Daily Archives: 12. März 2014


12.03.2014 - 20:44 [ RT ]

US to violate own laws by financially aiding Ukraine’s coup-installed govt – Moscow

“Indeed, in accordance with the amendments introduced to the 1961 law (Foreign Assistance Act) a few years ago the provision of foreign assistance is prohibited to ‘the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree.’ The relevant provision is contained in 22 US Code § 8422,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

12.03.2014 - 20:12 [ German Foreign Policy ]

Die Ära der Drohnen (V)

Zu den Mitgliedern des UAV D A CH zählt auch das österreichische Unternehmen Schiebel Elektronische Geräte GmbH. Die Firma produziert eine Hubschrauber-Spionagedrohne namens „Camcopter S-100“, die von der Bundeswehr im Rahmen der Piratenbekämpfung vor der Küste Somalias eingesetzt wird. Die deutsche Kriegsmarine plant zudem, ihre neuartigen Korvetten der Klasse K 130 mit dem UAV auszustatten. Vertrieben wird der „Camcopter S-100“ unter anderem von der Waffenschmiede Diehl BGT Defence, die wie die Luftfahrtmesse AERO am Bodensee beheimatet und Teil des dortigen Rüstungsclusters ist. Vom französisch-britischen Rüstungskonzern Thales durchgeführte „Feuerkrafttests“ haben ergeben, dass der „Camcopter S-100“ problemlos mit Raketen bestückt werden kann.[9] Ganz im Sinne des vom UAV D A CH favorisierten Prinzips des „Dual Use“ wird so aus einer vermeintlich harmlosen Aufklärungsdrohne, die auch für zivile Zwecke einsetzbar ist, eine tödliche Waffe.

12.03.2014 - 20:10 [ German Foreign Policy ]

Bilder des Kalten Krieges

Die Gewaltdrohungen des „Pravy Sektor“ müssen umso ernster genommen werden, als eine ihrer Mitgliedsorganisationen, die 1990 gegründete extrem rechte UNA-UNSO, in der Vergangenheit sowohl auf der Krim intervenierte als auch Erfahrungen mit militärischen Auseinandersetzungen gesammelt hat. Im Frühjahr 1992 führte die Vereinigung auf der Krim einen Aufmarsch durch, der im gesamten Land Schlagzeilen verursachte:

12.03.2014 - 17:46 [ Heise ]

Ziercke wollte angeblich Persönlichkeitsrechte schützen

Edathy war darüber hinaus von 2005 bis 2009 Vorsitzender des Bundestags-Innenausschusses, der damals über zahlreiche sicherheitspolitische Instrumente debattierte, die das Bundeskriminalamt forderte. Vor einigen Tagen kam zudem heraus, dass er in dieser Funktion dem BKA am 18. Mai 2007 einen Besuch abstattete. Fragen dazu, wen er bei diesem Besuch begegnete, werden vom Bundeskriminalamt nicht beantwortet. So bleibt unklar, ob der Direktor der BKA-Abteilung SO 12, die die Kinderpornographiefälle bearbeitete, Edathy schon vor dem Mai 2012 kannte, als er in seiner Funktion als ehemaliger Leiter der BKA-Ermittlungsgruppe Ceska vor dem NSU-Untersuchungsausschuss befragt wurde.

12.03.2014 - 17:34 [ New York Times ]

Conflict Erupts in Public Rebuke on C.I.A. Inquiry

A festering conflict between the Central Intelligence Agency and its congressional overseers broke into the open Tuesday when Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee and one of the C.I.A.’s staunchest defenders, delivered an extraordinary denunciation of the agency, accusing it of withholding information about its treatment of prisoners and trying to intimidate committee staff members investigating the detention program.

12.03.2014 - 17:33 [ Kreml ]

Telephone conversation with President of France Francois Hollande

At France’s initiative, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of France Francois Hollande.

The two heads of state exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine, including on the possibilities for activating international efforts to help settle the situation. They agreed to continue the discussion, in particular during a planned visit to Moscow by the French foreign and defence ministers on March 18.

12.03.2014 - 17:28 [ Kreml ]

Telephone conversation with President of Switzerland and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter

At Switzerland’s initiative, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of Switzerland and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter.

The two presidents exchanged congratulations on the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Switzerland. They noted the good dynamic in bilateral cooperation and said they hoped to continue developing these mutually advantageous ties, including at the political level.

12.03.2014 - 17:09 [ The ANSWER Coalition ]

Tell the White House & Congress: No Funding for neo-Nazis in Ukraine!

The ANSWER Coalition has launched a new campaign to flood Congress and the White House with thousands of emails demanding that not one cent of taxpayers’ money be spent for the new Ukrainian government where neo-Nazis and semi-fascists hold many of the most powerful Cabinet positions, including Ukraine’s military.

12.03.2014 - 16:34 [ Ria Novosti ]

Moskau genehmigt Kiew Beobachtungsflug über russischem Territorium

„Wir rechnen damit, dass sich unsere Nachbarn überzeugen werden, dass die russischen Streitkräfte keine militärischen Aktivitäten an der Grenze zur Ukraine unternehmen, die die Sicherheit der Ukraine bedrohen“, sagte Antonow. Zugleich erinnerte er daran, dass die am 3. März begonnene großangelegte Übung der russischen Armee am 7. März zu Ende gegangen war.

