wearechange--2020-09-03--Judge Rules NSA Spying Program Revealed by Snowden Was Illegal, Useless Against Terrorists

This week , a federal appeals court ruled that the NSA ’ s controversial spying program was illegal – the same program Edward Snowden released details about to journalists in 2013 .
The ruling added that the spying program may have been unconstitutional .
The court ’ s ruling was written by Judge Marsha Berzon , who decided that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , or FISA , didn ’ t allow for the bulk collection of phone users ’ call records , as the US government claimed at the time .
“ The metadata collection exceeded the scope of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in her ruling .
The main problem is that FISA did not allow for bulk collection , only targeted collection of known suspects .
The law “ required the government to make a showing of relevance to a particular authorized investigation before collecting the records , ” according to Berzon .
Judge Berzon went on to say that there is no evidence that the spying program actually did anything to prevent a single case of terrorism , and that US officials misled the public about the program ’ s effectiveness .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government officials created a contrary impression , that impression is inconsistent with the contents of the classified record , ” she wrote .
The NSA claims that they have since canceled the spying programs in question , but many privacy advocates suspect that they are still engaged in very similar activities , if not more invasive spying now that the technology has advanced .
On Wednesday , Edward Snowden posted about the ruling , saying that , “ I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same ruling credit me for exposing them .
And yet that day has arrived.
” “ The decision also recognizes that when the government seeks to prosecute a person , it must give notice of the secret surveillance it used to gather its evidence .
This protection is a vital one given the proliferation of novel spying tools the government uses today , ” Toomey said , according to CNet .
It is not clear what implications this could have for Snowden ’ s criminal charges or his possible return to the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt his case .
Snowden is still facing criminal charges under the Espionage Act .
He is currently living in exile in Russia , where he got stuck and remained while attempting to evade US authorities after the now-infamous leak .
Last year , Snowden published an eye-opening memoir about his time in the intelligence community and his decision to tell the world about the massive surveillance state that had been created by the United States government .
The book , called “ Permanent Record , ” quickly rose to the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released , but as expected , the United States government was not very happy that it was being published .
On the day that the book was released , the US government filed a lawsuit against Snowden , claiming that he violated non-disclosure agreements that he signed with both the CIA and NSA when he was employed with the agencies .
The information contained in the book must not be too sensitive at this point , because the lawsuit is not seeking to block publication of the book , but is looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made from the sales .

This week, a federal appeals court ruled that the NSA’s controversial spying program was illegal – the same program Edward Snowden released details about to journalists in 2013. The ruling added that the spying program may have been unconstitutional.
The court’s ruling was written by Judge Marsha Berzon, who decided that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, didn’t allow for the bulk collection of phone users’ call records, as the US government claimed at the time.
“The metadata collection exceeded the scope of Congress’s authorization,” she wrote in her ruling.
The main problem is that FISA did not allow for bulk collection, only targeted collection of known suspects. The law “required the government to make a showing of relevance to a particular authorized investigation before collecting the records,” according to Berzon.
Judge Berzon went on to say that there is no evidence that the spying program actually did anything to prevent a single case of terrorism, and that US officials misled the public about the program’s effectiveness.
“To the extent the public statements of government officials created a contrary impression, that impression is inconsistent with the contents of the classified record,” she wrote.
The NSA claims that they have since canceled the spying programs in question, but many privacy advocates suspect that they are still engaged in very similar activities, if not more invasive spying now that the technology has advanced.
On Wednesday, Edward Snowden posted about the ruling, saying that, “I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA’s activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them. And yet that day has arrived.”
Seven years ago, as the news declared I was being charged as a criminal for speaking the truth, I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA's activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them. And yet that day has arrived. https://t.co/FRdG2zUA4U — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 2, 2020
ACLU senior staff attorney Patrick Toomey called Wednesday’s ruling a victory for privacy rights.
“The decision also recognizes that when the government seeks to prosecute a person, it must give notice of the secret surveillance it used to gather its evidence. This protection is a vital one given the proliferation of novel spying tools the government uses today,” Toomey said, according to CNet.
It is not clear what implications this could have for Snowden’s criminal charges or his possible return to the US, but this certainly can’t hurt his case.
Snowden is still facing criminal charges under the Espionage Act. He is currently living in exile in Russia, where he got stuck and remained while attempting to evade US authorities after the now-infamous leak.
Last year, Snowden published an eye-opening memoir about his time in the intelligence community and his decision to tell the world about the massive surveillance state that had been created by the United States government. The book, called “Permanent Record,” quickly rose to the top of the charts as soon as it was released, but as expected, the United States government was not very happy that it was being published.
On the day that the book was released, the US government filed a lawsuit against Snowden, claiming that he violated non-disclosure agreements that he signed with both the CIA and NSA when he was employed with the agencies.
The information contained in the book must not be too sensitive at this point, because the lawsuit is not seeking to block publication of the book, but is looking to intercept all of the money that is made from the sales.
Republished from TheMindUnleashed.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-03--WARNING: This is going to get ugly…

WARNING: This is going to get ugly…

In this video , we delve into the civil conflict and “ constitutional crisis ” that are coming in the @ @ @ @ @ YEAH , since we are not corporate or government owned help us out here .
@ @ @ @ @ ON

In this video, we delve into the civil conflict and “constitutional crisis” that are coming in the 2020 election cycle.
Sign up on lukeunfiltered.com or to check out our store on thebestpoliticalshirts.com.


wearechange--2020-09-03--Pregnant Mother Arrested at Home in Front of Her Children Over Anti-Lockdown Protest Event on FB

For those that have either mocked or merely ignored the idea that big government may be ( is ) using the pandemic as an “ excuse ” to exercise more control over every aspect of your life , we present : Exhibit A. Zoe Buhler is a 28 year old pregnant mother who lives just outside of Melbourne , Australia .
She was handcuffed in her own living room on Wednesday afternoon and charged with “ incitement ” after officers entered her private property ( with a search warrant ) and began reading Buhler her rights .
What could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement ?
Buhler made a Facebook post that allegedly incited a “ anti-lockdown protest ” in Victoria .
“ Anyone from Ballarat please join us in our fight for freedom and human rights !
” she wrote on the page .
Video shows Buhler trying to be reasonable and plead with officers , informing them that she has an ultrasound “ in an hour ” .
She asks the officers , bewildered : “ Excuse me , incitement for what , what on Earth ?
I ’ m in my pajamas , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ultrasound in an hour because I ’ m pregnant.
” She insisted she hadn ’ t broken any law by putting up the post and offered one more than one occasion to simply take the post down .
“ Actually you are , that ’ s why we ’ re arresting you in relation to incitement , ” the officers told her .
Meanwhile , her boyfriend also tried to offer up some common sense , stating : “ How about she just doesn ’ t do the event ?
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , she made a post.
” In addition to arresting the pregnant mother over a Facebook post , police then informed her that they had a search warrant and that they needed to seize and confiscate all electronic devices in her home .
Friends of Buhler weighed in to the Daily Mail , stating : “ This is absolutely disgusting !
!
Why don ’ t they do their job and catch some real criminals .
This fear mongering is ridiculous.
” Meanwhile the Victoria police said that fines will be issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway : “ We will have no hesitation in issuing $ 1,652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day , or making arrests if necessary.
” The police contend that the protests “ put lives at risk ” .
Alan Jones of Sky News wrote on his Facebook page : “ Thankfully I am not the only Australian who thinks this is appalling , disgusting and disgraceful .
The only person guilty of incitement is the Premier of Victoria .
His outlandish grab for power , his disdain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply designed to take back their freedom.
” Buhler was ultimately charged with incitement and released on bail .
She is due in court January 25 .
The post has been taken down .

