Kevin Jon Heller at Opinio Juris is a sharp cookie. I like the way he thinks.
Money quote(s):
"The New York Times, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Le Monde, and El Pais — all are just as guilty of violating the Espionage Act as WikiLeaks. There is no “we redacted some of the documents” defense in the Act, and prosecuting a news organization after it has published documents does not create prior restraint problems. Moreover, given that those newspapers have a vastly wider readership than the WikiLeaks website, they have arguably harmed America’s national-security interests far more than WikiLeaks itself. (And let’s not forget, WikiLeaks did not steal the documents; it obtained them from the person who did. So there is no relevant difference between the newspapers and WikiLeaks in that regard; the “espionage” is simply one level removed with the newspapers.)"
Thursday, December 2, 2010
re: "Backlash"
Lex at Neptunus Lex ("The unbearable lightness of Lex. Enjoy!") notes a development in Switzerland.
Money quote(s):
"Aging liberal democracies valued their social schemes more than their national identities, and imported vast numbers of aliens to buttress the ranks of working classes too content in the arms of an all embracing state to be bothered reproducing themselves. Attracted by the opportunities of liberal economies, too many of these immigrants brought with them the seeds of the same destruction that had wrecked their homelands, along with their carefully nurtured resentments. An unwillingness to fully assimilate to their new homes brought class stratification and economic stagnation, compounded by the burdens of unfashionable birth rates. Thus was born a permanent, self-isolating lower class, steeped in the legend of their own cultural superiority, always denied the sweeter fruits of the societies they had attached themselves to, whether out of poverty or puritanism. Thus agitation, crime and even terrorism. Thus reaction."
&
"(T)he peoples of Europe have begun to see what cannot be hidden any longer. It was illuminated by the burning wrecks of automobiles in France’s zones sensibles, where even the police fear to tread, and given voice at last by Germany’s Angela Merkel, who was forced to admit that her country’s multicultural experiment had failed. In England it has been underlined by rape gangs and a series of women falling to their “accidental” deaths from apartment buildings.
If centrists political parties will not speak about the elephant in the room, the people will speak of it among themselves."
Money quote(s):
"Aging liberal democracies valued their social schemes more than their national identities, and imported vast numbers of aliens to buttress the ranks of working classes too content in the arms of an all embracing state to be bothered reproducing themselves. Attracted by the opportunities of liberal economies, too many of these immigrants brought with them the seeds of the same destruction that had wrecked their homelands, along with their carefully nurtured resentments. An unwillingness to fully assimilate to their new homes brought class stratification and economic stagnation, compounded by the burdens of unfashionable birth rates. Thus was born a permanent, self-isolating lower class, steeped in the legend of their own cultural superiority, always denied the sweeter fruits of the societies they had attached themselves to, whether out of poverty or puritanism. Thus agitation, crime and even terrorism. Thus reaction."
&
"(T)he peoples of Europe have begun to see what cannot be hidden any longer. It was illuminated by the burning wrecks of automobiles in France’s zones sensibles, where even the police fear to tread, and given voice at last by Germany’s Angela Merkel, who was forced to admit that her country’s multicultural experiment had failed. In England it has been underlined by rape gangs and a series of women falling to their “accidental” deaths from apartment buildings.
If centrists political parties will not speak about the elephant in the room, the people will speak of it among themselves."
re: "The clarity of Wikileaks"
Cdr Salamander ("Proactively “From the Sea”; leveraging the littoral best practices for a paradigm breaking six-sigma best business case in the global commons, rightsizing the core values supporting our mission statement via the 5-vector model through cultural diversity.") has some suggestions.
Money quote(s):
"(T)he soldier as the source should be given to the military to take care of. The Army needs its best prosecution team on him and should punish him as much as possible in a very public way. Make an example of him. He is and will be drenched in blood. No quarter or mercy should be given to him. Whatever the max is; make is (sic) so."
Money quote(s):
"(T)he soldier as the source should be given to the military to take care of. The Army needs its best prosecution team on him and should punish him as much as possible in a very public way. Make an example of him. He is and will be drenched in blood. No quarter or mercy should be given to him. Whatever the max is; make is (sic) so."
re: "Digital security problem is bigger than Assange and PFC Manning"
Robert Haddick at Small Wars Journal ("facilitates the exchange of information among practitioners, thought leaders, and students of Small Wars, in order to advance knowledge and capabilities in the field") gives an excellent analysis.
Money quote(s):
"Prior to September 2001, administrators within the U.S. government had their reasons for stubbornly hoarding their agency’s secrets. In the wake of the latest Wikileaks episode involving classified State Department cables, some of those reasons are again apparent. The 9/11 Commission concluded that insufficient cross-agency sharing was partly to blame for the disaster. But we are now reminded that sharing brings its own risks. With a million people thought to have access to U.S. Secret-level correspondence and over 800,000 cleared for Top Secret access, the only surprise is that there are not more leaks. The problem of digital security extends beyond Mr. Assange and PFC Manning. Digital transmissions through the existing internet "cloud” will continue, but will increasingly consist of only the most inconsequential data and reports. The transmission of anything really sensitive will revert (if it hasn’t already) to pre-Internet methods – a hand-delivered document, a telephone call, or a face-to-face conversation in a secure room.
The fact that there have been so few surprises in the latest Wikileaks data dump is the best evidence that State Department cable-drafters, consciously or not, knew that these cables would have a very large audience. And the wider the audience becomes, the greater the incentive to be careful with secrets in the drafting. With so few differences between the content of these cables (admittedly classified no higher than Secret) and the content in the news media, we should conclude that U.S. diplomacy is already remarkably open and transparent."
&
"We should expect “Balkanization” of digital communications, with those needing high security dropping out of the existing system and setting up their own. The Defense Department’s SIPRNet has been an inadequate attempt at this answer, as the Wikileaks affair has revealed. DARPA (ironically the original inventor of the internet) now recommends that the Defense Department establish its own network hardware and software, a system that would emphasize security and would presumably be incompatible with the existing internet.
Users who need high security but who can’t afford their own custom network would be wise to revert to the pre-Internet age of the courier, the telephone, and for the most sensitive of thoughts, the face-to-face meeting. This should not be much of an adjustment for those possessing either suspicious minds or experience."