12.03.2014 - 14:26 [ L.A. Times ]

Feinstein accuses CIA of spying on Senate panel as dispute escalates

A long-simmering dispute between the CIA and its Senate overseers erupted into public view Tuesday when the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee accused the agency of possible crimes and of attempting to intimidate committee staffers investigating the CIA‘s former use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.

12.03.2014 - 14:25 [ Washington Post ]

Senators rally around Feinstein, demand answers from CIA

Senators of both parties voiced support Tuesday for Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) decision to publicly accuse the CIA of violating federal law and interfering with a committee investigation into the agency‘s interrogation practices, while some Republicans on the panel suggested that Democrats might also be at fault.

12.03.2014 - 14:21 [ Techdirt ]

Comcast: Throwing Money At Congress To Approve Our Merger Is Ok Because Congress Represents The People!

Comcast is using a variety of sophisticated lobbying tricks to get the company‘s proposed $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable approved, including using minority groups and an endless roster of think tankers to parrot merger support. They‘re also taking a few cues from AT&T‘s blocked T-Mobile deal and avoiding making any promises the company knows it can‘t deliver (like claiming a merger that will likely kill jobs will somehow create jobs). But one thing Comcast is doing that‘s decidedly unsophisticated is its practice of throwing money at absolutely everybody (in truly bi-partisan fashion) in the hope it‘s really just as simple as buying merger support:

12.03.2014 - 14:05 [ Ansa ]

Rehn increases pressure on Italy over reforms

„The message given to large countries in the eurozone has been and continues to be that of a strong need for Italy and France to intensify economic reforms in order to attain growth, competitiveness and create jobs“ while „there is a clear need to strengthen and stimulate internal demand in Germany, in particular public and private investments,“ he said.

12.03.2014 - 08:19 [ Roll Call ]

Read Feinstein’s Full Speech Blasting the CIA (Updated) (Video)

„Let me say up front that I come to the Senate Floor reluctantly. Since January 15, 2014, when I was informed of the CIA’s search of this committee’s network, I have been trying to resolve this dispute in a discreet and respectful way. I have not commented in response to media requests for additional information on this matter. However, the increasing amount of inaccurate information circulating now cannot be allowed to stand unanswered.

The origin of this study: The CIA’s detention and interrogation program began operations in 2002, though it was not until September 2006, that Members of the Intelligence Committee, other than the Chairman and Vice Chairman, were briefed. In fact, we were briefed by then-CIA Director Hayden only hours before President Bush disclosed the program to the public.

A little more than a year later, on December 6, 2007, a New York Times article revealed the troubling fact that the CIA had destroyed videotapes of some of the CIA’s first interrogations using so-called “enhanced techniques.” „

12.03.2014 - 07:59 [ Techdirt ]

District Court Orders NSA To Hold Onto Metadata, Directly Contradicting Recent FISC Disposal Order

Well, this is interesting. No sooner had FISC judge Reggie Walton shot down the DOJ‘s request to hold Section 215 metadata indefinitely (supposedly to preserve evidence related to ongoing lawsuits) then another judge has ordered the NSA to preserve this same data as evidence related to two lawsuits the agency is currently engaged in.

12.03.2014 - 06:45 [ Süddeutsche ]

US-Senatorin wirft CIA Bruch der Verfassung vor

Sie habe „ernsthafte Sorge“ über das Vorgehen der CIA. Diese habe versucht, Ermittler des Kongresses „einzuschüchtern“, sagte die Senatorin aus Kalifornien in einer 40 Minuten langen, leidenschaftlichen Rede im Senat. Sie fügte hinzu: „Ich nehme das nicht auf die leichte Schulter.“

Zudem habe sie die CIA um eine Entschuldigung und das Eingeständnis gebeten, dass der Spähangriff unangemessen war. Bislang habe sie aber keine Antwort erhalten.

12.03.2014 - 06:41 [ Techdirt ]

What‘s Feinstein So Upset About? CIA Just Spied On Senate Intelligence Committee ‚Metadata‘

Earlier today, we wrote about Senator Dianne Feinstein‘s justified anger over the CIA „spying“ on the Senate Intelligence Committee staffers as they went about putting together a massive (and apparently incredibly damning) report condemning the CIA‘s torture program. Having now watched the whole video of her speech, as well as read the transcript, there‘s a lot more here to discuss.

12.03.2014 - 06:39 [ Techdirt ]

How The FBI Has Been Working Hard To Deport Friends Of Guy They Killed During Interview About Boston Bombing

It‘s also impossible to listen to this story, without connecting it to some of the recent Snowden revelations concerning how the NSA and FBI act. While the various chapters of the story are all interesting (including Todashev‘s girlfriend who agreed to be interviewed by Zalkind, and a month or so later was deported, almost certainly because of the interview), perhaps the most striking is the story of Ashurmamad Miraliev, profiled in Act 2 of This American Life and written up in more detail by Zalkind last fall.