For those that have either mocked or merely ignored the idea that big government may be (is) using the pandemic as an “excuse” to exercise more control over every aspect of your life, we present: Exhibit A.
Zoe Buhler is a 28 year old pregnant mother who lives just outside of Melbourne, Australia. She was handcuffed in her own living room on Wednesday afternoon and charged with “incitement” after officers entered her private property (with a search warrant) and began reading Buhler her rights.
What could have prompted such a robust response from law enforcement? Buhler made a Facebook post that allegedly incited a “anti-lockdown protest” in Victoria. “Anyone from Ballarat please join us in our fight for freedom and human rights!” she wrote on the page.
Video shows Buhler trying to be reasonable and plead with officers, informing them that she has an ultrasound “in an hour”.
AUSTRALIAN POLICE ARREST WOMAN FOR ANTI COVID LOCKDOWN FACEBOOK POST, SEIZE ALL COMPUTERSpic.twitter.com/ZSyc9qPxjK — The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) September 2, 2020
She asks the officers, bewildered: “Excuse me, incitement for what, what on Earth? I’m in my pajamas, my two kids are here. I have an ultrasound in an hour because I’m pregnant.” She insisted she hadn’t broken any law by putting up the post and offered one more than one occasion to simply take the post down.
“Actually you are, that’s why we’re arresting you in relation to incitement,” the officers told her. Meanwhile, her boyfriend also tried to offer up some common sense, stating: “How about she just doesn’t do the event? It’s not like she’s done it, she made a post.”
“You’ve already committed the offense,” police responded.
In addition to arresting the pregnant mother over a Facebook post, police then informed her that they had a search warrant and that they needed to seize and confiscate all electronic devices in her home.
Friends of Buhler weighed in to the Daily Mail, stating: “This is absolutely disgusting!! Why don’t they do their job and catch some real criminals. This fear mongering is ridiculous.”
Meanwhile the Victoria police said that fines will be issued to anyone that considers attending the protest anyway: “We will have no hesitation in issuing $1,652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day, or making arrests if necessary.” The police contend that the protests “put lives at risk”.
Alan Jones of Sky News wrote on his Facebook page: “Thankfully I am not the only Australian who thinks this is appalling, disgusting and disgraceful. The only person guilty of incitement is the Premier of Victoria. His outlandish grab for power, his disdain of any accountability is forcing people to behaviour simply designed to take back their freedom.”
Buhler was ultimately charged with incitement and released on bail. She is due in court January 25. The post has been taken down.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permision


wearechange--2020-09-04--“Weinstein-Level Stuff”: Secret Service Admits to Destroying Records in Alleged Biden Breast-Grabbin

“Weinstein-Level Stuff”: Secret Service Admits to Destroying Records in Alleged Biden Breast-Grabbing Incident

In 2017 , the Gateway Pundit ‘ s Cassandra Fairbanks published a claim from an anonymous former Secret Service agent who said that they had to protect female agents from Joe Biden due to “ Weinstein level stuff , ” referring to notable rapist and Democrat , Harvey Weinstein .
“ We had to cancel the VP Christmas get together at the Vice President ’ s house because Biden would grope all of our wives and girlfriend ’ s asses , ” said the former agent , adding “ He would mess with every single woman or teen .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden would walk around naked in the VP residence .
“ According to the source , a Secret Service agent once got suspended for a week in 2009 for shoving Biden after he cupped his girlfriend ’ s breast while the couple was taking a photo with him .
The situation got so heated , the source told Cassandra Fairbanks , that others had to step in to prevent the agent from hitting the then-Vice President .
” While the MSM simply ignored the alleged breast-grabbing incident , Judicial Watch filed a FOIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was destroyed .
In other words , something happened , and the Secret Service just confirmed it .
All records related to a reported incident in 2009 in which a United States Secret Service Agent reportedly was involved in an altercation with , or attempted to strike , then Vice President Joe Biden during a photo opportunity .
The records sought shall include , but not be limited to , witness statements , the Agent ’ s statement , victim ’ s statement , alleged perpetrator ’ s statement , incident reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding the incident , and disciplinary records related to the incident for the Agent in question .
In a July 13 , 2020 response to Judicial Watch ’ s request , the Secret Service appeared to confirm that a file on the alleged incident existed at some point , asserting , “ [ T ] here are no responsive records or documents pertaining to your request in our files , ” because “ the above mentioned file ( s ) has been destroyed ” due to “ retention standards .
” The Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] o additional information is available.
” It did not deny the incident had occurred .
In its lawsuit , Judicial Watch intends to test the Secret Service ’ s assertion that it destroyed all records about the incident .
“ We had not been able to confirm whether the report about the alleged altercation might be true until the Secret Service itself suggested it destroyed records about the incident , ” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton .

In 2017, the Gateway Pundit‘s Cassandra Fairbanks published a claim from an anonymous former Secret Service agent who said that they had to protect female agents from Joe Biden due to “Weinstein level stuff,” referring to notable rapist and Democrat, Harvey Weinstein.
“We had to cancel the VP Christmas get together at the Vice President’s house because Biden would grope all of our wives and girlfriend’s asses,” said the former agent, adding “He would mess with every single woman or teen. It was horrible.”
The agent also claimed Biden would walk around naked in the VP residence.
“I mean, Stark naked… Weinstein-level stuff.”
“According to the source, a Secret Service agent once got suspended for a week in 2009 for shoving Biden after he cupped his girlfriend’s breast while the couple was taking a photo with him. The situation got so heated, the source told Cassandra Fairbanks, that others had to step in to prevent the agent from hitting the then-Vice President .”
Here’s why you’re reading this now…
While the MSM simply ignored the alleged breast-grabbing incident, Judicial Watch filed a FOIA request...
…and were told the file was destroyed.
In other words, something happened, and the Secret Service just confirmed it.
Via Judicial Watch:
Judicial Watch’s FOIA request, made on May 12, 2020, sought:
All records related to a reported incident in 2009 in which a United States Secret Service Agent reportedly was involved in an altercation with, or attempted to strike, then Vice President Joe Biden during a photo opportunity.
The records sought shall include, but not be limited to, witness statements, the Agent’s statement, victim’s statement, alleged perpetrator’s statement, incident reports, investigative reports, communications among USSS personnel regarding the incident, and disciplinary records related to the incident for the Agent in question.
In a July 13, 2020 response to Judicial Watch’s request, the Secret Service appeared to confirm that a file on the alleged incident existed at some point, asserting, “[T]here are no responsive records or documents pertaining to your request in our files,” because “ the above mentioned file(s) has been destroyed” due to “retention standards. ” The Secret Service added that, “[n]o additional information is available.” It did not deny the incident had occurred. In its lawsuit, Judicial Watch intends to test the Secret Service’s assertion that it destroyed all records about the incident.
“We had not been able to confirm whether the report about the alleged altercation might be true until the Secret Service itself suggested it destroyed records about the incident,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
* * *
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-05--DHS Braces for ‘Potential EMP Attack’ as Presidential Election Nears

