News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government

Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government
27 Aug 2011
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C.I.A. Demands Cuts in Book About 9/11 and Terror Fight 26 Aug 2011 In what amounts to a fight over who gets to write the history of the Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermath, the Central Intelligence Agency is demanding extensive cuts from the memoir of a former F.B.I. agent who spent years near the center of the battle against Al Qaeda [al-CIAduh]. The agent, Ali H. Soufan, argues in the book that the C.I.A. missed a chance to derail the 2001 plot by withholding from the F.B.I. information about two future 9/11 hijackers living in San Diego, according to several people who have read the manuscript. And he gives a detailed, firsthand account of the C.I.A.'s move toward brutal treatment in its interrogations, saying the harsh methods torture used on the agency's first important captive, Abu Zubaydah, were unnecessary and counterproductive.

Pakistan orders 250 US officials to leave [Buh-bye, CIAciopaths!] 24 Aug 2011 The Pakistani government has called on the US Embassy in the capital Islamabad to phase out over 250 American officials in the country within the next 30 to 40 days. The US officials are reportedly assigned various duties such as logistic support and audit and accounts monitoring. Most of them are said to be involved in high-level espionage and anti-state activities, Pakistan's The Nation newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Ex-Blackwater contractor seeks job in Afghanistan 26 Aug 2011 A former Blackwater contractor convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of an Afghan civilian wants to take a new job - in Afghanistan. Chris Drotleff of Virginia Beach has asked a federal judge for permission to travel to Kandahar to pour concrete and lay cable for a government contractor. Federal prosecutors have opposed the request. Drotleff and co-defendant Justin Cannon were convicted by a federal jury of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of an Afghan civilian in Kabul.

US-led strike kills 6 Afghan civilians 26 Aug 2011 A US-led airstrike targeting the Taliban militants has killed six members of a family in Afghanistan's eastern province of Logar. Mohammed Rahim, the governor of Barki Bark said the attack took place in Pakhtab district of the town at 11 p.m. local time on Thursday, a Press TV correspondent reported on Friday. The father of the family, his wife, and their four children, aged between eight and 16, died after their house was hit in the incident, the Afghan official said.

Libya's NTC still not legitimate, AU says 27 Aug 2011 The African Union has declined to recognize Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) as the legitimate government of the North African nation. South African President Jacob Zuma, who is also currently the chairman of the AU, said at the end of an AU Peace and Security Council meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Friday that the Libyan opposition fighters were "not yet legitimate," AFP reported. [And, the Exxon Mobil mercenaries never will be.]

Secret Service agents seek immunity from suit over Cheney arrest 25 Aug 2011 Two Secret Service agents on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to rule that they are immune from a lawsuit filed by a Colorado man who claims they violated his First Amendment rights when he was arrested for confronting then-Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney. Steven Howards was arrested in the resort town of Beaver Creek in 2006 after he touched Cheney on the arm and told him his Iraq War policies were "disgusting." The lawsuit claims that agents Virgil D. "Gus" Reichle Jr. and Dan Doyle arrested him in retaliation for criticizing Cheney.

WikiLeaks publishes tens of thousands more cables 25 Aug 2011 The WikiLeaks organization said Thursday it was releasing tens of thousands of previously unpublished U.S. diplomatic cables, some of which are still classified. "We will have released over 100,000 US embassy cables from around the world by the end of today," said a message on WikiLeaks' Twitter feed. The Twitter page is believed to be controlled by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks' controversial Australian-born founder and chief.

Kan steps down as Japan's premier 26 Aug 2011 Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan has stepped down amid plunging approval ratings over his government's handling of the nuclear crisis that followed the March 11 earthquake. "I resign as the (party) president effective today," Kan told senior party officials, quoted by AFP on Friday. Kan, in office for only 15 months, has been criticized for his handling of the nuclear crisis which erupted after the March 11 twin disasters.

Fukushima caesium leaks 'equal 168 Hiroshimas' 25 Aug 2011 Japan's government estimates the amount of radioactive caesium-137 released by the Fukushima nuclear disaster so far is equal to that of 168 Hiroshima bombs. The amount of caesium-137 released since the three reactors were crippled on March 11 has been estimated at 15,000 tera becquerels, the Tokyo Shimbun reported, quoting a government calculation. That compares with the 89 tera becquerels released by "Little Boy", the uranium bomb the United States dropped on the western Japanese city in the final days of World War II, the report said.

