FBI Whistleblower Describes Government Muscle Tactics
A whistleblower who lost her job and was gagged by the Bush administration after revealing careerism, corruption and widespread incompetence at the FBI detailed her difficult search for justice to an audience on Monday at the American Library Association’s annual conference. Sibel Edmonds, hired by the FBI as a translator shortly after 9/11, was fired in 2002 after reporting a range of problems at the bureau, including:
- slothful, unqualified employees
- family members of diplomats suspected of spying who translated the wiretaps of their relatives
- ignored or overlooked intelligence warning of Al-Qaeda’s plans to hijack planes and attack major cities
- evidence of a Turkish bribery ring that, according to some accounts, was connected to then-Speaker of the House Denny Hastert (R-Illinois)
After Edmonds’ aired the dirty laundry, her higher-ups cut her loose. Then John Ashcroft, the U.S. attorney general at the time, invoked the “state secrets privilege,” a little-used Draconian national security measure that stopped Edmonds from discussing what she knew. Even information about her birthday and the schools she had attended became classified, a so-called matter of national security too dangerous to disclose. Of course, the information was already public. A google search turns it up instantly. For a time, information about Edmonds’ case was even up on the FBI website.
“It is funny and so very sad at the same time,” Edmonds told the librarians yesterday. “The next time I’m pulled over by a cop for speeding or at a red light, and they say ma’am can you give me your driver’s license, I’m going to say: ‘I’m sorry, officer. I can’t give it to you. It’s classified.’”
But the unusual situation Edmonds finds herself in — one that she describes as “Kafkaesque” — is also quite unnerving. Even though Congress and the Justice Department’s own inspector general determined that several of Edmond’s complaints about abuse and incompetence had merit, she lost a lawsuit against the FBI. When she appealed, this strange scene took place:
“My attorney stood up and argued the case about the state secret’s privilege. Then the court asked [us] to step out of the court…while the government argued its side. Can they do this? This is the United States of America. The guards escorted us out and they locked the doors. We don’t know what [the FBI attorneys] told the judges. My attorneys could never know what they argued. As far as we know, they could have made the most outrageous lies. There was no one there to challenge them. We assume that they did because a few weeks later the court upheld the lower court’s ruling.”
Edmonds tried to get the U.S Supreme Court to hear the case. The court declined. In May 2004, the Justice Department issued a retroactive gag order on Congress, classifying the briefings Edmonds had given Congress, all FBI briefings, and forcing members of Congress with information about the case on their web sites to remove it (which spurred a separate lawsuit).
© 2007 Wired.Com
So much is profoundly wrong about this administration since Bush was “elected” in 2000.
This is yet another sordid anecdote to add to the perverse legacy of the most unpopular President in American history–arrogant, corporate, Bible-thumping neocons who think they are above the law continues to be a common theme.
I hope the American people think long and hard about who they vote for in 2008 to ensure they do not set the stage for a repeat of this fiasco.
For a moment there I thought this was an excerpt from one of Clancy’s spy novels.
Sometimes, most of the times, when I read these news accounts of what is going on in America, I feel like Neo from the movie the Matrix when Morpheus is telling Neo what the Matrix is. Neo starts to say “I don’t believe it” or “I won’t believe it” and then gets unplugged and throws up on the floor and passes out.
I have to admit that I am beginning to believe that I am living in a dream I can not wake up from, unfortunately I am not the “one”.
The American “people” haven’t got a chance at justice here. This a “secret” country now. Voting in 2008 will be no solution. The solution is revolution. Go ahead and vote for the Democratic candidate. Nothing will change.
Just look at the clowns running on both sides. If we want change and open government it’s time for a GENERAL STRIKE. We should start organizing this now. The Dems will NOT impeach, investigate, stop the war or publicly fund elections. Did I miss something?
WDMax3,
“…unfortunately I am not the “one”.”
Yes, you are. You have already puked on the floor and passed out. Now you’re awake. You took the red pill. Now it’s your turn. Did Neo sign a petition for redress of grievances? Did he file a suit? Did he march in a protest? No.
He engaged a titanic struggle of direct action with the people he loved against the Slave Masters who wanted only one thing: Everything, Forever. And no, victory was never assured, only the struggle. No rules.
Peace.
The last two elections were stolen, perhaps they all were. Thinking long and hard before the next election is useless because Diebold still owns the voting machines, don’t they? And we haven’t solved the many ways that voters were cheated and kept from voting last time, right? I know my vote wasn’t counted before Bush announced his “victory”, and I live in mostly white, affluent Boulder County. I agree with bongofury and luckylefty. Count me in for the revolution and struggle - where do I sign up?