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) released a new report warning about a “ potential ” electromagnetic pulse ( EMP ) attack against the U.S. DHS ’ s warning published Thur .
( Sept. 2 ) , or about 60 days until the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3 , indicates there are “ evolving threats against the American homeland , most recently highlighting efforts to combat an Electromagnetic Pulse attack which could disrupt the electrical grid and potentially damage electronics.
” The department released an EMP status report via the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions to address known EMP-related vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure.
” CISA said an EMP attack could “ disrupt , degrade , and damage technology ” embedded in critical infrastructure systems .
Widespread blackouts could be seen if an EMP was to damage the nation ’ s electrical grid , resulting in additional flare-ups of socio-economic turmoil .
“ EMP attacks are part of the emerging threats against our nation and demand a response , ” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli .
CISA Director Chris Krebs said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mitigate threats associated with EMPs : To combat these emerging threats , President Trump signed an executive order in March 2019 , delegating power to the White House for EMP preparedness .
We recently quoted Peter Vincent Pry , ex-chief of staff of the Congressional EMP Commission , who wrote an op-ed that said the virus pandemic from China has “ exposed dangerous weaknesses in U.S. planning and preparation for civil defense protection and recovery , and those weaknesses surely have been noticed by our potential enemies : China , Russia , North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Pry warned that “ China has been planning to defeat the U.S. with an EMP and cyber “ Pearl Harbor ” attack for a quarter-century.
” DHS nor CISA gave any more information on ‘ evolving EMP threats ’ on the American homeland .
There was not mention of whether the threat could be from a solar storm or EMP weapons .
However , the EMP status report did mention DHS is currently running EMP pilot tests to assess EMP vulnerability on infrastructure : “ Finally , DHS is partnering with other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local , tribal , and territorial entities and the private sector to field test a more resilient critical infrastructure .
There are a number of field demonstration ( or pilot ) projects planned and underway by both DHS and DOE to assess EMP vulnerability and then deploy , evaluate , and validate EMP mitigation and protection technologies .
“ One such pilot is the San Antonio Electromagnetic Defense Initiative , designed to show how an entire region can become resilient against an EMP .
These pilots are multisector , multifunction efforts , seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a post EMP environment and that by maintaining those key functions we can expedite a full recovery .
Working with federal interagency partners , DHS will play a major role in ensuring communications systems remain operational and , by ensuring key systems which are protected against EMP , are also protected against other threats such as cyber-attacks.
” – EMP status report One EMP-expert and friend-of-the-site summed up the report perfectly : The warning comes just two months before the U.S. presidential election…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new report warning about a “potential” electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack against the U.S.
DHS’s warning published Thur. (Sept. 2), or about 60 days until the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3, indicates there are “evolving threats against the American homeland, most recently highlighting efforts to combat an Electromagnetic Pulse attack which could disrupt the electrical grid and potentially damage electronics.”
The department released an EMP status report via the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that said the “key actions to address known EMP-related vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure.”
CISA said an EMP attack could “disrupt, degrade, and damage technology” embedded in critical infrastructure systems. Widespread blackouts could be seen if an EMP was to damage the nation’s electrical grid, resulting in additional flare-ups of socio-economic turmoil.
“EMP attacks are part of the emerging threats against our nation and demand a response,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
“That is why DHS is taking these contingencies very seriously, working diligently to mitigate our risks and equipping our state and local partners with the resources they need to do the same. We’ve made significant progress and look forward to work ahead,” Cuccinelli said.
CISA Director Chris Krebs said top priorities of the agency is to mitigate threats associated with EMPs:
“Over the past year, we have worked with interagency and industry partners to identify the footprint and effects of EMP threats across our National Critical Functions, and are developing sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective approaches to improving the Nation’s resilience to EMPs,” Krebs said.
To combat these emerging threats, President Trump signed an executive order in March 2019, delegating power to the White House for EMP preparedness.
We recently quoted Peter Vincent Pry, ex-chief of staff of the Congressional EMP Commission, who wrote an op-ed that said the virus pandemic from China has “exposed dangerous weaknesses in U.S. planning and preparation for civil defense protection and recovery, and those weaknesses surely have been noticed by our potential enemies: China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and international terrorists.”
Pry warned that “China has been planning to defeat the U.S. with an EMP and cyber “Pearl Harbor” attack for a quarter-century.”
DHS nor CISA gave any more information on ‘evolving EMP threats’ on the American homeland. There was not mention of whether the threat could be from a solar storm or EMP weapons. However, the EMP status report did mention DHS is currently running EMP pilot tests to assess EMP vulnerability on infrastructure:
“Finally, DHS is partnering with other federal departments and agencies, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities and the private sector to field test a more resilient critical infrastructure. There are a number of field demonstration (or pilot) projects planned and underway by both DHS and DOE to assess EMP vulnerability and then deploy, evaluate, and validate EMP mitigation and protection technologies. “One such pilot is the San Antonio Electromagnetic Defense Initiative, designed to show how an entire region can become resilient against an EMP. These pilots are multisector, multifunction efforts, seeking to ensure key capabilities continue to function in a post EMP environment and that by maintaining those key functions we can expedite a full recovery. Working with federal interagency partners, DHS will play a major role in ensuring communications systems remain operational and, by ensuring key systems which are protected against EMP, are also protected against other threats such as cyber-attacks.” – EMP status report
One EMP-expert and friend-of-the-site summed up the report perfectly:
“We recognize the threat and we’re working on it and you don’t need to know any more than that, thank you for asking…”
The warning comes just two months before the U.S. presidential election…
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-04--The Right Vs. Left Battle Has REALLY Escalated!

In this video , we raise very important questions about the death of Michael Reinoehl .
Sign up for our @ @ @ @ @ Training course on September 13 !
!
!
Click here .

