Policing/ Machine guns for only counter-terror initiatives.

One day after saying a newly-created police unit armed with machine guns would police protesters, the New York Police Department has backtracked, saying the unit will only work on counter-terror initiatives.

Chief of Department James O’Neill told the New York Daily News that the new counter-terror unit “will not be involved in handling protests and demonstrations. They’ll have no role in protests. Their response is single-fold. They’ll be doing counter-terror work. They’ll be assigned to different posts throughout the city.”

NYPD reversal: Anti-terror unit armed with machine guns won’t police protesters

Ukrainian crisis/Neo-Nazism roots

  

American second or third generation Ukrainian immigrants are fighting for a Neo-Nazi government in Kiev because their parents or grandparents, bringing with them a fervent devotion to an anti-Semitic and anti-Russian Nazi hero, were welcomed here and flourished.

Victoria Nuland is only the most visible member of a Ukrainian diaspora that infiltrated the system of power. Notice that I do not say "the corridors of power' which refers mainly to the foot soldiers of each party, most of whom know little about anything beyond their shores. No, I mean that the actual system of power in the United States was infiltrated by members of Stepan Bandera's Neo-Nazi Ukrainian Party that fought alongside Hitler to exterminate Jews and Russians in Ukraine.

These World War II 'refugees' were whitewashed by the FBI in order to serve as American spies against the post-war Soviet bloc. Some of them - or their descendants - are probably still on the ground, but the decisive fight to make Ukraine a member of the European Union is being waged in Washington.

How About a US Donbass Brigade?

International security/ War-making

It was August 2, 1990, and Saddam Hussein, formerly Washington’s man in Baghdad and its ally against fundamentalist Iran, had just sent his troops across the border into oil-rich Kuwait.  It would prove a turning point in American Middle East policy. Six days later, a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division was dispatched to Saudi Arabia as the vanguard of what the U.S. Army termed “the largest deployment of American troops since Vietnam.” The rest of the division would soon follow as part of Operation Desert Storm, which was supposed to drive Saddam’s troops from Kuwait and fell the Iraqi autocrat.  The division’s battle cry: "The road home... is through Baghdad!”

Tomgram: WilliamAstore, Groundhog Day in the War on Terror

Ukrainian crisis

Fighting over the Donetsk airport between Ukraine’s military and separatist forces backed by Russia has flared anew. The U.S. has begun providing heavier weapons as well as personnel training to Kiev. The conflict could go on for a long time, with Kiev and Moscow locked in a small hot war and the U.S. and Russia stuck in a larger Cold War lite. An extended confrontation would be in no one’s interest, especially America’s.

U.S. Should Stay Out Of The Russo-Ukrainian Quarrel: Why The Conflict In Ukraine Isn't America's Business, Part I

Divorce security

Perhaps you've heard: Getting divorced is expensive. Whether you're going to pay alimony or receive it, many partners ending a marriage will soon feel as if they've taken a financial beating. Even if the breakup is amicable, splitting assets isn't pretty.

So if you're looking to not inflate the cost of your divorce, try to do the following.

Involve the divorce lawyers as little as possible. Even some attorneys will tell you not to overdo it. 

How You're Making Your Divorce More Expensive

Financial safety

German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out a debt writedown for Greece on Saturday, and a European Central Bank policymaker threatened to cut off funding to Greek banks if Athens does not agree to renew its bailout package.

The euro zone's paymaster and the ECB are both taking a tough line with Greece's new leftist government, whose leader swept to victory last Sunday promising that five years of austerity, "humiliation and suffering" were over.

Germany Rejects Idea of Greece Debt Writedown

Clearly identifying enemies

Twice this month, the White House has publicly grappled with the politically fraught language of terrorism.

In the days after a deadly terror spree in Paris, President Barack Obama was criticized for purposely avoiding calling the attacks an example of "Islamic extremism," settling for the more generic "violent extremism." This week, the White House struggled to explain why the administration sometimes classifies the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist organization — and sometimes does not.

