the US Navy was instructed to conduct Desoto patrols off North Vietnam.

 

A long-standing program, the Desoto patrols consisted of American warships cruising in international waters to conduct electronic surveillance operations. These types of patrols had previously been conducted off the coasts of the Soviet Union, China, and North Korea. While 34A and the Desoto patrols were independent operations, the latter benefited from the increased signals traffic generated by the attacks of the former. As a result, the ships offshore were able to collect valuable information on North Vietnamese military capabilities.

 

The First Attack:

 

On July 31, 1964, the destroyer USS Maddox commenced a Desoto patrol off North Vietnam. Under the operational control of Captain John J. Herrick, it steamed through the Gulf of Tonkin collecting intelligence. This mission coincided with several 34A attacks, including an August 1 raid on Hon Me and Hon Ngu Islands. Unable to catch the fast South Vietnamese PTFs, the government in Hanoi elected to strike instead at USS Maddox. On the afternoon of August 2, three Soviet-built P-4 motor torpedo boats were dispatched to attack the destroyer.

 

Cruising twenty-eight miles offshore in international waters, Maddox was approached by the North Vietnamese. Alerted to the threat, Herrick requested air support from the carrier USS Ticonderoga. This was granted, and four F-8 Crusaders were vectored towards Maddox's position. In addition, the destroyer USS Turner Joy began moving to support Maddox. Not reported at the time, Herrick instructed his gun crews to fire three warning shots if the North Vietnamese came within 10,000 yards of the ship. These warning shots were fired and the P-4s launched a torpedo attack.

 

Returning fire, Maddox scored hits on the P-4s while being struck by a single 14.5-millimeter machine gun bullet. After fifteen minutes of maneuvering, the F-8s arrived and strafed the North Vietnamese boats, damaging two and leaving the third dead in the water. The threat removed, Maddox retired from the area to rejoin friendly forces. Surprised by the North Vietnamese response, Johnson decided that the United States could not back away from the challenge and directed his commanders in the Pacific to continue with the Desoto missions.

 

The Second Attack:

 

Reinforced by Turner Joy, Herrick returned to the area on August 4. That night and morning, while cruising in heavy weather, the ships received radar, radio, and sonar reports that signaled another North Vietnamese attack. Taking evasive action, they fired on numerous radar targets. After the incident, Herrick was unsure that his ships had been attacked, reporting at 1:27 AM Washington time that "Freak weather effects on radar and overeager sonarmen may have accounted for many reports. No actual visual sightings by Maddox."

 

After suggesting a "complete evaluation" of the affair before taking further action, he radioed requesting a "thorough reconnaissance in daylight by aircraft." American aircraft flying over the scene during the "attack" failed to spot any North Vietnamese boats.

 

Aftermath

 

While there was some doubt in Washington regarding the second attack, those aboard Maddox and Turner Joy were convinced that it had occurred. This along with flawed signals intelligence from the National Security Agency led Johnson to order retaliatory airstrikes against North Vietnam. Launching on August 5, Operation Pierce Arrow saw aircraft from USS Ticonderoga and USS Constellation strike oil facilities at Vinh and attack approximately thirty North Vietnamese vessels. Subsequent research and declassified documents has essentially shown that the second attack did not happen. This was reinforced by statements by retired Vietnamese Defense Minister Vo Nguyen Giap who admitted to the August 2 attack, but denied ordering another two days later.

 

Shortly after ordering the airstrikes, Johnson went on television and addressed the nation regarding the incident. He then requested the passage of a resolution "expressing the unity and determination of the United States in supporting freedom and in protecting peace in Southeast Asia." Arguing that he did not seek a "wider war," Johnson stated the importance of showing that the United States would "continue to protect its national interests." Approved on August 10, 1964, the Southeast Asia (Gulf of Tonkin) Resolution, gave Johnson the power to use military force in the region without requiring a declaration of war. Over the next few years, Johnson used the resolution to rapidly escalate American involvement in the Vietnam War.

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/vietnamwar/p/gulfoftonkin.htm

 

 

Or Operation Northwoods, an operation to fabricate a legitimate reason to move militarily on Cuba & Castro;

 

 

Operation Northwoods, or Northwoods, was a false-flag operation plan that originated within the United States government in 1962. The plan called for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or other operatives to commit genuine acts of terrorism in U.S. cities and elsewhere. These acts of terrorism were to be blamed on Cuba in order to create public support for a war against that nation, which had recently become communist under Fidel Castro. One part of the Operation Northwoods plan was to "develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington."