In this video, we raise very important questions about the death of Michael Reinoehl.
Civil conflict is unavoidable now!
Sign up for our exclusive Apocalypse Survival & Self-Defense Training course on September 13!!! Click here.


wearechange--2020-09-06--Reports Linking 30-35% of Big Ten Athletes With COVID to Myocarditis Were Inaccurate

With the media poised to pounce on negative Covid headlines at any chance they are given , it is more important now than ever to make sure that those headlines are accurate .
Inaccurate headlines can cause an uproar , as we found out last week when it was falsely reported that an astonishing 30 % to 35 % of Big Ten college athletes that were positive for Covid also had myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle .
It was an astonishing figure that may left the world thinking : if 30 % to 35 % of college athletes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , too .
The reports generated sprawling headlines in national media over the next few days , like this one in USA Today : And this one from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette : “ When we looked at our COVID-positive athletes , whether they were symptomatic or not , 30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles are inflamed … and we really just don ’ t know what to do with it right now .
It ’ s still very early in the infection .
Some of that has led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s decision to sort of put a hiatus on what ’ s happening , ” Penn State Doctor Wayne Sebastianelli said on Monday .
Reports like the one in USA Today read : “ …cardiac scans of Big Ten athletes who contracted COVID-19 showed ’ 30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles ’ indicated symptoms of myocarditis.
” The figured sounded enormous to us ; in fact , we almost did a write up on the headline earlier this week but decided to hold off to see if more information would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behold , more information did become available .
Turns out the earlier headlines simply weren ’ t true .
In what can only be described as a barrage of corrections from places like The Washington Post and CNN published less than 48 hours from the original report , it was revealed that the doctor was “ unintentionally citing outdated numbers ” .
A spokesman for the school ’ s health department clarified : “ During his discussion with board members , ( Sebastianelli ) recalled initial preliminary data that had been verbally shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which unbeknownst to him at the time had been published at a lower rate.
” The continued : “ Additionally , some have inferred his comments may have related directly to Penn State student athletes .
At this time , there have been no cases of myocarditis in COVID-19 positive student-athletes at Penn State.
” Regardless , the Big 10 conference has already announced that it would be postponing fall sports as a result of the coronavirus .
A conference spokesperson said :

With the media poised to pounce on negative Covid headlines at any chance they are given, it is more important now than ever to make sure that those headlines are accurate.
Inaccurate headlines can cause an uproar, as we found out last week when it was falsely reported that an astonishing 30% to 35% of Big Ten college athletes that were positive for Covid also had myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle. It was an astonishing figure that may left the world thinking: if 30% to 35% of college athletes were getting it, surely everyone else was, too.
The reports generated sprawling headlines in national media over the next few days, like this one in USA Today:
And this one from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“When we looked at our COVID-positive athletes, whether they were symptomatic or not, 30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles are inflamed … and we really just don’t know what to do with it right now. It’s still very early in the infection. Some of that has led to the Pac-12 and the Big Ten’s decision to sort of put a hiatus on what’s happening,” Penn State Doctor Wayne Sebastianelli said on Monday.
Reports like the one in USA Today read: “…cardiac scans of Big Ten athletes who contracted COVID-19 showed ’30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles’ indicated symptoms of myocarditis.”
The figured sounded enormous to us; in fact, we almost did a write up on the headline earlier this week but decided to hold off to see if more information would become available.
And, lo and behold, more information did become available. Turns out the earlier headlines simply weren’t true.
In what can only be described as a barrage of corrections from places like The Washington Post and CNN published less than 48 hours from the original report, it was revealed that the doctor was “unintentionally citing outdated numbers”.
A spokesman for the school’s health department clarified: “During his discussion with board members, (Sebastianelli) recalled initial preliminary data that had been verbally shared by a colleague on a forthcoming study, which unbeknownst to him at the time had been published at a lower rate.”
The continued: “Additionally, some have inferred his comments may have related directly to Penn State student athletes. At this time, there have been no cases of myocarditis in COVID-19 positive student-athletes at Penn State.”
Regardless, the Big 10 conference has already announced that it would be postponing fall sports as a result of the coronavirus. A conference spokesperson said:
“As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.”
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-08--“This is Not Normal”: Human Rights, Press Freedom Advocates Denied Remote Access to Assange Hearing

Human rights and press freedom advocates cried foul early Monday morning after they were denied remote access to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ’ s extradition hearing taking place in the United Kingdom .
“ This is not normal , ” said Marie Struthers , director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office of Amnesty Eastern Europe & Central Asia , in a video interview outside the court proceedings .
Struthers said the human rights group was “ shocked to find out that our court observer has been denied access to the court online … we conduct trial monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , week out.
” “ Amnesty is almost always granted access to monitor court cases around the world , ” Struthers added .
“ For our legal observer to find out this morning that he has not been granted even remote access to the Assange proceedings is an outrage.
” Amnesty had previously been granted remote access but was notified Monday morning , Struthers said , that the access was revoked because the group did not submit a required letter to the judge presiding over the trial .
She said they submitted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ fully expects ” they will be granted access going forward .
Meanwhile , critics—including NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden—condemned the U.S. effort to extradite Assange as a clear and present attack on press freedoms .
PEN Norway was also reportedly denied access to the Monday morning proceedings .
According to Shadowproof ’ s Kevin Gosztola , who covered the trial from inside the courtroom : Assange is accused of 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act and one count of violating a computer crime law that , as alleged in the indictment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The trial portion of Assange ’ s extradition hearing in London began on September 7 at the Old Bailey Courthouse .
It is expected to unfold over the next three to four weeks .
As of this writing , Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected a request by Assange ’ s lawyers to delay his extradition hearing until next year to give his lawyers more time to respond to U.S. allegations that he conspired with hackers to obtain classified information .
Asked at one point by the prosecution if he was “ prepared to consent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answered : “ No .
”

Human rights and press freedom advocates cried foul early Monday morning after they were denied remote access to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition hearing taking place in the United Kingdom.
“This is not normal,” said Marie Struthers, director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office of Amnesty Eastern Europe & Central Asia, in a video interview outside the court proceedings.
Struthers said the human rights group was “shocked to find out that our court observer has been denied access to the court online … we conduct trial monitoring all over the world, week in, week out.”
“Amnesty is almost always granted access to monitor court cases around the world,” Struthers added. “For our legal observer to find out this morning that he has not been granted even remote access to the Assange proceedings is an outrage.”
Amnesty had previously been granted remote access but was notified Monday morning, Struthers said, that the access was revoked because the group did not submit a required letter to the judge presiding over the trial.
She said they submitted the letter Monday morning, and that she “fully expects” they will be granted access going forward.
Meanwhile, critics—including NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden—condemned the U.S. effort to extradite Assange as a clear and present attack on press freedoms.
The extradition of Julian Assange is a malicious prosecution by any standard. Even critics of the man ought to condemn this as a show trial. The "crime" in question is the greatest public service @Wikileaks ever performed: exposing Iraq-era abuses. Drop the charges. #FreeAssange https://t.co/JhIrfro7cV — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 7, 2020
The greatest threat to press freedom since 2016 — the ongoing attempt by DOJ to extradite Assange in connection with publishing documents — is underway in the UK, and US journalists who spent 4 years flamboyantly depicting themselves as free press warriors are largely silent: https://t.co/eDURF36DU3 — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) September 7, 2020
PEN Norway was also reportedly denied access to the Monday morning proceedings.
.@englishpen & @PEN_Norway are among the numerous NGOs whose access to observe Julian Assange's hearing remotely was revoked earlier today. @pen_int pic.twitter.com/9dN57Sf5Gv — English PEN (@englishpen) September 7, 2020
According to Shadowproof’s Kevin Gosztola, who covered the trial from inside the courtroom:
Assange is accused of 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act and one count of violating a computer crime law that, as alleged in the indictment, is also an Espionage Act offense. The trial portion of Assange’s extradition hearing in London began on September 7 at the Old Bailey Courthouse. It is expected to unfold over the next three to four weeks.
As of this writing, Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected a request by Assange’s lawyers to delay his extradition hearing until next year to give his lawyers more time to respond to U.S. allegations that he conspired with hackers to obtain classified information.
Asked at one point by the prosecution if he was “prepared to consent to be extradited,” Assange reportedly answered: “No.”
Republished from CommonDreams.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-09-07--This Is Outrageous How Are People Allowing This To Happen!