Money quote(s):
"Prior to September 2001, administrators within the U.S. government had their reasons for stubbornly hoarding their agency’s secrets. In the wake of the latest Wikileaks episode involving classified State Department cables, some of those reasons are again apparent. The 9/11 Commission concluded that insufficient cross-agency sharing was partly to blame for the disaster. But we are now reminded that sharing brings its own risks. With a million people thought to have access to U.S. Secret-level correspondence and over 800,000 cleared for Top Secret access, the only surprise is that there are not more leaks. The problem of digital security extends beyond Mr. Assange and PFC Manning. Digital transmissions through the existing internet "cloud” will continue, but will increasingly consist of only the most inconsequential data and reports. The transmission of anything really sensitive will revert (if it hasn’t already) to pre-Internet methods – a hand-delivered document, a telephone call, or a face-to-face conversation in a secure room.
The fact that there have been so few surprises in the latest Wikileaks data dump is the best evidence that State Department cable-drafters, consciously or not, knew that these cables would have a very large audience. And the wider the audience becomes, the greater the incentive to be careful with secrets in the drafting. With so few differences between the content of these cables (admittedly classified no higher than Secret) and the content in the news media, we should conclude that U.S. diplomacy is already remarkably open and transparent."
&
"We should expect “Balkanization” of digital communications, with those needing high security dropping out of the existing system and setting up their own. The Defense Department’s SIPRNet has been an inadequate attempt at this answer, as the Wikileaks affair has revealed. DARPA (ironically the original inventor of the internet) now recommends that the Defense Department establish its own network hardware and software, a system that would emphasize security and would presumably be incompatible with the existing internet.
Users who need high security but who can’t afford their own custom network would be wise to revert to the pre-Internet age of the courier, the telephone, and for the most sensitive of thoughts, the face-to-face meeting. This should not be much of an adjustment for those possessing either suspicious minds or experience."
re: "Wikileaks"
The Armorer at Castle Argghhh! gives a pretty professional assessment.
Money quote(s):
"I for one, am not stunned by what PFC Manning managed to get access to, as anyone with a modicum of ability with access to the SIPRnet can attest. The goodness from this will probably be quicker tightening of security within the classified networks, by the expanded institution of some simple-to-implement checks on the "need-to-know" side of things.
Access to classified information has two parts - clearance at the appropriate level, *and* need-to-know. All "clearance" does is vet that your life-to-date has been examined and there are no huge warning signs that you aren't trustworthy to be considered for access to defined levels of information."
"Manning clearly had access to things he had no "need-to-know" reason to be accessing. For those who have been operating in that environment there has been steady and stuttering-but-inexorable movement to stitching up those seams, all tempered by a real desire to make information available to people who need it without going through a huge number of hoops to get it in a timely fashion in a time of war."
&
"It has been an interesting look into the State Department's world, and how things going on behind the scenes oft-times have little bearing to what's happening on the public side of things, as all governments have reason to present a public face that differs from the private. Sausage-making isn't pretty, but there didn't strike me that there was/were horrible revelations in there. More of it was along the lines of, "Yep, okay, that doesn't surprise me." and "People still don't get that some things should be said face-to-face and not in potentially record communications." But I don't believe that exposing what amounts to working papers is a good idea."
Money quote(s):
"I for one, am not stunned by what PFC Manning managed to get access to, as anyone with a modicum of ability with access to the SIPRnet can attest. The goodness from this will probably be quicker tightening of security within the classified networks, by the expanded institution of some simple-to-implement checks on the "need-to-know" side of things.
Access to classified information has two parts - clearance at the appropriate level, *and* need-to-know. All "clearance" does is vet that your life-to-date has been examined and there are no huge warning signs that you aren't trustworthy to be considered for access to defined levels of information."
"Manning clearly had access to things he had no "need-to-know" reason to be accessing. For those who have been operating in that environment there has been steady and stuttering-but-inexorable movement to stitching up those seams, all tempered by a real desire to make information available to people who need it without going through a huge number of hoops to get it in a timely fashion in a time of war."
&
"It has been an interesting look into the State Department's world, and how things going on behind the scenes oft-times have little bearing to what's happening on the public side of things, as all governments have reason to present a public face that differs from the private. Sausage-making isn't pretty, but there didn't strike me that there was/were horrible revelations in there. More of it was along the lines of, "Yep, okay, that doesn't surprise me." and "People still don't get that some things should be said face-to-face and not in potentially record communications." But I don't believe that exposing what amounts to working papers is a good idea."
re: "@ Wikileaks"
O at The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat ("The Optimist says: "The Glass is Half Full." The Pessimist says: "The Glass is Half Empty." The Bureaucrat says: "What we need are 5 glasses, 1/10th the size." The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat says: "Where's my damned bourbon?" ") clears up some confusion.
Money quote(s):
"(T)he folks at Wikileaks have published a metric assload of Department of State dispatches and communiques, detailing everything from a future reunification plan for the Koreas to Col. Gaddafi's fear of upper floors. It's a fascinating little peak into a world of diplomacy that most U.S. citizens never really come in contact with."
Be sure to read his "confession."
Money quote(s):
"(T)he folks at Wikileaks have published a metric assload of Department of State dispatches and communiques, detailing everything from a future reunification plan for the Koreas to Col. Gaddafi's fear of upper floors. It's a fascinating little peak into a world of diplomacy that most U.S. citizens never really come in contact with."
Be sure to read his "confession."
re: "Chicago politics diplomatic reporting? "Don't write if you can talk; don't talk if you can nod; don't nod if you can wink" "
Domani Spero at Diplopundit ("Just one obsessive observer, diplomatic watcher, opinionator and noodle newsmaker monitoring the goings on at Foggy Bottom and the worldwide available universe") has a good round-up of a few items.
re: "Welcome to the 21st Century!"
Steve at Dead Men Working shares his evaluation.
Money quote(s):
"(O)f course, the fact that this person was able to gather so many documents indicates a lack of attention to the real first line of defense in the modern world: barriers to limit access to information to those who have a real need to know it, and tripwires to call attention to the kind of broad gathering of information that the perpetrator, Pfc. Bradley Manning, engaged in. SIPRNet, of course, has such barriers and such tripwires. But they were relaxed in Iraq, and apparently poorly monitored, and clearly, they failed."
Money quote(s):
"(O)f course, the fact that this person was able to gather so many documents indicates a lack of attention to the real first line of defense in the modern world: barriers to limit access to information to those who have a real need to know it, and tripwires to call attention to the kind of broad gathering of information that the perpetrator, Pfc. Bradley Manning, engaged in. SIPRNet, of course, has such barriers and such tripwires. But they were relaxed in Iraq, and apparently poorly monitored, and clearly, they failed."
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
re: "Good Question On Wikileaks"
Rand at Transterrestrial Musings ("Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!") shares some left-handed praise.
Money quote(s):
"(I)t’s nice to see that the administration and State Department aren’t as utterly clueless in private as they are in public."
