-
-
Top officials knew in 2002 of harsh interrogations
Top White House officials were told in early 2002 about harsh measures used by the CIA to extract information from suspected al-Qaeda terrorists in the agency's secret prisons, according to an account given to congressional investigators by the office of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The details of the controversial program were discussed in multiple meetings inside the White House over a two-year period, triggering concerns among several officials who worried that the agency's methods might be illegal or violate anti-torture treaties, according to separate statements signed by Rice and her top legal adviser.
"I expressed concern that the proposed CIA interrogation techniques comply with applicable U.S. law, including our international obligations," John B. Bellinger III, legal adviser to Rice at the State Department and formerly her top legal aide at the National Security Council, said in written answers to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Top White House officials were told in early 2002 about harsh measures used by the CIA to extract information from suspected al-Qaeda ... more -
Tens of thousands of Iraqis to be welcomed in U.S. in '09
The United States has surpassed its goal of admitting 12,000 Iraqi refugees this year and expects more, perhaps tens of thousands, next year, the State Department said on Friday.
The United States expects to admit a minimum of 17,000 Iraqi refugees in fiscal 2009, which begins October 1, the department's senior coordinator for refugees said. Thousands more Iraqis and their family members could arrive via a special visa program for people who worked for the United States or its contractors.
(Read the Rest at Link...) The United States has surpassed its goal of admitting 12,000 Iraqi refugees this year and expects more, perhaps tens of thousands, nex... more -
Losing patience, US demands Russia quit Georgia
An irritated Bush administration accused Russia on Wednesday of trying to find excuses to keep thousands of troops in Georgia in violation of a cease-fire Russia signed with the former Soviet republic last month.
Using unusually blunt language, the State Department said it was well past time for Russia to withdraw most of its soldiers from Georgia's separatist areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. A spokesman demanded that Russia do so now. An irritated Bush administration accused Russia on Wednesday of trying to find excuses to keep thousands of troops in Georgia in viola... more -
The State Department Advises All Americans to Leave Georgia
The State Department is recommending that all U.S. citizens to leave Georgia due to ongoing Russian bombing of civilian and military targets despite Russia's claim to have halted military operations there. The State Department is recommending that all U.S. citizens to leave Georgia due to ongoing Russian bombing of civilian and military t... more
-
Legal, born in the U.S. residents denied citizenship!!
WESLACO, Texas -- In the archives of local institutions, Juan Aranda's life is firmly rooted in this small south Texas town.
His birth certificate says he was delivered unto Weslaco 38 years ago, and church records say he was baptized here soon after. School files list him as a student in the local district from kindergarten through high school, and voter rolls show he votes for president here.
But to the U.S. State Department, all that black and white looks a lot like gray. It recently refused to issue Mr. Aranda a passport; the government isn't sure he's an American.
"I never imagined my U.S. citizenship would be questioned," says the manager at a water company. "I've lived here since the day I was born."
The problem is that Mr. Aranda was delivered by a midwife at a private home. Parteras, Spanish for midwives, have been part of life in Hidalgo and Cameron counties along the border with Mexico from the time of the Texas Republic and before. But in the early 1990s, dozens of midwives were convicted of forging U.S. birth certificates for about 15,000 children born in Mexico as far back as the 1960s.
As a result, the U.S. government no longer trusts that anyone in this region delivered by a midwife is an American citizen. In those cases, the government demands additional proof -- a demand that has applicants scouring school warehouses and church offices to document their pasts.
That has caused a panic in south Texas, where locals need a valid passport more than ever. A new law that goes into effect next year requires Americans to use a passport, rather than just a birth certificate or driver's license, to visit Mexico and Canada. The situation threatens to isolate thousands of people in the Rio Grande Valley who regularly travel back and forth to Mexico for work or family reasons.
"Usually a state-issued birth certificate is sufficient to establish U.S. nationality," says Michael Kirby, a senior official for consular affairs at the State Department. But, given the fraud committed by some south Texas midwives, "we want to be careful that we issue passports to everybody who is eligible and not to anyone who isn't," he says, acknowledging that thousands of passport applicants could be affected. WESLACO, Texas -- In the archives of local institutions, Juan Aranda's life is firmly rooted in this small south Texas town. ... more -
Iraqi oil contracts questioned by State Dept.
The State Department's inspector general is investigating Iraqi oil contracts after four Democratic senators complained that department employees may have encouraged lucrative oil deals between Iraq and several Western companies.