In this video we explain , what on earth is going on with “ racial inclusion , ” Julian Assange @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
OH YEAH , since we are not corporate or government owned @ @ @ @ @ YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT US ON

In this video we explain, what on earth is going on with “racial inclusion,” Julian Assange and the protest movement in the United States.
Sign up on lukeunfiltered.com or to check out our store on thebestpoliticalshirts.com.


wearechange--2020-09-07--China “Parties Like It Is 2019” At Pool Parties, Nightcubs & Bars From Wuhan To Beijing

A few weeks ago , we joked that the people of Wuhan were ‘ partying at ground zero ’ when a story about a massive pool party to celebrate the end of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak went viral around the world .
But unlike in the US , the Communist Party defended the pool party by arguing that it was a much-needed release for the people of Wuhan .
After suffering through one of the first , and most restrictive , global lockdowns , the people of Wuhan have defeated the virus , a party spokesman said .
The party was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Financial Times is reporting on the return of the nightlife scene in China .
Revelers have returned to China ’ s nightclubs and bars at a faster pace than perhaps anywhere else in the world .
In the US , bars and nightclubs have been closed and blamed for causing the outbreak across the Sun Belt that peaked over the summer .
South Korea has also blamed its nightlife for an outbreak that , as it turned out , was largely the result of tests picking up asymptomatic people who were infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reverted to the pre-pandemic tableau : bars are tightly packed , with revelers wearing little in the way of clothing , and no masks .
The procedure is simple .
Revelers must use their smartphones to show their COVID-19 testing status is negative .
Then they ’ re temperatures are taken , before being allowed in .
Once inside , they can rest assured that the odds of being infected are minuscule .
When asked , several revelers told the FT they felt like they had earned the “ freedom to party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China have also bandied about the term “ revenge spending ” , even as China ’ s economic collapse was even worse than expected .
“ From restrictions [ on movement ] and shop closures to no restrictions and shops opening , there ’ s [ going ] to be a big rebound , ” said Tao Wang , chief China economist at UBS in Hong Kong .
But while many middle-class professionals are engaging in “ revenge spending ” after months of being unable to splash the cash , lower-income workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economy is stuck in two-track growth , widening the wealth gap .
The most conspicuous sign of the return to confidence in China was the giant pool party held last month in Wuhan , the city where the outbreak originated .
One western expert said China ’ s heavy handed response to the outbreak is one reason its people can enjoy these relatively friction-less events .
Susan Michie , professor of health psychology at University College London , said that for China to have this level of social life whilst keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective measures in place and a good “ test , trace and isolate ” system .
“ It is a fascinating potential insight into how we could do things differently [ in western countries ] , ” Prof Michie added .
After Ms Lee returned from the Beidaihe festival , she talked to friends in the US whose lives have still not returned to normal .
“ Our relative recovery is a result of the strong-handed measures China took , after realising it got it wrong in Wuhan to begin with , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right approach.
” As far as the international outcry caused by the Wuhan pool party goes , with many claiming the party was particularly “ disrespectful ” since China is responsible for allowing the pandemic out of the gate , one party official told the FT that the rest of the world was just jealous .
Mr Luo said he was aware of “ bitter comments ” from those outside China questioning why people in Wuhan were able to party when they still had to abide by strict social distancing guidelines .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from residents of other cities — some of whom blame Wuhan for its first outbreak .
“ I think they just can ’ t make peace with the fact that we Wuhan people are back on our feet , ” Mr Luo said .
“ We ’ re entitled to a little fun in life , after what ’ s happened.
” With China ’ s official infection numbers so low that the outbreak is officially over , China ’ s young are apparently sufficiently emboldened , and eager to enjoy themselves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve already been vaccinated…

A few weeks ago, we joked that the people of Wuhan were ‘partying at ground zero’ when a story about a massive pool party to celebrate the end of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak went viral around the world. But unlike in the US, the Communist Party defended the pool party by arguing that it was a much-needed release for the people of Wuhan.
After suffering through one of the first, and most restrictive, global lockdowns, the people of Wuhan have defeated the virus, a party spokesman said. The party was one of their rewards.
Now, the Financial Times is reporting on the return of the nightlife scene in China. Revelers have returned to China’s nightclubs and bars at a faster pace than perhaps anywhere else in the world. In the US, bars and nightclubs have been closed and blamed for causing the outbreak across the Sun Belt that peaked over the summer. South Korea has also blamed its nightlife for an outbreak that, as it turned out, was largely the result of tests picking up asymptomatic people who were infected elsewhere.
But in Beijing, partiers have reverted to the pre-pandemic tableau: bars are tightly packed, with revelers wearing little in the way of clothing, and no masks.
The procedure is simple. Revelers must use their smartphones to show their COVID-19 testing status is negative. Then they’re temperatures are taken, before being allowed in. Once inside, they can rest assured that the odds of being infected are minuscule. When asked, several revelers told the FT they felt like they had earned the “freedom to party”.
Analysts of the middle class in China have also bandied about the term “revenge spending”, even as China’s economic collapse was even worse than expected.
“From restrictions [on movement] and shop closures to no restrictions and shops opening, there’s [going] to be a big rebound,” said Tao Wang, chief China economist at UBS in Hong Kong. But while many middle-class professionals are engaging in “revenge spending” after months of being unable to splash the cash, lower-income workers are still suffering. Economists say China’s economy is stuck in two-track growth, widening the wealth gap. The most conspicuous sign of the return to confidence in China was the giant pool party held last month in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak originated.
One western expert said China’s heavy handed response to the outbreak is one reason its people can enjoy these relatively friction-less events.
Susan Michie, professor of health psychology at University College London, said that for China to have this level of social life whilst keeping transmission low suggested they had the right protective measures in place and a good “test, trace and isolate” system. “It is a fascinating potential insight into how we could do things differently [in western countries],” Prof Michie added. After Ms Lee returned from the Beidaihe festival, she talked to friends in the US whose lives have still not returned to normal. “Our relative recovery is a result of the strong-handed measures China took, after realising it got it wrong in Wuhan to begin with,” she argued. “It was the right approach.”
As far as the international outcry caused by the Wuhan pool party goes, with many claiming the party was particularly “disrespectful” since China is responsible for allowing the pandemic out of the gate, one party official told the FT that the rest of the world was just jealous.
Mr Luo said he was aware of “bitter comments” from those outside China questioning why people in Wuhan were able to party when they still had to abide by strict social distancing guidelines. There was also resentment on Chinese social media from residents of other cities — some of whom blame Wuhan for its first outbreak. “I think they just can’t make peace with the fact that we Wuhan people are back on our feet,” Mr Luo said. “We’re entitled to a little fun in life, after what’s happened.”
With China’s official infection numbers so low that the outbreak is officially over, China’s young are apparently sufficiently emboldened, and eager to enjoy themselves. It’s almost as if they’ve already been vaccinated…


wearechange--2020-09-07--Landlords to Start Putting Alexa in Your Apartment Before You Move In

