military industrial complex

Iraqi Guards Open Fire as Migrants Riot About Deportation

Iraqi guards opened fire above the heads of 1,000 migrant workers who staged a mini-riot today in protest at their poor treatment in Baghdad and the prospect of being sent home without pay.

The men, from Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, will be flown to Dubai after the Kuwaiti company that hired them failed to secure enough contract work at dining facilities inside a number of US military bases across Iraq. Their passports have also been taken.

Posted in Human Rights, military industrial complex

NBC and McCaffrey's coordinated responses to the NYT story

Following up on yesterday's post regarding NBC News' suppression of the "military analyst" scandal and its ongoing reliance on the deeply conflicted Barry McCaffrey: I have obtained, from a very trustworthy source, emails sent last week between NBC News executives and McCaffrey (which cc:d Brian Williams), reflecting the extensive collaboration between NBC and McCaffrey to formulate a coordinated response to David Barstow's story. The emails are re-printed Posted in Media, military industrial complex

The Ongoing Disgrace of NBC News and Brian Williams

The New York Times's David Barstow, whose excellent and aggressive journalism led to the uncovering last April of the Pentagon's domestic propaganda program involving network "military analysts," today returns to this topic with another lengthy front-page exposé. Barstow focuses today on the numerous, undisclosed conflicts of interest of Gen.

Posted in Media, military industrial complex

Sources: Contractor for Military Committed Serious Violations

WASHINGTON - A contractor providing services to the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan has committed serious violations of its contract, mainly byconducting inadequate inspections of electrical wiring and grounding at American bases, according to Pentagon sources.

The Pentagon findings on Houston, Texas-based KBR stem from the widely publicized death of Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a highly decorated 24-year-old Green Beret from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Maseth was electrocuted while taking a shower at his base in Baghdad.

Posted in military industrial complex, Iraq

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2008
9:56 AM

CONTACT: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Carol Goldberg [PEER] (202) 265-7337 Mark Hersh [Wild Fish Conservancy] (425) 788-1167

Navy Downsizes Puget Sound Detonations

Fewer Blasts, Smaller Charges and Long-Sought Marine Monitoring Adopted

SEATTLE - November 20 - Faced with a lawsuit, the U.S. Navy has finally agreed to dramatically scale back its use of explosives in the ecologically sensitive waters of Puget Sound, according to documents posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and Wild Fish Conservancy. The two organizations sued the Navy earlier this year to stop needless damage to protected marine life from the Navy’s underwater demolitions training program.

A key part of the suit demanded that the Navy follow the guidance of the U.S.

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Posted in conservation, ecology, military industrial complex

Smart Defense

Last month, Congressman Barney Frank called for a 25 percent cut in the defense budget--approximately $150 billion in annual spending--saying, "We don't need all these fancy new weapons. I think there needs to be additional review."

Posted in military industrial complex

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2008
2:43 PM

CONTACT: Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Jessica Lass 202/468-6718 (cell)

Supreme Court Limits Protection From Navy Sonar

Four measures to safeguard marine mammals remain in place

WASHINGTON - November 12 - Today, the nation's highest court issued its decision regarding the Navy's use of mid-frequency active sonar during training exercises in southern California.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.

Posted in ecology, military industrial complex

The Single Worst Expression in American Politics

Joe Biden, speaking yesterday at a rally in Ohio (h/t Jonathan Schwarz):

Over the past week, Republicans have gone way over the top in my view, calling Barack Obama every name in the book, and it probably will get worse in the next three and a half to four days . . . .
Posted in election 2008, military industrial complex, Politics

The Trillion Dollar Tag Sale

Wars, bases, and money. The three are inextricably tied together.

Posted in Economy/Trade, empire, Militarism, military industrial complex

The Pentagon's New Iraq Propaganda

In recent months, Robert Gates, the US secretary of defence, has received much praise for lowering the triumphalist rhetoric that marked the early phases of the so-called "war on terror". His emphasis on the need for "a sense of humility and an appreciation of limits" is sweet music to those who question the necessity of automatically using overpowering force to defend US national interests.

Posted in Media, military industrial complex, Politics, Iraq