Money quote(s):
"(I)t’s nice to see that the administration and State Department aren’t as utterly clueless in private as they are in public."
re: "Wikileaks Hyperventilation or "Transatlantic Brainwashing""
Joerg Wolf at Atlantic Review ("A Press Digest for Transatlantic Affairs") gives us a German perspective.
Money quote(s):
"According to Spiegel, Wikileaks reveals that US diplomats consider Foreign Minister Westerwelle to be incompetent and Chancellor Merkel to be risk averse. So what? Most Germans think the same. Of course, US diplomats are more candid in secret cables than in public statements. Everybody is."
Money quote(s):
"According to Spiegel, Wikileaks reveals that US diplomats consider Foreign Minister Westerwelle to be incompetent and Chancellor Merkel to be risk averse. So what? Most Germans think the same. Of course, US diplomats are more candid in secret cables than in public statements. Everybody is."
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wikileaks-related posts
TSB at The Skeptical Bureaucrat ("Giving my fellow Americans the view from my cubicle") has three good posts here, here, and here.
re: "Ambassador Philip Murphy: "I'm a big boy ....the buck stops with me..." "
Domani Spero at Diplopundit ("Just one obsessive observer, diplomatic watcher, opinionator and noodle newsmaker monitoring the goings on at Foggy Bottom and the worldwide available universe") shares an example of a leader taking responsibility.
It's very refreshing.
This is the sort of thing that causes FSOs to take jobs in really awful places, just for that chance to work for a great boss.
It's very refreshing.
This is the sort of thing that causes FSOs to take jobs in really awful places, just for that chance to work for a great boss.
re: "The downside to better information-sharing: the human factor aka rotten apple with a security clearance"
Domani Spero at Diplopundit ("Just one obsessive observer, diplomatic watcher, opinionator and noodle newsmaker monitoring the goings on at Foggy Bottom and the worldwide available universe") continues to share her excellent perspective.
Money quote(s):
" (I)t has been reported that Hillary Clinton has "ordered" FSOs to spy on diplomats in the UN, because see there's a cable out there with her name at the bottom.
Ughh! Are they saying that she wrote all those cables that have her name on it? Really? But ALL cables coming out of the State Department when the Secretary of State is not traveling will have "CLINTON" as sign-off signature, approved through multiple layers of the alphabet soup, functional and regional bureaus, etc. She does not actually write them, dudes. And when she is traveling, the sign-off signature changes to whoever is in charge of the building, like "STEINBERG" or "BURNS" (since new D/MR "NIDES" has not been confirmed yet).Yes, that building has a life of its own.
The same is true with the embassy cables. The leaked cables were the transmitted ones; they usually do not include the names of the writers. And like the State Department cables, they all have the embassies' chiefs of missions in the sign-off lines. Does it mean the ambassador is XYZ country wrote all those cables? Goodness, no! Would they be able to go anywhere else or do anything else if they were all tied to their desks?"
"We suspect that this leak will have several repercussions on process, access and and more, and most probably for the short term, make the embassy reporting jobs more difficult than they already are"
&
"Former diplomat and Wilson Center scholar Aaron Miller writes that "The republic will survive the WikiLeaks brouhaha; but there's a lesson here for all of us: whether you're in Washington or Kabul, think and think hard before you draft." We agree about the survival of the republic but -- do we really want our diplomats to be more politically correct than be brutally candid when reporting to our policy makers? What used would that be to our decision makers?
And here the cables are called "insulting [to] world leaders." You should read what foreign diplomats wrote about George W. and our congressional leaders. Oh, right, you can't -- those are all in secret diplomatic channels going overseas, too."
Money quote(s):
" (I)t has been reported that Hillary Clinton has "ordered" FSOs to spy on diplomats in the UN, because see there's a cable out there with her name at the bottom.
Ughh! Are they saying that she wrote all those cables that have her name on it? Really? But ALL cables coming out of the State Department when the Secretary of State is not traveling will have "CLINTON" as sign-off signature, approved through multiple layers of the alphabet soup, functional and regional bureaus, etc. She does not actually write them, dudes. And when she is traveling, the sign-off signature changes to whoever is in charge of the building, like "STEINBERG" or "BURNS" (since new D/MR "NIDES" has not been confirmed yet).Yes, that building has a life of its own.
The same is true with the embassy cables. The leaked cables were the transmitted ones; they usually do not include the names of the writers. And like the State Department cables, they all have the embassies' chiefs of missions in the sign-off lines. Does it mean the ambassador is XYZ country wrote all those cables? Goodness, no! Would they be able to go anywhere else or do anything else if they were all tied to their desks?"
"We suspect that this leak will have several repercussions on process, access and and more, and most probably for the short term, make the embassy reporting jobs more difficult than they already are"
&
"Former diplomat and Wilson Center scholar Aaron Miller writes that "The republic will survive the WikiLeaks brouhaha; but there's a lesson here for all of us: whether you're in Washington or Kabul, think and think hard before you draft." We agree about the survival of the republic but -- do we really want our diplomats to be more politically correct than be brutally candid when reporting to our policy makers? What used would that be to our decision makers?
And here the cables are called "insulting [to] world leaders." You should read what foreign diplomats wrote about George W. and our congressional leaders. Oh, right, you can't -- those are all in secret diplomatic channels going overseas, too."
re: "Here's Hoping You Choke on That Whistle"
No Double Standards at Muttering Behind the Hardline ("Rants of a Foreign Service Officer on the things that matter to you -- and matter to you not at all") says what needs saying.
Money quote(s):
"The Internet is now buzzing with the news of the release of hundreds of thousands of USG cables. I'm sick to my stomach. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for transparent government. But that's not what this exercise is about.
This is about cheap voyeurism, plain and simple."
"A whistleblower is someone who makes public disclosure of wrongdoing or corruption. Simply airing out information doesn't qualify you to don a mantle of righteousness.
There isn't anything virtuous about what Wikileaks -- and the scumbag USG employee who leaked these documents to Wikileaks -- has done.
Thanks to everyone disseminating this information, my colleagues at many posts around the world are literally in mortal danger."
&
"To all who complain about the conduct of our foreign policy: how the hell do you expect us to protect this country and advance our foreign policy objectives without the least expectation that our reporting and analysis will be protected?
Because that what this leak has done.
What political officer henceforth will ever speak to Washington with the same degree of candor?
Where corruption and illegality occur, they should be routed out. But recklessly divulging state secrets with blatant disregard for the consequences is a high crime that should be punished as such."
Money quote(s):
"The Internet is now buzzing with the news of the release of hundreds of thousands of USG cables. I'm sick to my stomach. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for transparent government. But that's not what this exercise is about.
This is about cheap voyeurism, plain and simple."