The rhetorical wrangling underscores the extent to which a president who pledged to end to his predecessor's war on terror is still navigating how to explain the threats that persist to the American public, while also being mindful of the impact his words can have abroad.

White House Grapples with Fraught Terrorism Language

Economic security

The Central Bank of Russia bought a record amount of gold in the first 11 months of 2014 spending an estimated $6.1 billion. Increasing gold reserves attempts to reduce dependence on the dollar amid geopolitical tension, Mark O’Byrne of GoldCore, told RT.

Russia’s gold purchases accounted for a third of the world’s total of 461 tons, according to research by Thomson Reuters GFMS (Gold Fields Mineral Services). The amount of gold bought went up 123 percent from the previous year to 152 tons, worth $6.1 billion at current prices. It’s the most Russia has spent since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

 Russia increases gold purchases by 123%

Approaches to Marijuana/ Lynch does not support the legalization of marijuana,

The U.S. attorney general could decide tomorrow to begin a legal assault on state-regulated marijuana sales, and federal judges likely would rule in the Justice Department's favor.

But reform advocates aren’t afraid attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch would do that, even if she personally opposes pot legalization.

Lynch said she opposes legal sales of marijuana Wednesday during a Senate confirmation hearing in which she also said she disagrees with President Barack Obama about the harmfulness of the drug.

Pot Reformers Aren't Afraid ofLoretta Lynch

Navy in Indian ocean

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will deploy a range of naval vessels into the Indian Ocean region in the future, said a senior military official during a press conference on 29 January.

The comment by Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), comes against the backdrop of increased PLAN deployments to the region since it first took part in international counter-piracy efforts off Somalia in 2008. Since then, the PLAN has progressively expanded the frequency and type of naval vessels - the latter now to include submarines - that it sends to the Indian Ocean.

PLAN to deploy range of warships in Indian Ocean, says China's defence ministry

Dreary atoll

The UK government is facing renewed pressure to make a full disclosure of its involvement in the CIA's post-9/11 kidnap and torture program after another leading Bush-era U.S. official said suspects were held and interrogated on the British territory of Diego Garcia.

Lawrence Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to Colin Powell at the U.S. State Department, said the Indian Ocean atoll was used by the CIA as "a transit site where people were temporarily housed, let us say, and interrogated from time to time".

In an interview with Vice News, Wilkerson said three U.S. intelligence sources had informed him that the CIA used Diego Garcia for what he described as "nefarious activities".

PowellAide: CIA Used Diego Garcia for 'Nefarious' Purposes

Terror threat/ Jihadists seeking to enter the EU

A lack of effective multilateral coordination between European Union member states is leaving the bloc open to infiltration by terrorists, according to experts, as the bloc’s border forces are overwhelmed by the numbers of illegal migrants and refugees attempting to reach Europe.

The lack of a coherent strategy on border control between member states is leaving the EU vulnerable to exploitation by people smugglers, as militants are being sent to Europe using “any means at their disposal” with the aim of conducting terror attacks in retaliation for Western involvement in the U.S.-led coalition against groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS).

 Lack of Co-ordination Leaves EU ‘Vulnerable’ to Jihadists Posing as Refugees

Iraqi v. Islamic State

Fighting against Islamic State militants and other violence, was a major factor in the death of at least 1,375 people including 790 civilians in January, the United Nations said on Sunday.

A total of 1,375 Iraqis were killed and another 2,240 were wounded in acts of warfare, terrorism and other violence in January, according to data released on Sunday by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The UN agency put the number of civilians killed in the first month of 2015 at 790 (Including 59 civilian police), and the number of civilians injured was 1,469 (including 69 civilian police).

UN:1,375 Iraqis killed in January, majority civilians

Fighting extremism/ Against policy of disengagement in the Middle East

An absence of clear policies from the White House makes it impossible for the U.S. to achieve any sort of victory in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region, according to three former top military officers who oversaw recent wars there.

