Posts by Jaime Ortega-Simo:
Julius Malema the new Hugo Chavez
July 12th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
While Nelson Mandela remains in the hospitals bed with his “critical but stable” diagnosis, already another political party threatens to upend his legacy of coexistence.
Yesterday, before the crowd of the media, the radical youth leader Julius Malema, already expelled from the ANC and charged for several charges of corruption, launched his campaign called the Economic Freedom Fighters.
A recent survey said that nearly 25% of young South Africans would be willing to vote for them.
Malema with its characteristic red beret similar to Hugo Chavez’s who has declared to be fervent supporter of, explained that his political platform will be on the 26 and 27 of July a conference in Soweto to launch his first manifesto and ideology.
Yesterday, however, he moved some of their well-known proposals that earned him expulsion from the ANC.
The main proposal was “the nationalization of mines and farms without compensation.” This means the expulsion of most of the South African white population in a process similar to what happened in Zimbabwe, a country where the leader gives the example: “Zimbabwe was willing to suffer for the revolution,” he said.
On the nationalization of businesses, Malema, has always defended that it is a historical debt. “They stole the land and mines and now must return.” “You’re going to have to share,” he said yesterday. However, the young “liberator” explained ” all whites are invited to participate in the EFF if they embrace these principles.”
Then Malema wanted to set together other parties on the new African political landscape. “What we propose is not proposed by anyone,” he said to start an argument in proposing a solution to corruption. “No one found guilty of corruption will beret,” he explained, referring to his clothing guerrilla. A surprising statement from a politician in August now faces several charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering worth 400,000 euros in the Court of Polokwane. You can go to jail.
Platform leftist, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist
Malema, flanked by most of the previous executive boards of the ANC Youth League, as the platform defined as “leftist, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist” and returned to lash out against President Jacob Zuma and his old party. “Our complaints were first to leave the ANC, not before. We can steal everything, but not the soul of the ideology. Fight from jail even if necessary,” he said.
The EFF is a platform that has the support of some South African millionaires and controversial characters like Kenny Kunene, known as the king of sushi. A flamboyant character who in 2011 starred with Malema a scandal at the opening of one of the exclusive clubs in Cape Town. Then the young Communist friend of the lower South-African classes was photographed eating sushi on top the bodies of white models in luxurious surroundings. Then, to the women’s league of the ANC called the whole scene and “absurd spectacle”.
Malema also has the support of Mandela’s former wife, Winnie, who he described as his “son” and has and has been sponsored as a political representative.
Finally, it has been speculated that behind Malema, someone powerful or strong had interests in South African politics. While in the gossip they talked about the Chinese to blame due to other regional interest in Eastern Africa, there is now a rumor that puts the ‘Tokyo Sexwale” as his benefactor. Wales are one of the great fortunes in the South African historical struggle against apartheid and a close friend of Nelson Mandela. This week Zuma has been dismissed as the minister of human settlements. In any case, none of the protagonists has confirmed what until now is just sounds like a rumor.
Hazem Beblawy, the new prime minister of Egypt
July 10th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
The third try seems to be always the last.
Egypt has a new prime minister. At 77 years, the liberal economist Hazem Beblawy the former minister of finance in one of the first governments of the post-Mubarak regime, assumed the task of leading the country towards parliamentary and presidential elections that could be held within six months.
Furthermore, the Nobel Peace Prize Mohamed ElBaradei has been named vice president and will be responsible for foreign affairs.
The state news agency also indicated that the ‘premier’ queries started already o configure his cabinet just six days after the coup that ousted from power the former Islamist Mohamed Mursi, the first president elected in the polls in Egyptian history.
The Salafist Al Nur, who blocked the previous two appointments, have advanced to support the appointment of Beblawy although their currently studying the designation of El Baradei as vice president focused on international affairs.
Beblawy was finance minister of the military government between July and November 2011. He is one of the founders of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, an member of the Socialist International party.