"A whistleblower is someone who makes public disclosure of wrongdoing or corruption. Simply airing out information doesn't qualify you to don a mantle of righteousness.
There isn't anything virtuous about what Wikileaks -- and the scumbag USG employee who leaked these documents to Wikileaks -- has done.
Thanks to everyone disseminating this information, my colleagues at many posts around the world are literally in mortal danger."
&
"To all who complain about the conduct of our foreign policy: how the hell do you expect us to protect this country and advance our foreign policy objectives without the least expectation that our reporting and analysis will be protected?
Because that what this leak has done.
What political officer henceforth will ever speak to Washington with the same degree of candor?
Where corruption and illegality occur, they should be routed out. But recklessly divulging state secrets with blatant disregard for the consequences is a high crime that should be punished as such."
re: "Latest Wikileaks Dump: Swan Song for the Diplomatic Cable?"
Peter Spiro at Opinio Juris ("a forum for informed discussion and lively debate about international law and international relations") clearly understands the issues.
Money quote(s):
"(T)his will be a much bigger story than the previous Iraq and Afghanistan disclosures, mostly because there will be something here for everyone. I’m not sure that the State Department looks particularly bad, as Timothy Garten Ash explains. It shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone that diplomats sometimes do something that looks like spying. This is much more likely to cause scandals in foreign capitals than in the US (which is not to say that it won’t hurt US foreign policy interests — it will). What you will see are lots of examples of US diplomats executing their briefs, in most cases pretty well."
&
"It’s one thing to understand that your work will come to light 25 years hence, when you (and your interlocutors) will either be dead or retired, too old much to care; or else flattered to see your handiwork become the stuff of history. It’s another to have to worry about something being disclosed that might affect your ability to function in your next post (or whether you’ll get one at all)."
_____
Be sure to read the comments.
Money quote(s):
"(T)his will be a much bigger story than the previous Iraq and Afghanistan disclosures, mostly because there will be something here for everyone. I’m not sure that the State Department looks particularly bad, as Timothy Garten Ash explains. It shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone that diplomats sometimes do something that looks like spying. This is much more likely to cause scandals in foreign capitals than in the US (which is not to say that it won’t hurt US foreign policy interests — it will). What you will see are lots of examples of US diplomats executing their briefs, in most cases pretty well."
&
"It’s one thing to understand that your work will come to light 25 years hence, when you (and your interlocutors) will either be dead or retired, too old much to care; or else flattered to see your handiwork become the stuff of history. It’s another to have to worry about something being disclosed that might affect your ability to function in your next post (or whether you’ll get one at all)."
_____
Be sure to read the comments.
re: "251,287 Embassy Cables: A Slick Spill at C Street's Cable Factory and Worldwide, Too..."
Domani Spero at Diplopundit ("Just one obsessive observer, diplomatic watcher, opinionator and noodle newsmaker monitoring the goings on at Foggy Bottom and the worldwide available universe") has collected a number of press excerpts, plus some "value-added."
Money quote(s):
"How many meeting appointments can our diplomats expect to confirm this week? Um, none?"
&
"Given that the release has now occurred, shouldn't we expect an arrest warrant for Mr. Assange for violating US laws?"
Money quote(s):
"How many meeting appointments can our diplomats expect to confirm this week? Um, none?"
&
"Given that the release has now occurred, shouldn't we expect an arrest warrant for Mr. Assange for violating US laws?"
Monday, November 29, 2010
re: "Upping the Ante"
Spook86 at In From the Cold ("Musings on Life, Love, Politics, Military Affairs, the Media, the Intelligence Community and Just About Anything Else that Captures Our Interest") evaluates the Korean situation.
Money quote(s):
"Historically, all responses to Pyongyang's provocations have been deliberate and measured, and limited to political and diplomatic measures. While North Korea has routinely targeted U.S. and ROK military personnel for decades, we have been extremely reluctant to return the favor.
Now may be the time to return the favor. As Kim Jong-il pushes the peninsula towards the brink, the U.S. and South Korea must be clear in explaining the consequences of future attacks--and be willing to follow through. One reason the DPRK has grown so emboldened is a consistent lack of action on the part of the United States and our allies in Seoul. Recent history suggests North Korea has little to fear from allied bluster. At this point, they have little incentive to back down.
No one wants war on the Korean peninsula. But the feckless appeasement of Kim's regime is hardly a path to peace."
Money quote(s):
"Historically, all responses to Pyongyang's provocations have been deliberate and measured, and limited to political and diplomatic measures. While North Korea has routinely targeted U.S. and ROK military personnel for decades, we have been extremely reluctant to return the favor.
Now may be the time to return the favor. As Kim Jong-il pushes the peninsula towards the brink, the U.S. and South Korea must be clear in explaining the consequences of future attacks--and be willing to follow through. One reason the DPRK has grown so emboldened is a consistent lack of action on the part of the United States and our allies in Seoul. Recent history suggests North Korea has little to fear from allied bluster. At this point, they have little incentive to back down.
No one wants war on the Korean peninsula. But the feckless appeasement of Kim's regime is hardly a path to peace."
re: "The Pinstriped Set"
Lex at Neptunus Lex ("The unbearable lightness of Lex. Enjoy!") has some Department-related news about Wikileaks.
Money quote(s):
"If I had to choose between leaks that threaten soldiers lives, and those of Iraqi and Afghani citizens who would partner with us, and leaks that reveal what diplomats are really thinking behind their bland façades, the choice is straightforward."
Money quote(s):
"If I had to choose between leaks that threaten soldiers lives, and those of Iraqi and Afghani citizens who would partner with us, and leaks that reveal what diplomats are really thinking behind their bland façades, the choice is straightforward."
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Transitions
Transitions.
It's that season again: summer transfer season.
Experienced officers depart, inexperienced officers arrive, local staff try to smooth over the transitions, retirees are called back out to fill in the gaps, and at many posts the operational tempo of consular sections is already at an annual high point due to increased demand for summer travel to the U.S. for work, tourism, and for students getting ready for the fall semester.
And, if your post is located in a popular holiday or vacation destination, the numbers of lost & stolen passport cases will spike, as may arrest cases, injuries and accidents, and even death cases involving U.S. citizens.
Which is what we do, we consular officers, we happy few. So no complaining about the what of what we do.
As I sometimes observe, I love consular work. I just wish there weren't so Darned much of it sometimes.
Especially the bad stuff. Americans are often the victims of serious crimes, or badly hurt in accidents (or crimes), or otherwise end up dead. Consular training equips no one with a magic wand (nor with "pixie dust") . In these sorts of cases, you're not going to make things "all better." The best you're going to be able to do, most times, is keep things from getting worse. And that's the best you're going to be able to do.