“[We need to] come out from our reactive crouch and take a firm, strategic stance in defense of our values,” retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis said to Congress Tuesday morning.

“America needs a refreshed national security strategy,” he added, saying that it must look beyond the string of crisis “currently consuming the executive branch.”

Absence of White House Strategy Makes ISIS, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan Wars Unwinnable

False threat

Claims that Iran is preparing to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) are based on incorrect analysis of a satellite image showing the new facility at the Khomeini Space Centre in Semnan province.

The claim was first made on 21 January by Israel's Channel 2 on the basis of an undated EROS-B satellite image of the new facility that was probably taken sometime in 2014. It was then picked up by several other outlets.

Analysis: Iranian ICBM claim falls short of the mark

Intelligence/ Marines are coming…

The CIA officer credited with saving former President Hamid Karzai's life during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 has been named director of the National Clandestine Service, the agency's spying arm.

The officer, a former Marine who is under cover and whose first name is Greg, was recently the head of the Special Activities Division, the CIA's elite paramilitary force. He has twice been station chief in Afghanistan, where in December 2001 he jumped to shield Karzai when the U.S. military accidentally bombed the position of the man who would become Afghanistan's president.

New Chief of CIA Clandestine Service, Former Marine, is Spying Veteran

Decreasing terror threat

Many have called it a game-changer. On December 16, gunmen loyal to the Pakistani Taliban attacked a military school in Peshawar, killing 148 people. Most of the victims were children, and many were killed as they hid under the desks. The violence was so gruesome it seemed to rattle the country like never before. Quickly, the Pakistani government rushed to assure people it had the situation under control. In the aftermath of the attack, the government set up special military tribunals in which to try suspected terrorists, and the penalties are expected to be harsh. Meanwhile, the army reportedly broadened its crackdown in the federally administered tribal areas, in hopes of thwarting terrorism.

Is Pakistan Really Cracking Down on Terrorism?

Ukrainian crisis

Shelling of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk is continuing practically non-stop with shells landing in civilian areas after mediators’ talks failed Saturday. Militia and Kiev forces are fighting for the strategically key area of Debaltsevo.

Officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said at least three civilians have been killed by Ukrainian artillery fire targeting residential areas overnight.

“Overnight, the Ukrainian troops fired about 30 barrages at DPR cities. The night shelling injured 14 civilians” in two of the city’s neighborhoods, reported Eduard Basurin, deputy defense minister in the DPR.

 Constant shelling in Donetsk as peace talks in Minsk end in blame game

Ukrainian crisis

Pretty much everything about Ukraine is murky and unreliable these days, and that's before you take into consideration any of the meddling by outside powers playing carelessly with their Slavic pawns. Viewed in their darkest light, the events of the past 20 months (and the past 20 years) reflect an East-West death spiral that is now accelerating, and from which none of the engaged parties show any desire to disengage.

The civil war in eastern Ukraine has continued fitfully since September, when the parties signed a ceasefire known as the Minsk Agreement. The ceasefire has often been more honored in the breach than the observance, but overall it has led to considerably less bloodshed, especially among civilians, than the previous six months fighting.

Ukraine Tipping?

Economic security/ Manufactured crises and their outcomes

Since the onset of economic calamity in the West beginning around 2007 ‘official’ response has been framed as modest successes with a few policy errors while the reality is of remote elites and their agents enacting punitive policies under the guise of material economic constraints. In this context the election of Alexis Tsipras and Syriza in Greece appears a radical left turn while the actual economic proposals under discussion appear to be the middle-of-the-road textbook economics that preceded the neo-liberal coup of the 1970s in the U.S.

Greece, the US and the Neo-Liberal Coup

Anti-war group attending the hearing

"Get out of here, you low life scum!"

