12.23.2007

"black" sites? maybe red, white and blue sites?

This week, Amy Goodman shined a light in a very, very dark place.

Goodman interviewed Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah, who survived the CIA's torture-rendition program. You know the one? The program that key Democrats knew about as early as 2002.

Along with four other victim-survivors, Bashmilah is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and by the New York University School of Law International Human Rights Clinic. Anyone who needs further proof of the corporatization of our brave new world need look no further than the defendants in this lawsuit. It's not the US government, not even the CIA. It's a private company called Jeppesen Dataplan, a subsidiary of Boeing. It couldn't have happened without them.

Here is Goodman's story about the interview and what she learned; the interview itself is here at Democracy Now!.

Go read about what the government of the United States, nation of my birth, did to this man. The greatestnationonthefaceoftheearth, they hate us for our freedoms, truth justice and the American way. He was never even charged with terrorism.

Ask me why I couldn't live in that country anymore. Ask me why I won't vote for the Democrats anymore.

Times like this, I count the days til I can give up US citizenship. I haven't made that decision yet, but if I had to decide today, I'm lighting the match to burn the passport.

* * * *

I seldom make this explicit connection, but today I am moved to ask: Why should we believe anything those people tell us about the events of September 11, 2001?

They lie about everything else, they stop at nothing to achieve their goals, they care nothing for the rule of law or for human life. Why are we willing to believe that they will lie about this, this, this and this - but not this?

I know there are a lot of kooks out there, with a lot of kooky claims and theories. Many of those theories aren't worthy of serious study, but none is stranger than the many tales the US government tells about 9/11. And there is no one less trustworthy, more ruthless and more secretive than the people controlling the US today.

If the co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission don't believe their own story, why should you?

If you're new to these questions, this and this are good primers. Also, a wmtc guest post from Allan on a 9/11 anniversary might be enlightening.

I'll tell you up front, I don't know a lot of the facts and details. But after much resistance to the idea - while my city still reeked and the breeze was still flecked with ash, while there were still flowers and candles outside every firehouse - I learned one thing: accept nothing they say as fact. If you're interested in some of the evolution of my thought, you might click on the 9/11 category of this blog.

Many thanks to my best friend for the links. Instead of my usual link to Joy Of Sox, I'll link to one of his contributions to the citizen investigation.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. -- William Pitt the Younger, 1783

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