About the article, isn’t it obvious that, considering the over-the-top security measures slapped on Ms. Edmonds, this goes way beyond “slothful employees”, or petty nepotism and corruption? The pre-gagged Ms. Edmonds herself reported the apparent deliberate mistranslation of intercepted communications - but I guess now she’s cooperating…
Beyond the nutty theories about the WTC being wired with explosives, or a missle being fired into the Pentagon, there there is certainly a strong case for the “let it happen” theory. This much more credible theory never seems to get discussed because it gets drowned out by the nutty theories. This situation itself = pollute rational discourse with irrational ideas, is itself a classic cointelpro tactic - i.e. the conspiracy theories themselves are a conspiracy.
Ms. Edmonds is a great patriot. Please go to Let Sibel Edmonds Speak, her story is unbelivable :
http://letsibeledmondsspeak.blogspot.com/
And Kill the Messanger:
http://justacitizen.com/KillTheMessenger.html
Tomdispatch posted NICK TURSE’S “Legion of the Fallen,” and it was published on commondreams a year of so ago. It lists others like Sibel whose testimony and expertise have also been marginalized while showing the degree to which those with integrity and respect for the truth have been silenced or otherwise punished. It all reads from Orwell’s playbook on how NOT to manage a nation, particularly one that champions freedom. To Bush, that’s just a brand name.
Speaking as a Native American; this nation has always been corrupt at every level. Perhaps that is “Human Nature”: human beings all through history have been corrupt. Checks and balances are useless unless they are enforced. When enough people come together and make the changes then things will change.
If not then things will stay the same; except of course they’ll get worse.
Blind faith, requires blind “following”. Those with vision do not follow blindly, nor do they place their faith in human nature alone, or in most cases at all.
The current revelations about the present administration should serve as a very important lesson in “human nature”. In the same manner as the “tyrant” (such as Saddam) needs to be supported by others, so does a corrupt presidential administration. Both require assistance and support from others who are complicit, and just as corrupt as those at the top. Both are multilevel conspiracies designed to control others.
Yellow Horse
A female, a Turk, a mere translator, a high minded and principled person…what chance did Edmonds have against the slithering dragon we call the FBI? She could have asked anyone and saved herself the trouble.
We have 18 more months of this slimy administration.
The question is, whether the next one will have the sense and integrity to clean up all the mess that Bush and his gang have created.
They will probably cleanup the worst excesses, but I am sure any mainstream candidate (like Hillary) will bend over backwards to protect the FBI, CIA and NSA.
We need some outsider, like Kucinich for that.
However I doubt that the American electorate will oblige, they just are not grown up enough yet.
InjunTrouble,
What you are referring to is something that all voters certainly should be aware of: the next President will have to spend an entire term or two cleaning up after the Bush Administration. Usually Presidents are concerned about their legacy, traditionally meaning that they will enjoy many accomplishments. However, the next Pres. will not be able to do that since his/her time will be entirely consumed by cleaning up the mess caused by Bush & Co.
It’s not just this administration that is profoundly wrong.
The white supremacism of slavery and Jim Crow was wrong.
The invasion of Mexico was wrong.
The invasion of the Philippines was wrong.
Corporatist corruption in the last thirty years of the 19th century was wrong.
The witchhunts of the 1950s were wrong.
Torture of Vietnamese in the 1950s and 1960s was wrong.
The Vietnam War was wrong, as have been most US invasions since 1950.
The us of more than 700 foreign military bases to bully other countries is wrong.
US overthrows of Mossadegh and Allende were wrong.
Collusion with China’s monstrous abuses of civil rights has been wrong since its inception.
Bush & Cheney are less subtle, but no more evil than most of their predecessors.
The following applies to every Gov. agency and then some:
” … careerism, corruption and widespread incompetence”.
What a ridiculous article!
Up and down the whole organization whether it’s FERC or OSHA or FEMA if you don’t go along with “the program” you get “wacked”, mafia style, and this doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the current Bush syndicate, but is the norm.
You don’t f-ck with certain levels of power, to do so is to lose your livelihood. I suppose that’s better then being shot, but you could end up in prison.
The US had a “correct” invasion since 1950?!?
“Cleaning-up” presents a great opportunity to do far more than reform.
Re: PJD June 27th, 2007 1:44 pm
What is “nutty” is believing that 6000 pound titanium jet engines can “magically” disappear in a crash!
A 12 step program for 9-11 truth denial addiction:
1. A 767 jet is X inches wide with wings.
2. The first photo set shows that there is a hole in C Ring wall of the Pentagon is Y inches across.
3. From the man’s height one has a sense of scale, therefore one can easily INFER that Y is DEFINITELY less than X.
4. From the what we learned in kintergarten by forcing big things thru small holes, we KNOW for a FACT that the portion of the jet wings, engines, and tail over Y inches, would have break off and be found somewhere outside the hole in first photo.