Those are the words of a US Senator shrieking at anti-war, pro-peace, pro-justice demonstrators who were drawing attention to the presence -- in a Senate hearing room -- of three American war criminals, the worst of which was the execrable murderer, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Henry Kissinger. It would be impossible to estimate the number of deaths directly attributable to Kissinger. Born in Germany, Kissinger and his family, as did most Jews who had the means to do so, fled the Nazis in 1938. The irony is that a strong, fact-loaded argument can be made that Kissinger has been responsible for more deaths worldwide than the number of Jews murdered by the Nazis, the very killers who drove his family into exile.

Death To The Peacemakers!!

Flights security

The European Parliament is considering reviving draft legislation which would force airline companies to give EU member governments a cohesive and uniform set of passenger information, following heightened security concerns in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris earlier in January.

The draft legislation, originally rejected by the Parliament’s civil-liberties committee in April 2013, is now being steered by Tory Party member Timothy Kirkhope through the EU assembly.

According to Home Land Security News Wire, the measures, — originally proposed in 2011 before being rejected two years later, would require all EU and foreign flight carriers to provide authorities with data on passengers and their PNR, or “passenger name record” information, which includes seat number, reservation date, payment method, and travel itinerary.

Pressure to revive uniform air-passenger information legislation in Europe

Assault threat/ Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you

In the week following the atrocities, a wave of moral hysteria swept France. ‘Je suis Charlie’ became almost obligatory. The Hollande/Valls message was simple: either you were for the magazine or for the terrorists. Quite a few, now as in 2001, were for neither. These included Henri Roussel, the 80-year-old founder of Hara-Kiri, the title under which Charlie Hebdo was published before it was forced into a name change – it was banned by the French government for insulting the corpse of Charles de Gaulle. 

The Muslim Response to Paris

Drones

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and variants of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) recently achieved flight-time milestones, their manufacturers announced.

According to AIN Online, General Atomics said an MQ-9 Reaper reached 20,000 total flight hours during a 17-hour mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on December 23. This is the highest flight time logged by a single MQ-9, or Predator B.

This particular record-setting aircraft flew for the first time on Jan. 31, 2008 (sic), and had accumulated 1,355 flights, nearly all in support of U.S. overseas contingency operations.

Military UAV breaks flight time record

International security / Smth. like international sting operations

That modus operandi can be traced in other counties. But this tactics caused only internal and external dangers disguising real threats.

And this: the U.S. government has repeatedly tried to plant nuke plans and parts on Iraq, as it has tried for decades to portray Iran as pursuing nukes.

And this: The Sterling trial, including testimony from Condoleezza "Mushroom Cloud" Rice herself, was bafflingly about defending the CIA's so-called reputation, very little about prosecuting Sterling. They doth protested too much.

What did blowing the whistle on Operation Merlin put at risk? Not the identity of Merlin or his wife. He was out there chatting with Iranians online and in-person. She was outed by the CIA itself during the trial, as Wheeler pointed out. What blowing the whistle on giving nukes to Iran put at risk was the potential for giving nukes to more countries -- and exposure of plans to do so (whether or not they were followed through on) to the nation that the United States had been attacking since the Gulf War, began to truly destroy in 2003, and is at war in still.

CIA Tried to Give Iraq Nuclear Plans, Just Like Iran

Terror threats / Prisons

Experts say that after the terror attacks in Paris, there is a need to monitor not only mosques known for extremist views, but also prisons.

Homeland Security News Wire is quoting experts that call prisons “Universities for terror”.

According to NBC News, would-be American Airlines “shoe bomber” Richard Reid converted to Islam while in Britain’s Felthham young offenders’ institution. Muktar Ibrahim, who attempted a second London transit attack in 2005, became radicalized in the same facility.

Spanish drug dealer Jose Emilio Suarez Trashorras and Moroccan petty criminal Jamal Ahmidan were among those recruited by an al Qaeda-linked cell while serving sentences in Spain’s Topas prison, later becoming co-conspirators in the 2004 Madrid train bombing.

Prisons– “greenhouses” for terrorists