2010/03/17

Beyond Orwell: The Electronic Police State, 2010

Once upon a time, the masters of declining empires had only a limited array of tools to snoop on their unsatisfied masses. The top ten nations were of two types: Those who had the will to spy on every citizen, but lacked the ability, and those who had the ability, but lacked the will. Thanks to modern technology, that is no longer the case: The able have become willing, and these traditional restraints have been overcome.
The USA has negated our Constitution's fourth amendment in the name of "wars against terror, drugs and cyber attacks. At this time, so-called "Western democracies" are not far behind "beacons of freedom" such as China, North Korea, Belarus and Russia when it comes to repressive police measures. Now, our United States is a mere 2/100th of a point behind Russia, when it comes to Internet and other forms of electronic spying.
The worst offenders of their citizens' liberties are now, in that order: North Korea, China, Belarus, Russia, "our" United States, United Kingdom, France, Israel, Singapore, and Germany.

2010/03/14

Our US Government Kills Two Pregnant Mothers and a Teenage Girl

Our "modern" US Army often reverts to the ancient days of barbarism in order to accomplish its ordered missions: On February 12, US and Afghan Army forces launched a pre-dawn assault on the home of a prominent and popular policeman's home just outside Gardez, the capital of Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan. First, they killed the policeman, who had been standing in his doorway, protesting the innocence of his family. In the volley of fire directed against him, his pregnant wife, another pregnant woman and an 18-year old girl were also slaughtered. The families had been holding a party to celebrate the naming of a newborn baby boy. Sitting together along the walls of the guest room, the men had been taking turns dancing their traditional songs while the assembled musicians played. The group's singer said that at sometime after 3AM, one of the musicians went outside to go to the toilet. At that moment someone shone a light on his face, and the despicable murder of the assembled party began. Also killed was Saranwal Zahir, Dawood's brother, and the local prosecuter, who had been shouting for the soldiers not to shoot, as the women ran outside to tend to the wounded. Do you suppose that this village will ever support our war in Afghanistan! Please click on the headline, to read the rest of that story!