From long international career, Beblawy is a figure that can attract foreign investment and bolster an economy ravaged by present civil instability.
The new prime minister has been chief executive of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asian United Nations chief and the Export Development Bank of Egypt. For nine years, he was Professor of Economics at the University of Alexandria. And he has to his credit an extensive resume as a professor at the universities of Cairo, Ain Shams, The American Cario, Kuwait, California and La Sorbonne in Paris.
Yesterday’s interim president Adli Mansur announced a timetable for holding parliamentary and presidential elections within six months.
The presidential decree established a swift: In four months the Egyptians would have to vote in a referendum for the constitutional reform. And in early 2014, would return to the polls to elect parliament and then the first president.
Mexican elections vital for the country
July 7th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
The importance of these elections go as far, as the PRI when he returned to the presidency of Mexico thanks to Enrique Peña Nieto. The Elections go beyond the choice of more than 1,300 mayors, deputies and a governor of (Baja California) in 14 states.
For citizens is a new pulse to fight against organized crime, who’s cells tried to influence the process to control local authorities and ensure their operability (members even recognized the Federal Electoral Institute). For political parties is the litmus test of whether the Mexican agreement, has been led by President Enrique Pena Nieto to carry out structural reforms, can survive an election marred by violence, killings, intimidation and the dirty war.
The future of PAN
The right-wing National Action Party, which was in the possession of two presidential terms (from 2000-2012) and suffered a crushing defeat in last year’s presidential election to be third, plays a big role in Baja California, a state that it rules from 24 years ago and now seeks to retain the support of the leftist PRD.
An eventual return of the PRI to this state landmark (it was there in 1989 after it lost the governorship for the first time after 60 years of rule) it would mean the total recovery for power of the PRI after Peña Nieto’s victory last year and, therefore, a setback for the PAN, who has been losing political ground and today suffers from many internal divisions. The most affected would be their leader, Gustavo Madero.
The State Treaty
The day after his inauguration, President Peña Nieto Mexico signed a treaty, an agreement with the opposition parties to carry out structural reforms in the country pending crisis’s. In these seven months in office, it managed to get ahead is education reform and telecommunications but is pending an agreement between two of the largest energy company (Pemex) and fiscal policy.
The dirty war, irregularities and violence of this election campaign have strained the climate of dialogue (the majority of complaints come from the PAN and the PRD but the PRI has also suffered attacks and the murder of a mayor). If the PRI sweeps in the elections and the federal government ignores the demands of the opposition to investigate allegations of the murders, of the attacks and intimidation suffered in recent weeks, the consensus to continue working on the reforms can be changed.
Moreover, both the PAN leader, Gustavo Madero, as the PRD, Jesus Zambrano, have been criticized for its concessions to the PRI within the Covenant, that would be very weak within their increasingly divided parties.
So, paradoxically, a PRI victory in Baja California could harm the principal’s interests PRI of the Republic, and President Peña Nieto.
The drug control
The actor invited and present in these votes is the narcotics nightmare that, as acknowledged to the Federal Electoral Institute member Benito Nacif. “There is more interest in organized crime to control municipal governments. Another major problem is public safety, that is involved in the maintenance of internal order??”.
So the bishop of Saltillo (Coahuila), Raul Vera, to cast their vote, called for voting to those who “do not steal and are not involved with organized crime.” Other actors, such as the youth movement # yosoy132 advocate mass abstention.
According to the researcher from the University of Columbia, Edgardo Buscaglia, local authorities are putting their suitability in areas such as local security or transport cartels that are guaranteed to operate freely in their territories. And if you have the backing of the mayor you can also access to tenders and criminal money laundering through legitimate businesses. The latest data from the expert cast a troubling figure: that 80% of the country’s municipalities are infiltrated by drug traffickers.
Thousands of police and, in some states, the army also attempted to ensure tranquility but, as René Delgado remembered in the newspaper Reforma, the biggest problem is before voting for selected organized crime “who can compete” to through intimidation and crime. One example is that the PAN, as recognized by its leader, could not field candidates everywhere or PRI president, Cesar Camacho, recognize that it is impossible “to have a 100% certainty” that their candidates are not infiltrated by narco-traffic.