Amazon ’ s Alexa smart home gadgets are becoming more popular by the day , but there are still many people holding out on buying these types of devices because they have privacy concerns .
However , soon some of us may not have a choice because Amazon is making moves to have the devices pre-installed in places like apartment buildings .
Amazon has also been working hard to ensure that there is an Alexa device is every single hotel room .
Last week , Amazon announced “ Alexa for Residential , ” a plan that would allow landlords and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Alexa devices so they can be pre-installed into their rental units .
IOTAS , STRATIS IoT , and Sentient Property Services are the first smart home integrators to use Alexa for Residential , and they will open multiple smart apartment residences across the U.S. this fall , according to a press release from the company .
Liron Torres , Head of Smart Properties , Amazon Alexa said that the devices installed through this program will have specific features for landlords and tenants .
“ Our vision was to create a service that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone , regardless of whether they rent or own their home .
Alexa for Residential goes beyond the smart home—it also enables property managers to provide custom voice experiences for their residents , including information about property amenities and custom services .
We ’ re excited to be teaming up with IOTAS , STRATIS IoT and Sentient Property Services to start , and look forward to expanding this experience to even more apartment residences across the US , ” Torres said .
Amazon claims that landlords won ’ t have any access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will , and so will the police if they want to request it .
Alexa has already been used as a witness in numerous criminal cases , and while this data was mostly used to solve murders , it is not unreasonable to imagine a scenario where a spy agency like the NSA cooperates with Amazon to use Alexa for dragnet data gathering on innocent citizens .
Even if Amazon were to object to this type of operation , an organization like the NSA would surely have the resources to either hack the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to make use of the data .
Alexa ’ s short history has shown that Amazon can be very careless and devious with the data collected from these devices .
According to a Bloomberg investigation last year , Amazon employees were listening to Alexa voice recordings and transcribing them .
The employees were reportedly tasked with helping the device respond to commands better , but customers were obviously concerned when they discovered this was happening .
After the controversy , the company added an option to opt-out of human reviews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and potential customers are even more reluctant to get involved .
According to another report last year , Alexa doesn ’ t always delete data when the user tells it to .
Still , despite these very serious concerns , over 100 million Alexa-powered devices have been sold as of last year .

Amazon’s Alexa smart home gadgets are becoming more popular by the day, but there are still many people holding out on buying these types of devices because they have privacy concerns.
However, soon some of us may not have a choice because Amazon is making moves to have the devices pre-installed in places like apartment buildings.
Amazon has also been working hard to ensure that there is an Alexa device is every single hotel room.
Last week, Amazon announced “Alexa for Residential,” a plan that would allow landlords and apartment complex owners to make bulk purchases of Alexa devices so they can be pre-installed into their rental units.
IOTAS, STRATIS IoT, and Sentient Property Services are the first smart home integrators to use Alexa for Residential, and they will open multiple smart apartment residences across the U.S. this fall, according to a press release from the company.
Liron Torres, Head of Smart Properties, Amazon Alexa said that the devices installed through this program will have specific features for landlords and tenants.
“Our vision was to create a service that makes having an Alexa-enabled home accessible for anyone, regardless of whether they rent or own their home. Alexa for Residential goes beyond the smart home—it also enables property managers to provide custom voice experiences for their residents, including information about property amenities and custom services. We’re excited to be teaming up with IOTAS, STRATIS IoT and Sentient Property Services to start, and look forward to expanding this experience to even more apartment residences across the US,” Torres said.
Amazon claims that landlords won’t have any access to data or voice recordings, but Amazon will, and so will the police if they want to request it.
Alexa has already been used as a witness in numerous criminal cases, and while this data was mostly used to solve murders, it is not unreasonable to imagine a scenario where a spy agency like the NSA cooperates with Amazon to use Alexa for dragnet data gathering on innocent citizens.
Even if Amazon were to object to this type of operation, an organization like the NSA would surely have the resources to either hack the technology, or just infiltrate the corporation in order to make use of the data.
Alexa’s short history has shown that Amazon can be very careless and devious with the data collected from these devices.
According to a Bloomberg investigation last year, Amazon employees were listening to Alexa voice recordings and transcribing them.
The employees were reportedly tasked with helping the device respond to commands better, but customers were obviously concerned when they discovered this was happening.
After the controversy, the company added an option to opt-out of human reviews, but many customers are still extremely suspicious, and potential customers are even more reluctant to get involved.
According to another report last year, Alexa doesn’t always delete data when the user tells it to.
Still, despite these very serious concerns, over 100 million Alexa-powered devices have been sold as of last year.
Republished from TheMindUnleashed.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-07--Three More Arrested in Australia for Making Anti-Lockdown Posts Online

Earlier this week we reported that a pregnant woman from Melbourne , Australia , was arrested in her home for creating a social media page for an anti-lockdown protest .
According to a new report from ABC news , three other Australians have also been arrested for making anti-lockdown posts online .
On Friday morning , a man named James Bartolo was also arrested in his home , and his arrest was recorded as well .
In the video , which was live-streamed through his Facebook page , Bartolo can be seen arguing with police who were gathered outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have permission to enter his property .
“ You don ’ t have authorization to be on the property , ” he said .
Eventually , police busted through the door and made the arrest anyway .
Since he did not go with the police willingly they stacked up additional charges against him , including resisting arrest and possession of prohibited weapons that were found in his home .
Bartolo is reportedly the fourth Australian the be arrested for incitement related to anti-lockdown posting online .
After his arrest , Bartolo posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay away from the upcoming protests in Melbourne on Sunday , calling the protests a “ trap.
” He also suggested that large crowds at the protest could be used as an excuse to extend the lock-down measures .
The region of Victoria is currently under level 4 restrictions , which includes a curfew and a limit on how far people can travel from their homes .
As of now , there is no clear date for when the lockdown restrictions will be lifted in the region .
The crackdown and string @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Rights Commission who posted a statement on Twitter regarding 28-year-old Zoe Buhler , the woman who was arrested in front of her children for organizing a protest on Facebook .