NRC inspectors head to nuclear power plants in path of Irene 26 Aug 2011 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has dispatched additional inspectors to nuclear power plants along the East Coast to ensure the safety of those facilities in advance of Hurricane Irene, the agency said Friday. The inspectors were sent to plants "likely to be in the storm's path," including Brunswick near Southport, North Carolina; Surry in Surry, Virginia; Calvert Cliffs in Lusby, Maryland; Hope Creek/Salem in Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey; Oyster Creek in Forked River, New Jersey; Pilgrim in Plymouth, Massachusetts; Millstone in Waterford, Connecticut; Seabrook in Seabrook, New Hampshire; and Indian Point in Buchanan, New York, the NRC said in a press release.

2.5 million people ordered out as Irene nears --Outer bands flood S.C. areas; NYC-area airports to close to incoming flights 27 Aug 2011 With more coastal cities ordering evacuations ahead of Hurricane Irene, residents and tourists alike from North Carolina to New York City were moving toward higher ground. All five major New York City-area airports planned to close to incoming flights at noon Saturday. Landfall was likely to be around 9 a.m. ET Saturday near Cape Lookout on North Carolina's Outer Banks, the National Hurricane Center said, but the storm's outer bands buffeted South Carolina Friday, flooding streets and downing power lines. Evacuation orders covered 1 million people in New Jersey, 550,000 in New York, 315,000 in Maryland, 300,000 in North Carolina, 200,000 in Virginia and 100,000 in Delaware.

Main New York-area airports to close to arrivals Saturday 26 Aug 2011 The three major New York-area airports will close to domestic and international arrivals beginning at noon EDT on Saturday due to Hurricane Irene, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said. John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York as well as Newark Liberty International Airport, however, will remain open to departures, the Port Authority said in an alert on its website.

Hurricane Warnings Extend to New England as Irene Nears 26 Aug 2011 Hurricane warnings were posted from North Carolina to southern New England, including New York City, as Hurricane Irene bore down on the U.S. with Category 2-force winds of 100 miles (161 kilometers) an hour. Irene maintained its strength after weakening earlier in the day as it moved toward the coast of North Carolina on its path to the Northeast, where New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered the first mandatory evacuation in the city's history.

DC mayor declares state of emergency as Hurricane Irene approaches 26 Aug 2011 Washington Mayor Vincent Gray has declared a state of emergency for the nation's capital ahead of Hurricane Irene. Gray's spokeswoman says the mayor issued the order Friday evening after consultation with the office of the attorney general. The move follows similar emergency orders issued in neighboring Maryland and Virginia.

NYC mayor orders Zone A nursing homes to evacuate 25 Aug 2011 Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered nursing, senior homes and hospitals in Zone A low-lying areas to evacuate beginning Friday. He asked these facilities and hospitals to coordinate evacuation efforts with health officials. The mayor at a press conference Thursday said Hurricane Irene appears to be heading toward eastern Queens, New York. Bloomberg says shelters will open for residents at 4 p.m. Friday. He also announced that the emergency command center had been activated.

Hurricane Irene: 750,000 Told to Flee Homes --More than 50m people potentially in path of the storm 26 Aug 2011 Officials in New Jersey have ordered a mandatory evacuation which could affect 750,000 people as Hurricane Irene looms. The Philadelphia Inquirer said officials in Cape May county have told people to leave from 8am local time (1pm UK time) on Friday. The hurricane is expected to hit the north eastern seaboard of America this weekend.

Hurricane Irene: 250,000 New Yorkers told to evacuate homes 27 Aug 2011 More than 250,000 people were last night ordered to evacuate their homes in New York as Hurricane Irene swept up America's east coast. Those living in low-lying areas like Manhattan and Brooklyn must be out by 5pm today. More than 90 emergency shelters will be opened. The city's transport system will halt at noon. The hurricane will be the biggest to hit New York in decades.

Hurricane Irene: As many as 200,000 evacuate in North Carolina 25 Aug 2011 For thousands of tourists in the barrier islands off North Carolina, the threat of Hurricane Irene has just cut their vacations short. On Thursday, state officials ordered tourists to pack up the sand toys and abandon the beach rentals. Residents have been asked to find a safe spot farther inland as well. Local news reports pegged the number of evacuees at 200,000, although Ernie Seneca, a spokesman for North Carolina Division of Emergency Management, said he was unable to confirm it.

NYC mayor orders mandatory evacuations --Bloomberg calls mandatory evacuations a first 26 Aug 2011 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered mandatory evacuations for residents in low-lying coastal areas ahead of Hurricane Irene. Bloomberg said at a briefing Friday that emergency shelters will be opened at 4 p.m. The low-lying areas are scattered across the city and are home to about 270,000 residents. They include parts of Battery Park City, Coney Island and the Rockaways.

Transit in NYC, NJ, Pa. to halt because of Irene 26 Aug 2011 Commuter transit systems in New York, New Jersey and outside Philadelphia will shut down services because of Hurricane Irene. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says public transportation in New York City will shut down at about noon on Saturday. According to the governor's office, the Metropolitan Transit Authority will institute a system-wide shutdown when subways and buses begin their final runs starting at approximately noon.