Any backstage meddling would have violated Bush administration policy, which has been to discourage such deals until Baghdad passes a law that will fairly divide the nation's oil resources among the various provinces. The State Department's inspector general is investigating Iraqi oil contracts after four Democratic senators complained that depa... more -
Diplomats Barred From Obama’s Berlin Speech, But Not McCain’s In Ottawa
The Washington Post reported that the U.S. Embassy in Berlin “instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen. Barack Obama’s [D-IL] public rally” in Tiergarten Park because the event is “‘partisan political activity‘ prohibited under its regulations for those serving overseas.”
The diplomats’ union objected to the ruling, calling it an “unnecessarily narrow interpretation” of the Foreign Affairs Manual. “The fact that you are working for the U.S. government overseas should not preclude political activity that you could engage in in the United States,” one retired senior Foreign Service officer said. But a State official explained the ruling:
But “we always maintain that no U.S. government Foreign Service person overseas should be seen to be advocating one side or the other,” State Department Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy said, adding that “it has nothing to do with who” the candidate is.
“When a German sees you there, they’re not going to think, ‘Oh, he or she is on their off time.’ It’s ‘Oh, they are a Democrat, a Republican, an independent,’ God knows what,” Kennedy said in an interview.
But the ruling — which Kennedy admitted is unprecedented — appears to indicate a double standard from the State Department. Last June, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) delivered a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa. The event was reportedly organized in part by U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, whom President Bush appointed in 2005. But more than that, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa confirmed to ThinkProgress that Wilkins also attended the event.
Not only did McCain make clear references to and critiques of Obama’s policy positions in the speech, but he also referred to his own presidential campaign six times.
Although both the McCain and Obama campaigns denied their respective speeches in Ottawa and Berlin were political, the State Department only prohibited diplomats from attending Obama’s event. The fact that Wilkins attended McCain’s speech without worries that he would “be seen to be advocating one side or the other,” undermines Kennedy’s justification for barring Foreign Service personnel from attending Obama’s speech. The Washington Post reported that the U.S. Embassy in Berlin “instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen. ... more -
Disability protections ordered for sexually incapacitated
A South Carolina breast-cancer survivor has beaten the State Department and convinced judges in Washington that the inability to have sex is a disability protected under federal anti-discrimination laws.
The new appellate-court ruling gives Piedmont, S.C., resident Kathy E. Adams another potential shot at serving overseas. More broadly, the ruling cracks open the courtroom door for additional legal challenges by those who are sexually incapacitated.
"I think it's a major victory for former cancer patients, and for anyone who has had their sex life disrupted," Adams' attorney David H. Shapiro said Tuesday.
Adams, herself a practicing lawyer, wants to compel the State Department to hire her as a foreign service officer and provide back pay. She'll now go before a jury and trial judge, unless the State Department relents first.
"I think their goose may be cooked," Shapiro said. A South Carolina breast-cancer survivor has beaten the State Department and convinced judges in Washington that the inability to have ... more -
US rejects Iraqi demand for troops' withdrawal timeline
The United States today rejected a demand from Iraq for a specific date for pullout of US-led foreign troops from the country, saying any withdrawal will be based on conditions on the ground.
"The US government and the government of Iraq are in agreement that we, the US government, we want to withdraw, we will withdraw. However, that decision will be conditions-based," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.
Iraq said on Tuesday it will reject any security pact with the United States unless it sets a date for the pullout of US-led troops.
"We will not accept any memorandum of understanding if it does not give a specific date for a complete withdrawal of foreign troops," national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie told reporters in the holy city of Najaf.
The controversial demand from Baghdad's Shiite-led government underlines Iraq's new hardened stand in complex negotiations aimed at striking a security deal with Washington. The United States today rejected a demand from Iraq for a specific date for pullout of US-led foreign troops from the country, saying ... more -
U.S. advised Iraqi Ministry on oil deals
They lied to the world, they really were representing the oil companies when they said we should be afraid of a mushroom cloud, Many, many people said it, mainstream media refused to report it. Are they guilty also? When we do investigate this administration, we should also look into how mainstream media cooperated in the deception and who their owners are. Did the war benefit them financially also?
By ANDREW E. KRAMER
A group of American advisers led by a small State Department team played an integral part in drawing up contracts between the Iraqi government and five major Western oil companies to develop some of the largest fields in Iraq, American officials say.
A blog looking at daily life inside Iraq, produced by The Times’s Baghdad bureau.
The disclosure, coming on the eve of the contracts’ announcement, is the first confirmation of direct involvement by the Bush administration in deals to open Iraq’s oil to commercial development and is likely to stoke criticism.