Earlier this week we reported that a pregnant woman from Melbourne, Australia, was arrested in her home for creating a social media page for an anti-lockdown protest. According to a new report from ABC news, three other Australians have also been arrested for making anti-lockdown posts online.
On Friday morning, a man named James Bartolo was also arrested in his home, and his arrest was recorded as well.
In the video, which was live-streamed through his Facebook page, Bartolo can be seen arguing with police who were gathered outside of his door, insisting that they did not have permission to enter his property.
“You don’t have authorization to be on the property,” he said.
Cops at the door…. Posted by James Bartolo on Thursday, September 3, 2020
Eventually, police busted through the door and made the arrest anyway. Since he did not go with the police willingly they stacked up additional charges against him, including resisting arrest and possession of prohibited weapons that were found in his home.
Bartolo is reportedly the fourth Australian the be arrested for incitement related to anti-lockdown posting online. After his arrest, Bartolo posted followup videos urging his friends and supporters to stay away from the upcoming protests in Melbourne on Sunday, calling the protests a “trap.”
He also suggested that large crowds at the protest could be used as an excuse to extend the lock-down measures. The region of Victoria is currently under level 4 restrictions, which includes a curfew and a limit on how far people can travel from their homes. As of now, there is no clear date for when the lockdown restrictions will be lifted in the region.
The crackdown and string of arrests were criticized by the Australian Human Rights Commission who posted a statement on Twitter regarding 28-year-old Zoe Buhler, the woman who was arrested in front of her children for organizing a protest on Facebook.
Republished from TruthTheory.com with permission


wearechange--2020-09-09--“Horrifically Catastrophic”: Report Finds War on Terror Has Displaced as Many as 59 Million People

The ongoing U.S. “ war on terror ” has forcibly displaced as many as 59 million people from just eight countries in the Middle East , Africa , and Asia since 2001 , according to a new report published Tuesday by Brown University ’ s Costs of War Project .
Titled “ Creating Refugees : Displacement Caused by the United States ’ Post-9/11 Wars ” ( pdf ) , the new report conservatively estimates that at least 37 million people have “ fled their homes in the eight most violent wars the U.S. military has launched or participated in since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic increase from the Costs of War Project ’ s 2019 report , which estimated that 21 million people had been displaced internally or forced to flee their home countries due to violence inflicted or unleashed by U.S.-led wars over the past two decades .
That report also put the death toll of the so-called war on terror at 801,000 and the price tag at $ 6.4 trillion .
The new report argues that “ wartime displacement ( alongside war deaths and injuries ) must be central to any analysis of the post-9/11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Displacement also must be central to any possible consideration of the future use of military force by the United States or others , ” the report states .
“ Ultimately , displacing 37 million—and perhaps as many as 59 million—raises the question of who bears responsibility for repairing the damage inflicted on those displaced.
” In addition to the tens of millions displaced by U.S. military actions in Afghanistan , Iraq , Pakistan , Yemen , Somalia , the Philippines , Libya , and Syria , the report notes that millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat operations , including in : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Central African Republic , Chad , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Mali , Niger , Saudi Arabia , and Tunisia.
” “ To put these figures in perspective , displacing 37 million people is equivalent to removing nearly all the residents of the state of California or all the people in Texas and Virginia combined , ” the report says .
“ The figure is almost as large as the population of Canada .
In historical terms , 37 million displaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other war or disaster since at least the start of the 20th century with the sole exception of World War II.
” David Vine , professor of anthropology at American University and the lead author of the new report , told the New York Times that the findings show “ U.S .
involvement in these countries has been horrifically catastrophic , horrifically damaging in ways that I don ’ t think that most people in the United States , in many ways myself included , have grappled with or reckoned with in even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , demanded such a reckoning in a tweet responding to the Costs of War Project ’ s latest findings .
“ The scale of the disaster the United States has inflicted on the world—through three war on terror presidencies—is staggering , ” wrote Duss .
“ We need a reckoning .
We can ’ t simply move on .
”

The ongoing U.S. “war on terror” has forcibly displaced as many as 59 million people from just eight countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia since 2001, according to a new report published Tuesday by Brown University’s Costs of War Project.
Titled “Creating Refugees: Displacement Caused by the United States’ Post-9/11 Wars” (pdf), the new report conservatively estimates that at least 37 million people have “fled their homes in the eight most violent wars the U.S. military has launched or participated in since 2001.”
The latest figure represents a dramatic increase from the Costs of War Project’s 2019 report, which estimated that 21 million people had been displaced internally or forced to flee their home countries due to violence inflicted or unleashed by U.S.-led wars over the past two decades. That report also put the death toll of the so-called war on terror at 801,000 and the price tag at $6.4 trillion.
The new report argues that “wartime displacement (alongside war deaths and injuries) must be central to any analysis of the post-9/11 wars and their short- and long-term consequences.”
“Displacement also must be central to any possible consideration of the future use of military force by the United States or others,” the report states. “Ultimately, displacing 37 million—and perhaps as many as 59 million—raises the question of who bears responsibility for repairing the damage inflicted on those displaced.”
In addition to the tens of millions displaced by U.S. military actions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, the Philippines, Libya, and Syria, the report notes that millions more have been displaced by “smaller combat operations, including in: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia.”
“To put these figures in perspective, displacing 37 million people is equivalent to removing nearly all the residents of the state of California or all the people in Texas and Virginia combined,” the report says. “The figure is almost as large as the population of Canada. In historical terms, 37 million displaced is more than those displaced by any other war or disaster since at least the start of the 20th century with the sole exception of World War II.”
Kudos to @CostsOfWar & @QuincyInst boardmember Catherine Lutz for this crucial study. The blob assumes there's something fundamentally wrong with the Middle East. Few acknowledge America's role in the instability and refugee flows. It's massive…
https://t.co/5EGmqFUpBL — Trita Parsi (@tparsi) September 8, 2020
David Vine, professor of anthropology at American University and the lead author of the new report, told the New York Times that the findings show “U.S. involvement in these countries has been horrifically catastrophic, horrifically damaging in ways that I don’t think that most people in the United States, in many ways myself included, have grappled with or reckoned with in even the slightest terms.”
Matt Duss, foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), demanded such a reckoning in a tweet responding to the Costs of War Project’s latest findings.
“The scale of the disaster the United States has inflicted on the world—through three war on terror presidencies—is staggering,” wrote Duss. “We need a reckoning. We can’t simply move on.”
Republished from CommonDreams.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-09-10--Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize! Here Are Some of Its Worst Winners