You find yourself going to the morgue to identify remains. Although FSI does try, nowadays, to prepare you for this with a field trip to the Arlington Co. morgue, your first trip to a Third World coroner's is going to be something you never forget.
Nor, honestly, should you. Sometimes the most you're going to be able to do is simply be a witness, to bear witness, that a fellow citizen has passed.
Not to be overly morbid, but it's part of the job ofttimes. You go to the morgue so that a distraught family member doesn't have to. That's why the president and the secretary of state sent you abroad, in the final analysis.
It's that season again: summer transfer season.
Experienced officers depart, inexperienced officers arrive, local staff try to smooth over the transitions, retirees are called back out to fill in the gaps, and at many posts the operational tempo of consular sections is already at an annual high point due to increased demand for summer travel to the U.S. for work, tourism, and for students getting ready for the fall semester.
And, if your post is located in a popular holiday or vacation destination, the numbers of lost & stolen passport cases will spike, as may arrest cases, injuries and accidents, and even death cases involving U.S. citizens.
Which is what we do, we consular officers, we happy few. So no complaining about the what of what we do.
As I sometimes observe, I love consular work. I just wish there weren't so Darned much of it sometimes.
Especially the bad stuff. Americans are often the victims of serious crimes, or badly hurt in accidents (or crimes), or otherwise end up dead. Consular training equips no one with a magic wand (nor with "pixie dust") . In these sorts of cases, you're not going to make things "all better." The best you're going to be able to do, most times, is keep things from getting worse. And that's the best you're going to be able to do.
You find yourself going to the morgue to identify remains. Although FSI does try, nowadays, to prepare you for this with a field trip to the Arlington Co. morgue, your first trip to a Third World coroner's is going to be something you never forget.
Nor, honestly, should you. Sometimes the most you're going to be able to do is simply be a witness, to bear witness, that a fellow citizen has passed.
Not to be overly morbid, but it's part of the job ofttimes. You go to the morgue so that a distraught family member doesn't have to. That's why the president and the secretary of state sent you abroad, in the final analysis.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
JO - Woman falls victim to Jamaican sweepstakes scam
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Observer
Woman falls victim to Jamaican sweepstakes scam
JamaicaObserver.com
Saturday, May 08, 2010
SPOKANE VALLEY, USA — A Spokane Valley woman is the latest victim of Jamaica's lottery scammers.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"She has been identified on the KXLY.com website as Francis Miller and now finds herself unable to pay a telephone bill of US$230.91.
She racked up the bill calling Jamaica to verify if a call she got informing her that she had won a sweepstake prize of US$2.5 million was authentic. The scammers tried to solicit a fee of US$200 to insure the money for delivery. The scammers have been harassing Francis for months now.
The woman is single, has health problems and makes less than $700 a month on disability."
"Last year police in the US, Britain and Canada joined with Jamaican law enforcement to form a joint task force to combat the lottery scam which reportedly rakes in US$30 million annually."
&
"Local police report that more than 100 persons have been killed by the lotto 'scammers' and say the scam is linked to the mayhem that has besieged the tourist resort of Montego Bay in St James.
Ten cops stationed at the Mount Salem police station in the parish were recommended retired in the public interest for their alleged roles in the illegal lotto scheme by former police commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin."
Jamaica Observer
Woman falls victim to Jamaican sweepstakes scam
JamaicaObserver.com
Saturday, May 08, 2010
SPOKANE VALLEY, USA — A Spokane Valley woman is the latest victim of Jamaica's lottery scammers.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"She has been identified on the KXLY.com website as Francis Miller and now finds herself unable to pay a telephone bill of US$230.91.
She racked up the bill calling Jamaica to verify if a call she got informing her that she had won a sweepstake prize of US$2.5 million was authentic. The scammers tried to solicit a fee of US$200 to insure the money for delivery. The scammers have been harassing Francis for months now.
The woman is single, has health problems and makes less than $700 a month on disability."
"Last year police in the US, Britain and Canada joined with Jamaican law enforcement to form a joint task force to combat the lottery scam which reportedly rakes in US$30 million annually."
&
"Local police report that more than 100 persons have been killed by the lotto 'scammers' and say the scam is linked to the mayhem that has besieged the tourist resort of Montego Bay in St James.
Ten cops stationed at the Mount Salem police station in the parish were recommended retired in the public interest for their alleged roles in the illegal lotto scheme by former police commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin."
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
re: "State Department: We did not equate the Arizona immigration law with Chinese human rights abuses"
Josh Rogin at The Cable ("Reporting Inside the Foreign Policy Machine") explained the context.
Money quote(s):
" "The only thing that was said was that the debate is about a law that some critics would say has the unintended consequence to discriminate against legal or illegal residents. We did not comment on the particulars of whether that's true or not," Posner explained."
Money quote(s):
" "The only thing that was said was that the debate is about a law that some critics would say has the unintended consequence to discriminate against legal or illegal residents. We did not comment on the particulars of whether that's true or not," Posner explained."
JO - Jamaicans overseas and the extradition affair
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Observer
Jamaicans overseas and the extradition affair
BY Delano Franklyn
Saturday, May 08, 2010
AS it is in Jamaica, the most talked about issue currently among Jamaicans living abroad is the extradition request for Christopher Coke, and how it has been, and is being handled by the Bruce Golding-led administration.
Read the whole column here.
Snippet(s):
"This issue has pushed the divestment of Air Jamaica to the number two position on the list of concerns by Jamaicans living outside Jamaica. While being severely critical of the burial of Air Jamaica by the Government, they have resigned their minds to the fact that despite the attempts of the pilots to keep Air Jamaica in Jamaican hands, the Government, as demanded by the International Monetary Fund, had no option, or was not prepared to consider any other option, but to conclude the deal with Caribbean Airlines.
Some members of the Diaspora in the New York asked why are some members of the JLP Government — for whom they have a lot of respect — such as (from left) Dr Kenneth Baugh, Delroy Chuck, Dwight Nelson, Edmund Bartlett, and Rudyard Spencer silent on the extradition matter."
"Why has the prime minister seen it fit to be leading the defence of a man who is being sought by the State Department for drug- and gun-running?"
"Are (sic) the prime minister prepared to sacrifice his political career as a result of this extradition issue because the person for whom the extradition has been made is a leading member of his own constituency and an alleged 'powerbroker' in the party which he leads?
* Is the prime minister and the other members of his team afraid of what the person whose extradition request is being sought might possibly say about the involvement in criminal activities of any other well-known person or persons in Jamaica?"