In their role as advisers to the Iraqi Oil Ministry, American government lawyers and private-sector consultants provided template contracts and detailed suggestions on drafting the contracts, advisers and a senior State Department official said. They lied to the world, they really were representing the oil companies when they said we should be afraid of a mushroom cloud, Many,... more -
US preparing to strike Iran
Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf to “remind” Iran the US is ready to strike if sufficiently provoked.
"What the Iranians are doing is killing American servicemen and women inside Iraq," said Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Gates also insisted that Iran continues to back the Taliban.
The recent weeks have seen an increase in criticism toward Iran’s alleged support of the Taliban and efforts to supply militants in Iraq. Military commanders in Baghdad are expected to roll out evidence of that support soon - including date stamps on newly found weapons caches showing that recently made Iranian weapons are flowing into Iraq at a steadily increasing rate.
Gates’ comments contrasted with those from Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said last week that he had not seen any new signs of Iranian support for the Taliban.
Later this week Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is expected to confront the Iranians with evidence of their meddling and demand a halt. If that doesn't produce results, the State Department has begun drafting an ultimatum that would tell the Iranians to knock it off - or else. Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf to “remind” Iran the US is ready to strike ... more -
State Department gives tourist ALERT to U.S./Mexico bordertowns
This alert was give the U.S. State Department in light of the severe violence that has heightened on the bordertowns of Texas/ New Mexico/ Arizona/ and California. The violence is the confrontation of Mexico's military against very powerful drug lords.
U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza issued a statement Monday that attempted to straddle the line that many in the U.S. government have taken putting out the word that Americans shouldn't let their guard down while in Mexico, but stopping short of suggesting they cancel trips. This alert was give the U.S. State Department in light of the severe violence that has heightened on the bordertowns of Texas/ New Mex... more -
China to the US: take our women!
An interesting piece of history was discovered in a document that the State Department’s historical office released. It was a conversation transcript between China’s Chairman Mao Zedong and US Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger. An interesting piece of history was discovered in a document that the State Department’s historical office released. It was a conversa... more
-
9/11 informer rewarded £2.5 million
A former flight instructer who gave information leading to the conviction of Zacarias Moussaoui has been rewarded £2.5 million ($5 miliion). Keeping his identity a secret he was awarded the reward at a private ceremony at the State Department - the pay out was reportedly authorised in secret last Autumn by Condeleeza Rice.
"To ensure the safety of the individuals involved and the viability of the program, we do not discuss the identities of those who cooperate with Rewards for Justice," said Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman.
With rewards so high can the information used in the conviction be trusted? If you were offered $5 million to say something would you say it? What I also find interesting is that he has been rewarded seven years after the attack, and crucially the court case. If the jury had known that the informant was to recieve such a huge reward for his information would it have affected their decision?
Moussaoui attended flight training courses at Airman Flight School in Norman, Oklahoma but despite more than 50 hours of flying lessons, he failed and left without a Private Pilot License.
Your comments are welcome, so fire up those webcams. A former flight instructer who gave information leading to the conviction of Zacarias Moussaoui has been rewarded £2.5 million ($5 mil... more -
Flight instructor gets $5 million for catching the '20th hijacker'
A Minnesota flight instructor who notified his bosses of student Zacarias Moussaoui's suspicious behavior received a $5 million reward Thursday from the State Department. Clarence 'Clancy' Prevost was an instructor at the Pan Am International Flight Academy in Eagan, Minnesota, when Moussaoui was a student there. Moussaoui, sometimes called the '20th hijacker,' is the only person charged and convicted in connection with the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.
Now that is a pretty hefty reward. Do you think it's appropriate? A Minnesota flight instructor who notified his bosses of student Zacarias Moussaoui's suspicious behavior received a $5 million r... more -
Blackwater wishes you a happy mercenary Holiday
Santa's coat is red, and I think I know why...
"A Christmas wish that Christ's great love,
His grace and goodness too,
May fill your heart and bless you now
and all the whole year through
May the Lord Jesus truly bless you during this wonderful season
as you rejoice with family and friends"
-Blackwater Worldwide"
Merry Blackwater Christmas everyone. Santa's coat is red, and I think I know why... "A Christmas wish that Christ's great love, ... more -
Remember Manuel Miranda?
He was the judicial nominations 'counsel' to then-Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) who got busted and subsequently canned for hacking into senate Democrats' computers up on Capitol Hill. Seems we've sent him to Baghdad to be in charge of teaching Iraqi legislators democracy.
The State Department has hired him to head up the Office of Legislative Statecraft at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/059131.php He was the judicial nominations 'counsel' to then-Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) who got busted and subsequently canned f... more
-
related topics
State Department
Contributors (69)
State Department