Donald Trump has been nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize .
The President of the United States was put forward by the far-right Norwegian member of parliament , Christian Tybring-Gjedde , who insists he is “ not a big Trump supporter , ” despite nominating him last year as well .
Tybring-Gjedde ’ s stated reason for nominating Trump is for his work in the UAE-Israel deal signed last month , which normalizes relations between the two nations .
While there have been a number of people and organizations already nominated for the award , Trump is immediately considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ odds drastically shortening with bookmakers today .
The announcement was predictably applauded by supporters of the president , who voiced their approval online .
Meanwhile , His detractors were unsurprisingly shocked and dismayed by the news .
“ Trump being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by far-right anti-immigration nut job Christian Tybring-Gjedde is like getting a letter of recommendation to be a firefighter by a pyromaniac , ” wrote Dr. Eugene Gu , one of the president ’ s most vocal online opponents .
The prize is often considered among the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recognition of a supreme commitment to someone who has given “ the greatest benefit to humankind , ” in the organization ’ s own words .
But while there have been some worthy winners in its 119-year history , the prize ( and its ~ $ 1 million cash reward ) has very often been handed to some of the world ’ s most reprehensible individuals , including the following examples .
Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi received the award in 1991 “ for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 1989 and 2010 , she was kept under house arrest by the ruling military junta .
Time magazine labeled her a “ child of Gandhi ” for her supposed commitment to pacifism .
Yet since her ascension to the office of state counselor ( the Burmese version of prime minister ) , she has overseen the Burmese army ’ s genocide of Rohingya Muslims in her own country , defending and supporting the same military who used to keep her locked up .
In 2017 she insisted that even ethnic cleansing was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describe events , claiming that “ it is Muslims killing Muslims , ” but denying visas to United Nations officials who wished to investigate the atrocities .
The violence is known to have killed at least 24,000 people and forced more than 730,000 Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh .
A host of Israeli leaders , including Menachem Begin , Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres , have also won the prize for their supposed efforts in bringing peace to the Middle East , even though Israel has militarily occupied much of Palestine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking ceasefires to attack its neighbors .
In 1996 , for instance , Peres ordered Operation Grapes of Wrath , the most notorious chapter of which was the Qana massacre , where 106 Lebanese civilians were killed .
Peres appeared proud of his actions ; “ Everything was done according to clear logic and in a responsible way , ” he said .
Meanwhile , in 1967 , troops under Rabin ’ s command are thought to have killed around 1,000 Egyptian prisoners of war en masse .
Barack Obama was surprisingly given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few months in office , the Nobel Institute claiming that he was helping rid the planet of nuclear weapons , bringing peace to the world , and to tackle climate change , all of which in 2020 appear rather questionable claims .
Much of the Institute ’ s justification for the award is in the future tense .
“ Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened , ” they wrote , suggesting the prize-givers were awarding him for his promises rather than his actions .
In reality , Obama expanded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simultaneously , earning the moniker the “ Drone King.
” According to U.S. government documents , nearly 90 percent of those he killed were civilians .
Other estimates put that number much higher .
Perhaps the most egregious Nobel Peace Prize winner of all time was American war planner Henry Kissinger .
Kissinger was one of the chief architects of the U.S. attack on Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s , actively sabotaging President Johnson ’ s peace talks with the Viet Minh resistance .
He also delivered the infamous orders for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anything that flies on anything that moves , ” he instructed .
He also supported Indonesia ’ s genocide in East Timor and the Pakistani crackdown against Bangladesh ’ s independence movement .
Kissinger was the mastermind behind the attacks on Salvador Allende ’ s Chile , attempting to “ make the economy scream , ” also supporting and abetting the fascist coup that resulted in the end of democracy in the South American nation .
While Kissinger gratefully accepted his prize , his co-recipient , Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , doing so on the grounds that peace had not been achieved .
“ Once the Paris accord on Vietnam is respected , the arms are silenced and a real peace is established in South Vietnam , I will be able to consider accepting this prize , ” he said .
The U.S. would not stop bombing for another two years .
While there has been a great deal of consternation at the idea of Trump receiving the prize , the reality is that it has already drifted so far from Alfred Nobel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to individuals who spend their lives “ challenging militarism ” that it as often as not awarded to infamous warmongers .
Trump would merely be joining a select rogue ’ s gallery if he were to win .

Donald Trump has been nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. The President of the United States was put forward by the far-right Norwegian member of parliament, Christian Tybring-Gjedde, who insists he is “not a big Trump supporter,” despite nominating him last year as well. Tybring-Gjedde’s stated reason for nominating Trump is for his work in the UAE-Israel deal signed last month, which normalizes relations between the two nations.
While there have been a number of people and organizations already nominated for the award, Trump is immediately considered among the favorites to win, his odds drastically shortening with bookmakers today.
The announcement was predictably applauded by supporters of the president, who voiced their approval online. Meanwhile, His detractors were unsurprisingly shocked and dismayed by the news. “Trump being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by far-right anti-immigration nut job Christian Tybring-Gjedde is like getting a letter of recommendation to be a firefighter by a pyromaniac,” wrote Dr. Eugene Gu, one of the president’s most vocal online opponents.
The prize is often considered among the most esteemed awards any individual can win; a recognition of a supreme commitment to someone who has given “the greatest benefit to humankind,” in the organization’s own words. But while there have been some worthy winners in its 119-year history, the prize (and its ~$1 million cash reward) has very often been handed to some of the world’s most reprehensible individuals, including the following examples.
Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi received the award in 1991 “for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.” For much of the time between 1989 and 2010, she was kept under house arrest by the ruling military junta. Time magazine labeled her a “child of Gandhi” for her supposed commitment to pacifism. Yet since her ascension to the office of state counselor (the Burmese version of prime minister), she has overseen the Burmese army’s genocide of Rohingya Muslims in her own country, defending and supporting the same military who used to keep her locked up. In 2017 she insisted that even ethnic cleansing was “too strong a word” to describe events, claiming that “it is Muslims killing Muslims,” but denying visas to United Nations officials who wished to investigate the atrocities. The violence is known to have killed at least 24,000 people and forced more than 730,000 Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.
A host of Israeli leaders, including Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, have also won the prize for their supposed efforts in bringing peace to the Middle East, even though Israel has militarily occupied much of Palestine and parts of Syria for decades, continually breaking ceasefires to attack its neighbors. In 1996, for instance, Peres ordered Operation Grapes of Wrath, the most notorious chapter of which was the Qana massacre, where 106 Lebanese civilians were killed. Peres appeared proud of his actions; “Everything was done according to clear logic and in a responsible way,” he said. Meanwhile, in 1967, troops under Rabin’s command are thought to have killed around 1,000 Egyptian prisoners of war en masse.
Barack Obama was surprisingly given the award in 2009, after only a few months in office, the Nobel Institute claiming that he was helping rid the planet of nuclear weapons, bringing peace to the world, and to tackle climate change, all of which in 2020 appear rather questionable claims. Much of the Institute’s justification for the award is in the future tense. “Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened,” they wrote, suggesting the prize-givers were awarding him for his promises rather than his actions. In reality, Obama expanded the American war machine, bombing seven countries simultaneously, earning the moniker the “Drone King.” According to U.S. government documents, nearly 90 percent of those he killed were civilians. Other estimates put that number much higher.
Perhaps the most egregious Nobel Peace Prize winner of all time was American war planner Henry Kissinger. Kissinger was one of the chief architects of the U.S. attack on Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s, actively sabotaging President Johnson’s peace talks with the Viet Minh resistance. He also delivered the infamous orders for the massive bombing of Cambodia; “Anything that flies on anything that moves,” he instructed. He also supported Indonesia’s genocide in East Timor and the Pakistani crackdown against Bangladesh’s independence movement. Kissinger was the mastermind behind the attacks on Salvador Allende’s Chile, attempting to “make the economy scream,” also supporting and abetting the fascist coup that resulted in the end of democracy in the South American nation.
While Kissinger gratefully accepted his prize, his co-recipient, Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho, is the only individual to reject the prize, doing so on the grounds that peace had not been achieved. “Once the Paris accord on Vietnam is respected, the arms are silenced and a real peace is established in South Vietnam, I will be able to consider accepting this prize,” he said. The U.S. would not stop bombing for another two years.
While there has been a great deal of consternation at the idea of Trump receiving the prize, the reality is that it has already drifted so far from Alfred Nobel’s original intention of awarding it to individuals who spend their lives “challenging militarism” that it as often as not awarded to infamous warmongers. Trump would merely be joining a select rogue’s gallery if he were to win.
Republished from MintPressNews.com under Creative Commons