&
"The members of the diasporic community, rightly or wrongly, no different from persons living in Jamaica, are not making and seem not to be prepared to delink the issues. They see, for example, the revocation of the visa of Wayne Chen and the entertainers as being linked to the tightening of the screws against Jamaica and Jamaicans because of the Government's refusal to honour the extradition request.
As a result of this view, many Jamaicans living overseas, as well as inside Jamaica are afraid to travel out of fear that they will be told that their visa has been revoked. One middle-class professional who has developed a distinguished career in the area of health in Baltimore, told me that she always visited Jamaica yearly, but she has no plans to visit until this impasse is settled.
A young man in the teaching profession in New York said that he will be visiting Jamaica in July this year and he is extremely fearful that his visa may be revoked when he is returning to the USA; and one Jamaican living in the Hartford area of Connecticut said he knows not what to make of the situation because, if 'Mr Chen's visa can be revoked without prior notice, so can mine', so he is not taking the chance to travel to Jamaica any time soon."
Jamaica Observer
Jamaicans overseas and the extradition affair
BY Delano Franklyn
Saturday, May 08, 2010
AS it is in Jamaica, the most talked about issue currently among Jamaicans living abroad is the extradition request for Christopher Coke, and how it has been, and is being handled by the Bruce Golding-led administration.
Read the whole column here.
Snippet(s):
"This issue has pushed the divestment of Air Jamaica to the number two position on the list of concerns by Jamaicans living outside Jamaica. While being severely critical of the burial of Air Jamaica by the Government, they have resigned their minds to the fact that despite the attempts of the pilots to keep Air Jamaica in Jamaican hands, the Government, as demanded by the International Monetary Fund, had no option, or was not prepared to consider any other option, but to conclude the deal with Caribbean Airlines.
Some members of the Diaspora in the New York asked why are some members of the JLP Government — for whom they have a lot of respect — such as (from left) Dr Kenneth Baugh, Delroy Chuck, Dwight Nelson, Edmund Bartlett, and Rudyard Spencer silent on the extradition matter."
"Why has the prime minister seen it fit to be leading the defence of a man who is being sought by the State Department for drug- and gun-running?"
"Are (sic) the prime minister prepared to sacrifice his political career as a result of this extradition issue because the person for whom the extradition has been made is a leading member of his own constituency and an alleged 'powerbroker' in the party which he leads?
* Is the prime minister and the other members of his team afraid of what the person whose extradition request is being sought might possibly say about the involvement in criminal activities of any other well-known person or persons in Jamaica?"
&
"The members of the diasporic community, rightly or wrongly, no different from persons living in Jamaica, are not making and seem not to be prepared to delink the issues. They see, for example, the revocation of the visa of Wayne Chen and the entertainers as being linked to the tightening of the screws against Jamaica and Jamaicans because of the Government's refusal to honour the extradition request.
As a result of this view, many Jamaicans living overseas, as well as inside Jamaica are afraid to travel out of fear that they will be told that their visa has been revoked. One middle-class professional who has developed a distinguished career in the area of health in Baltimore, told me that she always visited Jamaica yearly, but she has no plans to visit until this impasse is settled.
A young man in the teaching profession in New York said that he will be visiting Jamaica in July this year and he is extremely fearful that his visa may be revoked when he is returning to the USA; and one Jamaican living in the Hartford area of Connecticut said he knows not what to make of the situation because, if 'Mr Chen's visa can be revoked without prior notice, so can mine', so he is not taking the chance to travel to Jamaica any time soon."
TP.IE - US citizens warned of Irish love scam
From my archive of press clippings:
The Post.IE
US citizens warned of Irish love scam
18 April 2010
By John Burke
Americans who fall for ‘Irish’ people online are being warned that their love interest may only be interested in their money.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"According to the US Department of State, US citizens are falling victim to a ‘‘prevalent’’ internet scam in which they are duped into thinking they have formed a romantic relationship with someone of Irish-American heritage, only to be hit with a demand for money."
&
"According to the Department of State, a typical scammer will use a stolen photo of ‘‘someone attractive enough to elicit a response, but not so attractive as to draw undue attention’’.
The US officials could not say whether the scam was based entirely in Ireland or whether criminals were simply taking advantage of American familiarity with Ireland."
The Post.IE
US citizens warned of Irish love scam
18 April 2010
By John Burke
Americans who fall for ‘Irish’ people online are being warned that their love interest may only be interested in their money.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"According to the US Department of State, US citizens are falling victim to a ‘‘prevalent’’ internet scam in which they are duped into thinking they have formed a romantic relationship with someone of Irish-American heritage, only to be hit with a demand for money."
&
"According to the Department of State, a typical scammer will use a stolen photo of ‘‘someone attractive enough to elicit a response, but not so attractive as to draw undue attention’’.
The US officials could not say whether the scam was based entirely in Ireland or whether criminals were simply taking advantage of American familiarity with Ireland."
JO - The perils of gathering clean evidence
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Observer
Mark Wignall
Thursday, March 11, 2010
COLLEAGUE columnist Ken Chaplin's excellent Tuesday column, "Dudus, US Govt, interception of information", in explaining that Prime Minister Golding was acting on solid ground in refusing the extradition based on evidence gathered through a breach of Dudus's constitutional right -- his phone was tapped without the required judicial authorisation -- wrote, "The law... requires that for intercepted communication to be admissible in any criminal proceedings, it must have been obtained, disclosed and used in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Golding said that this was not done."
Read the whole column here.
Snippet(s):
"
To me, one part of the problem that has cropped up with the understanding of the extradition treaty is, which parts of it are, prior to granting an extradition request, legally determinable in Jamaica and by what process? On the other side, which conditions of the treaty is it that empowers the Americans the right to render us speechless, that is, we must just sign and give up the person without further ado?
I have never been one of those who believe that the prime minister should never have involved himself in the delicate matter of the Dudus extradition request. Hell, whether the prime minister wanted to or not, he was involved."
"Of the 26 extradition requests received since he became prime minister, he has had no occasion (except for Dudus) to go full frontal in supporting any other person's "constitutional right". So the very fact that he has come out in such strong support of Dudus, it ought to mean that he has taken legal advice from the highest levels before committing himself and is convinced that his legs are sturdy.
If, based on the treaty, it was determined that the American outfit which obtained evidence did so by the illegal wiretaps of phones, must we surmise that all the Americans say they have on Dudus is a file of telephone transcripts and the actual recordings? We would be naïve to believe that."
&
"We must bear in mind that the Americans are not under any romantic illusions about what sectors of our society are corrupt. From their own experiences, they have long recognised that at the end of the day a president like, say, the late Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton (with Monica Lewinsky), and most other people are all humans under the skin and especially under the covers. Far from being perfect, what America has that is the envy of the purists among us is the workable synergy which springs from the lateral and horizontal push-pull of checks and balances, with each level having probing tentacles on the other.