The Islamic Brotherhood rages in clashes
July 6th, 2013
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By Jaime Ortega.
Egypt is become a bloody battlefield after the military coup that ousted Mursi of power. The “transition” is leading to bloody clashes between Islamists demanding the return of the ousted president and his detractors.
This Friday, 6 of October Bridge became a war zone where both sides of a divided Egypt increasingly been faced with stones and flares.
The first group, which began their protest in the plaza Rabea to Adauiya, where the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood had given a speech, have been moving forward with an eye on the state television. Very close to the route taken: Tahrir Square. When some of the protesters who were there, are still celebrating the fall of former president and were directed towards them and have started the crashes.
As reported by Al Jazeera, several ambulances have been around the area since the clashes began on the bridge. Meanwhile, the military has taken hours to arrive. But when they surrounded the area it seems to had dissolve protesters signs. After nearly four hours of street fighting, the military put some order.
This Friday and the expected was followed by the announcement that convulsed several demonstrations in support Mursi. At the beginning of the same, Egyptian soldiers opened fire on supporters of the former president who marched to the headquarters of the Republican Guard in Cairo, where supposedly a few Islamist arrested the former president.
The action has caused at least four deaths and numerous injuries. The climate of violence has claimed six more lives in the country, two of them policemen in Sinai. They’re at least 30 dead and more than 400 wounded during the clashes on Friday.
The day of pro-Islamist protests had dubbed the ‘Friday of Rejection’, after 48 hours in which the Muslim Brotherhood had been completely ‘knocked out’ and it seemed that its only hope was to show off on these series of events.
Thousands of supporters of Mursi are walking the streets, not only in Cairo but in other major Egyptian cities like Alexandria.
This has not happened in the town of Isamilia (Suez), were the army fired on the crowd that also chanted slogans in favor of former President and tried to enter the governor’s office. The protesters were removed and luckily there were no fatalities.
The army took out the Apache helicopters flying over the Egyptian capital this evening. In turn, the soldiers did not hesitate in firing tear gas at protesters. That, scattered those gathered around one of the possible fatalities.
A military spokesman insisted that the soldiers fired only tear gas and rubber bullets, but that in no case they have been using live rounds of ammunition.
The New Head of Intelligence
As violence seizes Cairo, Mansour Adli has dissolved the parliament by decree, as reported on state television.
Only the upper house remained active since last Wednesday as the army overthrew Mohamed Mursi. Mansour also appointed a new intelligence chief, replacing Mohamed Farid Ahmed Mohamed Raafat Shehata, who happens to be national security adviser.
Moreover, the ‘number two’ of the Muslim Brotherhood has been arrested in the neighborhood of Nasser City, east of Cairo, after the prosecutor issued a warrant for his arrest, state television reported.
Al Shater is accused of having instigated the murder of the protesters outside the headquarters of the brotherhood, as the spiritual leader of the group, Mohammed Badia, which, however, appeared in public Friday to give a speech in a protest.
Democracy is an imaginary political concept
July 5th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
Democracy is a vague description
Believe it or not, demokratia is a concept that was founded on Ancient Greece back in 5 BC, which states that “rule of the people,” can govern themselves without any class distinctions.
True democracy, does not need government according to the ancient Greek terminology, because it denotes people can hold a system without ‘class-distinction.’
If you think about the term and the meaning of democracy, to some extent, it is not that different from anarchy and stems out the same ideological branch that connects communism with other counterrevolutions.
Karl Marx holds “that socialism, or lower-phase communism, being the new society established after the overthrow of capitalism, is a transitional stage in human social evolution and will give rise to a fully communist society, in which classes and the state are no longer present.”