5. The second photo set shows the outside of the Pentagon, and it DOES NOT SHOW any part of the jet wings/engines/tail outside the E Ring wall.
6. No portion of the jet wings/engines/tail were found between the E ring outside wall and the C ring wall.
7. A 767 jet engine weighs over 6000 pounds and contains titanium which has a very high melting point and an even higher boiling point.
8. We know that a jet fuselage is a hollow tube and its carbon fiber attached nose piece does not provide much penetration to start a fault in the FOUR walls after the FIRST wall, given that the fuselage would have had to remained intact in order to go thru the FIFTH wall in the first photo.
9. How does one “explain” why the HEAVY jet engines were not recovered but other minor LIGHT debris was recovered?
10. Do you believe the “magical” official story that the jet engines “phased” thru the C Ring wall and then “boiled” away in the fire?
11. Why DOESN’T the government release more than 5 blurry still photos of the many recordings that exist, and remove all doubt about what happened?
12. This is IRREFUTABLE PROOF that a 767 jet did not hit the Pentagon, because NOBODY has YET come up with a way to a way to make 6000 pound INTACT jet engines diasapper between the FIRST outer wall and the FOURTH inner wall while an INTACT hollow tube fuselage makes it thru to the FIFTH wall and beyond!
BTW: The jet debris found was OBVIOUSLY planted, and it was a hardened steel missle that punched its way thru FIVE WALLS to make that symetrical hole in the first photo. The jet engines are the only debris that can not be planted because of their huge size and weight, so UNLESS somebody can show pictures of the titanium jet engine parts being found, CRITICAL THINKING people KNOW that a missle hit the Pentagon and not a 767 jet, BECAUSE 6000 POUND JET ENGINES DO NOT JUST DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE!
http://911research.wtc7.net/pentagon/evidence/photos/punchout.html
http://911research.wtc7.net/pentagon/evidence/photos/smoke.html
Yes, lies to the judge for sure. I’ve been there, seen it,
they have no qualms or morals - and no repercussions for
lying since they are the government, unless it’s important
enough and you can find someone like Fitzpatrick…
Sibil Edmonds is only one of many sacked for whistleblowing since the Bush Junta’s coup in 2000…. Careers and lives have been ruined by the same techniques used by corporate raiders since the 1980s (including set-up failures, character assassination, professional isolation), but inside government agencies during the process of gradual ‘privatization’ (meaning government controlled by businesses instead of the other way around… back to the pre-Roosevelt era of the rule of the Robber Barons, now known as Republican frat boys in arrested development).
If she wants her case heard by the Supreme Court, maybe she should stand across the street from FBI head quarters holding a sign that reads: BONG HITS FOR TRUTH! This will have her case expedited for sure.
We literally have to engage our friends and coworkers in conversations that bring up these matters. Instead of talking about pop culture ALL day long. Nobody cares unless they think it will adversely affect them.
critical thinker - I’m with you — as long as the American people blindly believe in the official myth and absurdly lame conspiracy theory the government concocted about 9/11 (shock & awe on the American people), we’ll keep getting what we’re getting. Denial — it’s the American way. We’re free, as long as we don’t question anything the government does and continue to look the other way while they run their gulags, shred our constitution, wage endless war, oppress the global south, and rig our government so that its primary purpose is to help corporations steal from us with impunity. We’re free, as long as we go to work, go shopping, get into debt, watch tv, and get up and do it again. And let’s not forget — we must always be AFRAID.
Cheers to bongofury & the call for a GENERAL STRIKE. Let’s blow on that ember & hope it flares. I said at the time Reagan fired the air traffic controllers there should have been a general strike. Maybe if there had been we’d still have a few decent-paying jobs and access to health care, and a government that was somewhat responsive the needs of all the governed.
But it’s too late now, I’m afraid, to rouse the people to any concerted action massive enough to make a difference, and the cavalry is not coming in the form of some Savior from the political class. It’s impossible for a politician to come to national prominence without becoming so corrupted along the way that there’s nothing left but the empty suit. I’d like to believe in Obama, or even Edwards, but it seems obvious to me that if they really are who they say they are the Ministry of Propaganda will metaphorically lynch them a la Howard Dean and Kerry, or else they’ll meet with a literal lone assassin or a tragic plane crash. And when they don’t, when they simply bow out gracefully as some other empty suit more acceptable to the Powers That Are “wins” the “election,” we’ll know they weren’t who they said they were. And by the way, I hope to God I’m wrong.
