Es wurde berichtet, dass durch den israelischen Drohnenangriff gestern auf der Sinai-Halbinsel vier oder fünf Menschen getötet wurden. Heute sagte die Gruppe Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, die im Grenzgebiet von Sinai und Gaza aktiv ist, dass sie das Ziel war, und hielt an der betreffenden Stelle ein improvisiertes Totengedenken für ihre getöteten Mitglieder ab.

The Anti-Coup, Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance was shocked at the remarks made by Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, in which she claimed alleged human rights violations were committed by supporters of President Morsi against his opponents.

The Alliance reiterated its clear and firm position that it rejects and condemns any violation of human rights whoever the perpetrators and whoever the victims may be, regardless of religion, sex, or political orientation.

Egypt’s coalition of groups, parties and movements defending electoral legitimacy announces main marches planned for Sunday (August 11).

One official suggested action against the sit-ins by supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi could happen as early as daybreak Monday.

As for Syria, it‘s Washington that is violating international law by fomenting the uprising against the Assad regime in Damascus; Russia is well within its legal rights to support Assad and arm him. More important, Syria is close to southern Russia and a long-time Soviet/Russian ally.

Imagine the US response if Russia sought to overthrow Mexico‘s government using Cuban advisers and local insurgents.

It‘s time to stop the war on whistle-blowers.
iam.bradleymanning.org | #iambradleymanning

Bradley Manning will make a rare statement before his defense finishes arguments in his sentencing hearing next week, his lawyers said Friday.

Over the past twelve years, a single Congressional resolution has allowed the United States to carry out military activities that constitute arguably some of the darkest marks on the tapestry of our national history. The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force was passed immediately following the September 11th attacks over the course of only three days, with, according to former California Congresswoman Jane Harman who voted affirmatively on the resolution in 2001, “five hours of debate in the House and even less in the Senate.”

(10.08.) Today the President of the United States validated Edward Snowden’s role as a whistleblower by announcing plans to reform America’s global surveillance program. But rather than thank Edward Snowden, the President laughably attempted to criticize him while claiming that there was a plan all along, “before Edward Snowden.” The simple fact is that without Snowden’s disclosures, no one would know about the programs and no reforms could take place.

My poor and desperate friends,
I do not know or who you are or where you live. But I am certain that each one of you, current owners of the world, is at the forefront in the spectral scale of unhappiness and emptiness which, for your specific responsibility, currently invades our beautiful planet. Who decides regularly the fate of the whole world are, they say, a few hundred individuals. Some even argue that those who truly have the greatest decision-making power over all of humanity are no more than thirty. It is certainly no thanks to you that we will find out who you are and how you are. You, who leave traces everywhere, and yet you are impossible to identify. The miserable idea of existence that characterizes you, however, can be seen by observing the multitude servants you have, those who in the Governments, who manage the States with a political system unable to take account and to understand the immense value of every human being.

America’s war on terrorism may one day end, as Mr. Obama said in a speech in May, but until that happens the president has given every indication that it will be fought in much the same way it has for nearly 12 years.

Obama has directed the intelligence community „to make public as much information about these programs as possible.“ First, „these programs“ must include „all surveillance programs,“ not just those that have been leaked so far. The NSA is supposed to put in place a full time civil liberties and privacy officer and create a website that details its surveillance practices. This should have happened long ago, though we think this is a step in the right direction.

The president must work with members of Congress to reform all of these surveillance programs, including those authorized by Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, which collect, monitor and retain the contents of Americans‘ communications without a warrant. We also urge the president to release the relevant FISA Court opinions and agency memos that have created a body of secret law that is far removed from public oversight and adequate congressional review. We must ensure that the government‘s surveillance programs once again adhere to the protections afforded by the Fourth Amendment.

Eine entsprechende Mitteilung vom 25. Juli listet hierfür einen Aktionsplan mit zahlreichen Maßnahmen auf, die auf den Arbeiten einer 2011 eingerichteten Taskforce “Verteidigung” beruhen. Auch der Europäische Auswärtige Dienst und die Verteidigungsagentur waren einbezogen. Heraus kam ein Papier mit der unmissverständlichen Forderung, “alle einschlägigen EU-Politiken in den Dienst des Verteidigungssektors zu stellen”:

(24.07.) The successive waves of cuts in defence budgets and the persisting fragmentation of defence markets in Europe threaten Europe’s capacity to sustain effective defence capabilities and a competitive defence industry. This also jeopardises Europe’s capacity to meet the new security challenges in an autonomous and effective way. This is why the European Commission has presented today a Communication which contains an Action Plan to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of Europe’s defence and security sector. The Communication foresees measures to strengthen the internal market for defence, to promote a more competitive defence industry and to foster synergies between civil and military research.

Angedacht ist ein entsprechendes Vorhaben durchaus schon länger. Allerdings kommt jetzt verstärkt Aktivität in die Angelegenheit. Ein Dokument, das auf Ende Juli datiert ist, umreißt die Pläne eines ambitionierten Projektes, dass die EU mit deutlich mehr Überwachungs-Technologie ausstatten soll: Dies reicht von Sensor-Technik zur Erkennung von gefährlichen Substanzen bis hin zu Drohnen.

Schattenspiele und Ablenkungsmanöver sind für Geheimdienste Routine. Beim BND schafft man sich offenbar eine eigene Wirklichkeit, in der alles anders ist, als die da draußen meinen. Nur so lässt sich die Reaktion auf den SZ-Bericht über eine umstrittene Anordnung von BND-Chef Schindler verstehen.

One of my favourite lines talks about being judged by the content of your character and not by the colour of your skin, and I think that pretty much sums up what we need to strive for as a people and as a country, and throughout the world: making character the highest call, not outward appearance.

On 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King made his ‚I Have a Dream‘ speech at the culmination of the March on Washington, giving the civil rights movement an unstoppable momentum. Here, the singer, actor and social activist recalls an epoch-defining day

In other news: Die NSA liest den kompletten Internetverkehr Neuseelands mit!