Operation Northwoods included proposals for hijackings and bombings followed by the introduction of phony evidence that would implicate the Cuban government. The plan stated:

 

"The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to place the United States in the apparent position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an international image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere."

 

Several other proposals were included within the Operation Northwoods plan, including real or simulated actions against various U.S. military and civilian targets. The plan was drafted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed by Chairman Lyman Lemnitzer and sent to the Secretary of Defense. Although part of the U.S. government's Cuban Project anti-communist initiative, Operation Northwoods was never officially accepted and the proposals included in the plan were never executed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods

 

Or the Gleiwitz incident, another false flag attack that Hitler's Germany used as an excuse to invade Poland;

 

The Gleiwitz incident was a staged attack by Nazi forces posing as Poles on 31 August 1939, against the German radio station Sender Gleiwitz in Gleiwitz, Upper Silesia, Germany (since 1945: Gliwice, Poland) on the eve of World War II in Europe.

This provocation was the best-known of several actions in Operation Himmler, a Nazi Germany SS project. It was intended to create the appearance of Polish aggression against Germany in order to justify the subsequent invasion of Poland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleiwitz_incident

 

 

Now don't get me wrong...

I'm not a supporter of would-be terrorists, but I'm rather well aware that kids talk.

Also, we've not been scared enough to beg the government to strip us of even more of our civil rights as of late.

I believe it's our duty to serve our country, but I also believe that unwavering questioning & accountability is first & foremost needed to keep those with ulterior motives in check.

 

 

Is it too far fetched of an idea that our government is running out of victories, or moreover perpetrators, so they must manufacture them, like so many governments, including ours has done in the past???

 

I mean, just saying "Nine-Eleven" doesn't exactly have the same effect as it did a few years back.

 

In the world we live in we get consumed in our daily problems & it keeps us from expending the energy to see what may really be going on.

The average citizen is lucky if he even has the time or interest to watch even the propaganda of the mainstream media, let alone scrutinize it.

We must truly start looking at & scrutinizing whats transpiring in our society. History shows us where there was once conspiracy, there was eventually a reality transpiring.

All I’m saying is to be scrutinizing & vigilant. The patriots of generations past would want us to do that.

I for one will. And I’ll take being called crazy and paranoid if thats what it results in.

 

ETA;

I intended on this being a news & current events thread, but realize it may go political.

If it immediately does, feel free to move it to political.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Paulyski

[ktcm7271 999]

I'm more concerned with government or corporate take over of the internet in the interest of security or safety than I am with terrorists. There's been a lot of talk of that as of late, and with the hackers going nuts over Assenge, it may come soon.

[WildmamWilliams 51]

I for one will. And I'll take being called crazy and paranoid if thats what it results in.

 

 

 

Here here! Well put and well said. One definitely needs to keep on eye on events these days. A lot of what is going on in our world today, is creepily parallel to things which have already happened. Good post Paulyski, as always.

 

+1 for making me flex my noggin. :-D

Edited December 12, 2010 by WildmanWilliams

[rob-cubed 74]

This has been weighing heavily on my mind too. So far net neutrality has been viewed favorably by nearly everyone but the big ISPs. The recent Wikileaks issue and subsequent DOS attacks on credit card company sites is only giving the enemies of freedom a legitimate excuse to filter the free flow of information.

 

I'm more concerned with government or corporate take over of the internet in the interest of security or safety than I am with terrorists. There's been a lot of talk of that as of late, and with the hackers going nuts over Assenge, it may come soon.

 

As to whether the FBI has virtually entrapped certain people in the name of keeping the country safe... I don't know enough of the details but I'd say probably. Most of them had the will, but probably wouldn't have done much damage if left to their own devices. The really dangerous people either act independently or work covertly enough not to get busted until it's too late.

 

I don't think the FBI is actively trying to drum up fear in order to pass more security measures. But the end effect is the same. Heck, we just got our airport security stepped up for no good reason--there haven't been any airline threats that have originated domestically since 9/11, nor has the TSA prevented any.

 

What really worries me is that, eventually, there will be another major terrorist attack on our soil and we'll lose even more of our freedom as a result. No matter how much money we throw at "fighting" terrorism, the people that wish us harm can afford to simply wait. You can't protect everyone, all of the time. Giving up our freedom for a false sense of security means the terrorists have already won.

Edited December 12, 2010 by rob-cubed