I am certain that the Americans must have known of the breach, so the question to be asked is why did not the investigating entity abide by the conditions of the Act and apply to a judge in Chambers for authorisation for a wiretap or a series of wiretaps? It is my belief that they acted outside of the specific provision because there is not a single layer of the local system which they trust. Not a policeman, not a judge."
_____
observemark@gmail.com
Jamaica Observer
Mark Wignall
Thursday, March 11, 2010
COLLEAGUE columnist Ken Chaplin's excellent Tuesday column, "Dudus, US Govt, interception of information", in explaining that Prime Minister Golding was acting on solid ground in refusing the extradition based on evidence gathered through a breach of Dudus's constitutional right -- his phone was tapped without the required judicial authorisation -- wrote, "The law... requires that for intercepted communication to be admissible in any criminal proceedings, it must have been obtained, disclosed and used in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Golding said that this was not done."
Read the whole column here.
Snippet(s):
"
To me, one part of the problem that has cropped up with the understanding of the extradition treaty is, which parts of it are, prior to granting an extradition request, legally determinable in Jamaica and by what process? On the other side, which conditions of the treaty is it that empowers the Americans the right to render us speechless, that is, we must just sign and give up the person without further ado?
I have never been one of those who believe that the prime minister should never have involved himself in the delicate matter of the Dudus extradition request. Hell, whether the prime minister wanted to or not, he was involved."
"Of the 26 extradition requests received since he became prime minister, he has had no occasion (except for Dudus) to go full frontal in supporting any other person's "constitutional right". So the very fact that he has come out in such strong support of Dudus, it ought to mean that he has taken legal advice from the highest levels before committing himself and is convinced that his legs are sturdy.
If, based on the treaty, it was determined that the American outfit which obtained evidence did so by the illegal wiretaps of phones, must we surmise that all the Americans say they have on Dudus is a file of telephone transcripts and the actual recordings? We would be naïve to believe that."
&
"We must bear in mind that the Americans are not under any romantic illusions about what sectors of our society are corrupt. From their own experiences, they have long recognised that at the end of the day a president like, say, the late Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton (with Monica Lewinsky), and most other people are all humans under the skin and especially under the covers. Far from being perfect, what America has that is the envy of the purists among us is the workable synergy which springs from the lateral and horizontal push-pull of checks and balances, with each level having probing tentacles on the other.
I am certain that the Americans must have known of the breach, so the question to be asked is why did not the investigating entity abide by the conditions of the Act and apply to a judge in Chambers for authorisation for a wiretap or a series of wiretaps? It is my belief that they acted outside of the specific provision because there is not a single layer of the local system which they trust. Not a policeman, not a judge."
_____
observemark@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
re: "Understanding State's Budget Woes"
Matt Armstrong at Mountain Runner ("Discourse on America's Discourse") shared a detailed critique of State's flawed relations with Congress.
Money quote(s):
"Andrew Exum at CNAS blames - only somewhat tongue in cheek - the absence of federal money creating jobs in Congressional districts for the State Department's budget woes. His point, of course, is that Congress sees little direct benefit from State's activities."
He's not really kidding. Well, even if he was, it's still true.
The State Department has no (or little, which amounts to the same thing) domestic political constituency. We don't create jobs in anybody's district (aside from the various domestic passport centers, which is another subject). And most of the time nobody writes, emails, or calls their congressional representative unless they're seeking help with a problem they're having with the State Department.
Fortunately, most of the legislative staff who deal with State Department on behalf of their constituents quickly learn that we don't capriciously create problems and obstacles for their constituents. Most of the time the problems are actually the creation of the constituent themselves, and State Department folks (usually consular officers) are either simply following the laws that Congress itself passed or are limited in what they can do by either budgetary constraints (also an artifact of Congress) or reality itself (i.e., foreign courts and police forces don't actually work for the United States, so I can't order them to release someone just because they're American).
This is why I take every opportunity I can to help create at least a shadow of a glimmer of a domestic constituency whenever I get the chance. You're a college professor or church leader bringing a gaggle of your students or parishioners to my consular district and you'd like a quick tour of the embassy or consulate while you're in country? If I can spare someone for even an hour, I can make it happen. I've got a relatively brief Powerpoint presentation kept up-to-date, can reserve a meeting room, and if you'll get me everyone's passport information ahead of time then embassy security can pre-clear your group.
And then I get an hour to tell some congressman's constituents what the State Department does for them and for the country.
I've also learned to not be shy about telling people who are thanking me about something I or my staff has done for them that, yes, I appreciate their thanks but if they're really grateful it'd be even better if they dropped their congressman or senator an email or postcard. I generally add that other people are never slow to send complaints about the things they don't like, so it's just good citizenship to ensure their representative is getting the whole picture.
It's constituency building at the micro level, in the field, which is not the aim of Matt's post, but you have to start somewhere.
&
"If Congress is to fund (and stop defunding) State, it requires greater awareness of State's purpose, requirements, and limitations, especially those that must be overcome. State cannot continue to rely on the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other members of the uniformed community to ask Congress for money and authorities to build capacity and capabilities to fulfill current and future requirements.
State has a role in making sure the discourse over its purpose and activities become more public, and thus a higher profile, and more informed. The President and the American people require it. Guns and bombs do not create or sustain peace."
Money quote(s):
"Andrew Exum at CNAS blames - only somewhat tongue in cheek - the absence of federal money creating jobs in Congressional districts for the State Department's budget woes. His point, of course, is that Congress sees little direct benefit from State's activities."
He's not really kidding. Well, even if he was, it's still true.
The State Department has no (or little, which amounts to the same thing) domestic political constituency. We don't create jobs in anybody's district (aside from the various domestic passport centers, which is another subject). And most of the time nobody writes, emails, or calls their congressional representative unless they're seeking help with a problem they're having with the State Department.
Fortunately, most of the legislative staff who deal with State Department on behalf of their constituents quickly learn that we don't capriciously create problems and obstacles for their constituents. Most of the time the problems are actually the creation of the constituent themselves, and State Department folks (usually consular officers) are either simply following the laws that Congress itself passed or are limited in what they can do by either budgetary constraints (also an artifact of Congress) or reality itself (i.e., foreign courts and police forces don't actually work for the United States, so I can't order them to release someone just because they're American).
