Month: March 2014

A Rivalry of Government Hackers

The government is caught up in another scandal in which federal agents have been accused of hacking into one another’s computers. When the CIA was established in 1947, Congress and President Truman were concerned that it might not confine itself to spying. Its sole statutory purpose was to steal secrets from foreign governments so that … Continue reading “A Rivalry of Government Hackers”

The Feinstein Syndrome: ‘The Fourth Amendment for Me, But Not for Thee’

Who knows, soon we might see headlines and cable TV shows asking: “Is Dianne Feinstein a whistleblower or a traitor?” A truthful answer to that question could not possibly be "whistleblower." It may already be a historic fact that Senator Feinstein’s speech on March 11, 2014 blew a whistle on CIA surveillance of the Senate … Continue reading “The Feinstein Syndrome: ‘The Fourth Amendment for Me, But Not for Thee’”

47 Killed, 33 Wounded in Ongoing Iraq Attacks

Scattered violence left at least 47 people dead and 33 more wounded across Iraq. The usual clashes and shelling took their toll in Anbar especially. Also, two Iraqiya party members were arrested on terrorism charges. With upcoming elections to take place soon, these arrests could foreshadow significant meddling, as had occurred during the last election … Continue reading “47 Killed, 33 Wounded in Ongoing Iraq Attacks”

Putin’s Ultimate Solution for Ukraine May Be the Best

Vladimir Putin and Russia – almost never on the receiving end of good publicity in the United States – do deserve criticism for the quiet invasion of Crimea, a Russian-speaking region of Ukraine. Invading other countries for any reason, except to pre-empt an attack, should be out-of-bounds in today’s world. Unfortunately, this panacea has not … Continue reading “Putin’s Ultimate Solution for Ukraine May Be the Best”

What Color is Ukraine’s ‘Color Revolution’?

As the real nature of Ukraine’s "democratic" and allegedly "pro-Western" opposition becomes all too apparent, the pushback from the regime-change crowd borders on the comic. The War Party is stumbling all over itself in a frantic effort to cover up and deny the frightening provenance of the neo-fascist gang they’ve helped to seize power in … Continue reading “What Color is Ukraine’s ‘Color Revolution’?”

Brother Karzai Leaves Election, Joins Another Ticket

The last time we checked in on the Afghanistan elections – which are less than a month away – there was a Karzai on the ballot. Last Friday, the brother of the mercurial U.S. ally and president Hamid Karzai, Abdul Qyayum Karzai, officially quit the race. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that Karzai’s legendary grip … Continue reading “Brother Karzai Leaves Election, Joins Another Ticket”

Selling a Mossad Book

Back in my CIA days we sometimes used to describe our opponents in the KGB as "ten feet tall." It was, in truth, a tribute to their tradecraft and ability to operate in largely hostile environments. Soviet case officers were sent overseas meticulously trained in both the local culture and language, remained in a country … Continue reading “Selling a Mossad Book”

What’s Going On in the Gulf? Unsurprisingly, It’s Probably About Iran

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain all recalled their ambassadors from Qatar on Wednesday, citing Qatar’s alleged support for organizations and individuals that threaten “the security and stability of the Gulf states” and for “hostile media.” This came right on the heels of a U.A.E. court sentencing Qatari doctor Mahmoud al-Jaidah to seven … Continue reading “What’s Going On in the Gulf? Unsurprisingly, It’s Probably About Iran”