New York MTA to Shutdown Saturday 26 Aug 2011 New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority will institute a system-wide shut-down when trains and buses begin their final runs starting at about noon on Saturday due to Hurricane Irene. The shut-down will include subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Access-A-Ride. Also, if wind speeds exceed 60 mph, several bridges including the George Washington Bridge and Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed.

U.S. Navy orders Second Fleet to sea before hurricane 25 Aug 2011 The U.S. Navy ordered the Second Fleet to move out to sea from its home port at Norfolk, Va., to protect the ships and piers from Hurricane Irene, the Associated Press reports. The order applies to 64 ships at Naval Station Norfolk in southeastern Virginia. Twenty-seven ships are moving out to sea, and 28 are being moved to other places such as repair shipyards that are safer than the piers at Norfolk.

Shares of utilities drop as Irene heads for US 25 Aug 2011 Utilities that provide power to large swaths of the East Coast are looking at higher costs for operations and maintenance, if Hurricane Irene stays on its projected path. Utilities shares fell across the board Thursday as the storm made tracks for the U.S. after battering the Bahamas. The hurricane is threatening to knock out power to utility customers along a huge stretch of the eastern seaboard, from North Carolina to New England. Utilities have already set up emergency crews in regions they expect to be hardest hit.

Dedication of MLK Memorial postponed by hurricane 25 Aug 2011 The dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington has been postponed indefinitely as Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast. The memorial's executive architect disclosed the postponement after a day of forecasts from the National Weather Service indicating Hurricane Irene was bearing down on the East Coast.

BP risks another PR disaster as polar bear is killed in Alaskan oilfield 26 Aug 2011 BP has landed itself in a new public relations disaster in the US after accidentally shooting dead a polar bear at one of its Alaskan oil fields... BP must now fend off fresh accusations of recklessness, this time over its attitude to the delicate ecosystem of the oil-rich Alaskan countryside. The female bear was killed on 3 August by a guard working for BP's security contractor Purcell and died of its wounds about 11 days later, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said. Oil firms in Alaska [INSANELY] hold special permits that allow them to scare off curious polar bears using 'nonlethal harassment', known as 'hazing'. [Polar bears should be allowed to hold special permits to use 'lethal harassment' against BP.]

Polar bear shot and killed at BP Alaska oil field --Polar bears are listed as threatened under Endangered Species Act 24 Aug 2011 A North Slope security guard shot and killed a polar bear earlier this month after the bear resisted efforts to drive it away [?!?] from employee housing at BP's Endicott oil field. [WHY should the polar bear move? The bear is in his home! F*ck the BP terrorists - let *them* move!!] The death appears to have been accidental, according to BP Alaska spokesman Steve Rinehart, who said the guard thought he'd fired a bean bag round at the female bear but BP later discovered it was a "cracker shell" that mortally wounded her. The Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the incident. [Too bad the polar bear didn't *shoot first.*]

State Dept. report favors US-Canada oil pipeline --Project has become a flashpoint for environmental groups 26 Aug 2011 The Obama regime on Friday removed a major roadblock to a planned $7 billion oil pipeline from western Canada to the Texas coast, saying in a report that the project is unlikely to cause significant environmental problems during construction or operation. [Yeah, right!] The thousand-page report by the State Department says the proposed 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would have no significant environmental impacts on most natural resources in its six-state path. Calgary-based TransCanada wants to build a massive pipeline to carry crude oil extracted from tar sands in Alberta to refineries in Texas.

Rick Perry Sought State Profits From Teacher Life Insurance Scheme 25 Aug 2011 Two weeks before Thanksgiving in 2003, top officials from Texas Governor Rick Perry's office pitched an unusual offer to the state's retired teachers: Let's get into the death business. Perry's budget director, Mike Morrissey, laid out a pitch that was both ambitious and risky, according to notes summarizing the meeting provided to The Huffington Post. According to the notes, which were authenticated by a meeting participant, the Perry administration wanted to help Wall Street investors gamble on how long retired Texas teachers would live. Perry was promising the state big money in exchange for helping Swiss banking giant UBS set up a business of teacher death speculation.

Arizona man accused of stuffing snakes down shorts 25 Aug 2011 Police say an Arizona man stole several baby albino boa constrictors at a pet store by stuffing them in his shorts. Eric Fiegel was arrested Tuesday after police reviewed surveillance footage from Predator's Reptile Center in Mesa. They say a July 30 video shows the 22-year-old man entering the store, removing several snakes from their cage and placing them in the pocket of his shorts before exiting the store without paying.

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