This is why I take every opportunity I can to help create at least a shadow of a glimmer of a domestic constituency whenever I get the chance. You're a college professor or church leader bringing a gaggle of your students or parishioners to my consular district and you'd like a quick tour of the embassy or consulate while you're in country? If I can spare someone for even an hour, I can make it happen. I've got a relatively brief Powerpoint presentation kept up-to-date, can reserve a meeting room, and if you'll get me everyone's passport information ahead of time then embassy security can pre-clear your group.
And then I get an hour to tell some congressman's constituents what the State Department does for them and for the country.
I've also learned to not be shy about telling people who are thanking me about something I or my staff has done for them that, yes, I appreciate their thanks but if they're really grateful it'd be even better if they dropped their congressman or senator an email or postcard. I generally add that other people are never slow to send complaints about the things they don't like, so it's just good citizenship to ensure their representative is getting the whole picture.
It's constituency building at the micro level, in the field, which is not the aim of Matt's post, but you have to start somewhere.
&
"If Congress is to fund (and stop defunding) State, it requires greater awareness of State's purpose, requirements, and limitations, especially those that must be overcome. State cannot continue to rely on the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other members of the uniformed community to ask Congress for money and authorities to build capacity and capabilities to fulfill current and future requirements.
State has a role in making sure the discourse over its purpose and activities become more public, and thus a higher profile, and more informed. The President and the American people require it. Guns and bombs do not create or sustain peace."
JG - EDITORIAL: Watch out, Cuba is coming
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Gleaner
EDITORIAL: Watch out, Cuba is coming
Published: Saturday May 8, 2010
Industry watchers have been saying it for years. Cuba could become the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean - as soon as the decades-old United States embargo is lifted.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Despite some softening, the US has not lifted sanctions but the news coming out of Havana indicates that 2009 was a bumper year for tourist arrivals. Last year, the Obama administration announced some easing of travel, monetary and telecommunications restrictions on our Spanish-speaking neighbour, and this has become a magnet for investors and visitors."
&
"Not too many miles from Montego Bay, the tourism mecca which has been attracting visitors from across the globe, are communities saturated with gunmen who do not hesitate to turn their weapons on innocents, including infants. How long can Jamaica continue to keep this dirty little 'secret' hidden from potential visitors? And, if the country cannot protect its own citizens, how will it protect tourists?
There is a general notion that the escalating crime in St James is linked to the lottery scam which seeks to con unsuspecting people out of their money by advising them that they are winners in a sweepstake that require them to remit money in order to claim the winnings. But this scam is more than three years old and, apparently, we are no closer to finding the masterminds and punishing them. The sense of frustration, even disappointment, at the inability of the police to stem the bloodletting in the Second City was evident when stakeholders came together this week. "
Jamaica Gleaner
EDITORIAL: Watch out, Cuba is coming
Published: Saturday May 8, 2010
Industry watchers have been saying it for years. Cuba could become the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean - as soon as the decades-old United States embargo is lifted.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Despite some softening, the US has not lifted sanctions but the news coming out of Havana indicates that 2009 was a bumper year for tourist arrivals. Last year, the Obama administration announced some easing of travel, monetary and telecommunications restrictions on our Spanish-speaking neighbour, and this has become a magnet for investors and visitors."
&
"Not too many miles from Montego Bay, the tourism mecca which has been attracting visitors from across the globe, are communities saturated with gunmen who do not hesitate to turn their weapons on innocents, including infants. How long can Jamaica continue to keep this dirty little 'secret' hidden from potential visitors? And, if the country cannot protect its own citizens, how will it protect tourists?
There is a general notion that the escalating crime in St James is linked to the lottery scam which seeks to con unsuspecting people out of their money by advising them that they are winners in a sweepstake that require them to remit money in order to claim the winnings. But this scam is more than three years old and, apparently, we are no closer to finding the masterminds and punishing them. The sense of frustration, even disappointment, at the inability of the police to stem the bloodletting in the Second City was evident when stakeholders came together this week. "
JO - Is the extradition treaty between US, Jamaica fair?
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Observer
Is the extradition treaty between US, Jamaica fair?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dear Editor,
I have noticed in recent times, both in the print and electronic media, that every Jamaican man, woman and child is now an "authority" on the International Extradition Treaty between Jamaica and the United States of America.
Read the whole letter here.
Snippet(s):
"The extradition treaty that now exists between Jamaica and the United States was signed by the former PNP Government some time in 1994 and it has benefited the USA since then.
I cannot recall any request sent by us to the Americans for one of their citizens to come to Jamaica to answer to any alleged criminal charges. It appears that when these criminal acts take place it is only the Jamaicans who are the guilty ones."
_____
Desmond "Milo" Bond
PO Box 431
Kingston 8
Jamaica Observer
Is the extradition treaty between US, Jamaica fair?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dear Editor,
I have noticed in recent times, both in the print and electronic media, that every Jamaican man, woman and child is now an "authority" on the International Extradition Treaty between Jamaica and the United States of America.
Read the whole letter here.
Snippet(s):
"The extradition treaty that now exists between Jamaica and the United States was signed by the former PNP Government some time in 1994 and it has benefited the USA since then.
I cannot recall any request sent by us to the Americans for one of their citizens to come to Jamaica to answer to any alleged criminal charges. It appears that when these criminal acts take place it is only the Jamaicans who are the guilty ones."
_____
Desmond "Milo" Bond
PO Box 431
Kingston 8
JO - Where are the humans?
From my archive of press clippings:
Jamaica Observer
Where are the humans?
Mervin Stoddart
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Christmas Day 2009 incident in which a suspected terrorist allegedly tried to blow up a plane just before it landed in Detroit led to so-called increased security at airports and aboard aeroplanes, especially those flying to and from the United States. Measures include more searches of passengers, less carry-on luggage, and passengers not allowed to leave their seats, even to use the restroom, during the final 60 minutes of flight. One British news agency called the new situation "flying jails". That designation seems euphemistic, because in reality since 9/11 international travel has become a puppet show of harassment by government-controlled workers - only those being manipulated are not stickmen, but people.
Read the whole column here.
_____
INMerv@hotmail.com
Jamaica Observer
Where are the humans?
Mervin Stoddart
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Christmas Day 2009 incident in which a suspected terrorist allegedly tried to blow up a plane just before it landed in Detroit led to so-called increased security at airports and aboard aeroplanes, especially those flying to and from the United States. Measures include more searches of passengers, less carry-on luggage, and passengers not allowed to leave their seats, even to use the restroom, during the final 60 minutes of flight. One British news agency called the new situation "flying jails". That designation seems euphemistic, because in reality since 9/11 international travel has become a puppet show of harassment by government-controlled workers - only those being manipulated are not stickmen, but people.
Read the whole column here.
_____
INMerv@hotmail.com
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