As pzbrawl reminds us, our government is the author of so much of the misery that exists on this planet, and as Yellow Horse reminds us, we cannot escape complicity… unless we are homeless, stuck on a Rez someplace, or under the age of 4. The rest of us are going to pay a terrible price whether we were in on making the misery, or benefitted from it, or not. This is Rome, friends, and though it’s obviously falling the circuses still go on as the massive s**tstorm gathers. I think we are down to teaching ourselves to die bravely and with compassion for the people around us when the storm finally breaks.
There’s a SciFi novel by John Brunner about the ecological & political collapse of North America, in which, in the closing scene, as the sounds of police sirens and gunfire and the smell of smoke from nearby fires invade the TV studio, an academic tells a talk-show host that his analysis concludes the only way to restore the planet’s ecosystem is to “exterminate the 200 million most extravagent and wasteful of our species.” I’ll never forget it. The book was written in the late 60’s, yet that scene seems so resonant still. The title of the novel, by the way, is “The Sheep Look Up.”
They’ve got us where they want us. None of us can *afford* to miss a beat because the mortgage, the credit cards, the student loans, the kids, the car payment. Better to just watch TV and try to ignore it all. I can’t imagine organizing my block, let alone my city of 3 million to do a general strike. Capitalists don’t know how to strike. We believe you can only strike/protest as long as you don’t bother anyone or keep them from making money. What a pathetic people we are. The whole world looks on and can’t believe we aren’t in the streets demanding impeachment and an end to this madness.
Behold the totalitarian power of fear over a democratic society.
“Kafkaesque” is spot on. Unfortunately, it is starting to sound like every quality dystopian writer’s fantasies are becoming realities. I want to read Catch 22, but I’m afraid that I’ll find reality oddly sharper and more surreal at the same time.
I keep trying to visualize a truly open society. One where it would be obvious to people that these kinds of secrets are the effect of and continuation of anti-humanity. Hopefully my belief helps, even if only in the way that I coexist.
“They will probably cleanup the worst excesses, but I am sure any mainstream candidate (like Hillary) will bend over backwards to protect the FBI, CIA and NSA.
We need some outsider, like Kucinich for that. ”
Rep. Kucinich sounds like the only solution for the present. It feels like, as someone said above that he may be the one “that does not bow out so some empty suit can take his place” I am paraphrasing, obviously.
YES! General Strikes (GS) are the way to go. I have been asking progressive sights why they don’t employ GS?
GS hit the source targets. The people that really tell our government what to do. It’s a bottom line issue. You boycott GE and watch how fast there’s a policy change. Stop buying Exxon/Mobile. See what happens when a million hand delivered telegrams go to the floor of the Congress. Get several million people to stay home from work one day and you will see movement.
GS cost little. There is no travel expense or days off from work. I sincerely believe if we all sent the Senate a million telegrams to listen to Sibel’s case, she’d be heard or they’d certainly be exposed as the true traitors.
Sibel Edmonds is one of several who have been punished for being competent, ethical public servants, who had the courage to speak the truth and uncover wrongdoing. There seems to me to be a concerted effort on the part of this adminstration, to destroy our intelligence services by firing our best agents.
Look at what happened to former FBI Agent, Colleen Rowley. She was actually on the trail of one of the 9/11 highjackers BEFORE it happened. Her sworn aaffidavit, requesting a Court order to tap the suspect’s computer was altered by a superior in such a way that her request to FISA was denied. Changing a sworn affidavit is not legal.
So what does all this tell you? It tells me the enemy is within the Beltway.
I wouldn’t count on Busholini leaving office in 18 months. All it would take is another 9/11 and Martial Law. All the operative clauses are in the fine print of The Patriot Act, The Military Commissions Act, Federal Emergency Management Act.
We can skip the farce of “elections”. Who needs paper trails, anyway?
What I have noticed so far during the new improved democrat led congress, is that, as far as I can tell, not ONE piece of legislation has been introduce to prevent this blatent disregard for our rule of law and democracy from happening again.
I am beginning to think that neither side is concerned with protecting the public, only that the OTHER side will not be able to abuse the public’s trust. I guess the major choice we have going for us now is, when the last vestages of our freedom and democracy disappear, who do we want to take over as our dictator, a current republican, or a current democrat, ’cause this new congress has not slowed down this nations fall one iota. It is only attempting to make sure it is on top of the heap when it occurs.
It may be that Sociopathic behaviors are a given of governmental systems. Certainly, it seems that sociopaths are best equiped to rise to the top of our system. Now and then good people come along and bring hope for a bit, in spite of everything the small minded can do to distroy them.
Welcome to the America that will have to be purged of these nazi tactics by taking to the streets. It is way past time for Americans, real Americans, to storm the White House, remove the traitors, and take back the country.
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION LAWS………ENFORCE THEM!