Before Karl Marx revolutionary ideas, Russia was already in the latter stages of a strong counter revolution that Lenin promoted to counter the bourgeoisie Class and the monarchy, as The last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II (1894–1917), was unable to prevent the events of the Russian Revolution of 1905. The birthplace of communism.
Communism detached from elitism
The problem most modern ‘political scientist don’t understand’ is that during Ancient Greece democracy was not the leading ideology, it was aristocracy, which allowed only a ‘privilege group of rulers’ to dominate any form of rule-ship under different ‘class distinctions’.
Democracy was designed to counter aristocratic rule, as communism used industrialism as a counter labor strategy to fight the monarchy and Bourgeois classes of Russia before the fall of the Zar.
Aristocracy and Imperialist-bourgeois are alike in that their ideological father derives from elitism. A natural and historical form of power that allows “those with more wealth to dominate the under-class for the greater good of both.”
The reason why democracy was resurrected from its ashes was to allow the under-class to thrive granting them an opportunity to have equal power to prevent tyrants from ruling. But communism alike democracy allows this power to concur by making “the sovereign state equally part all classes in to the same bracket without social distinction.”
Democracy and communism were similar at birth and hold many similitude’s in their humble origins, they were both ideals designed to stop elitism and counter tyranny, but the radical ends of each ideology resulted into different parallels. Some not understood completely well yet on this modern day in age.
Democracy’s pure form is Anarchy
Socialism radical brother would be communism. But democracy’s radical brother is called anarchism! Both are harmful ideologies if applied in its pure form.
Think about it, ’classes and the state not present?”, does not oppose the “rule of the people,” in fact, the ‘rule’ of the people can still run without state and classes, and that would be called transitional-Anarchy. Because absolute rule of people, is anarchy, if you just take out the party system and allow all rule-ship to advance into social-individualism.
Democracy is watered down Anarchy! because anarchy allows all people to inflict freedom giving them “equal rights” that interact with each-others lawlessness demands to stabilize their own system without a political structure.
But what is America? It claims to be a democracy, but is it really a democracy? Well think of democracy as the outside shell of an egg.
Western European countries claim also to be democratic. But the actual inner substance of their rule ship turns out to be different. If democracy is capable of substituting its own principles, then it acts more as a mask than an actual written down form of political science.
Western Europe and the U.S. claim they have democracy and in fact its partially true. They both have the outer shell of the egg, but the substance inside the egg, is much different. Think about the egg of a chicken and the egg of a penguin. They both have calcium shells, but they both grow into two different animals.
Europe’s Shell
Europe’s outer shell claims to be democratic, but its inner substance is socialistic and based historically in opposing elitism that was strangely reshaped at one point by dictatorial-ism (Hitler, Franco, Mussolini, De Gaulle..). In fact, Elitist-dictatorial-ism in Europe revived alongside the ideologies of communism, falangism, Nazism and fascism to not allow “rule ship of people”
Dictatorial-ism seems to have historically stopped elitism and molded socialism into a democratic mask made of wax.
But elites for the most part have been the preoperatory stumble block for western European nations that have given birth to democracy under enormous political turmoils shaped by radical ideologies. It has been so, since the days of the western decay of the Roman Catholic Church close to the Council of Trent from 1545 – 1563.
One could add that Roman Catholic rule was based on a mix formula of dictatorial-ism and elitism, instead of ultra-theocracy.
Funnily enough protestant-ism gave rise to positive outcomes. As thanks to the counter-reformation the once uneducated peasants had access to print innovations that allowed them to read and write, thanks to the Gutenberg bible. The English adapted Spanish colonialism apart from the exclusive supervision of Roman Catholic Church and expanded their ideology into what later would become as Industrialism 1876 – 1840. Industrialism completely eradicated the Feudal-Status of western Europe.
The truth is most countries that allowed Catholic rule to continue had to face a form of communism, and those that continued with protestant-ism gave rise to dictators.
When democracy was first heard in Europe after War World Two, only England had the continuity to follow the role model. But democracy itself is not political system in Europe, is just an ideology that surfaced from the past to make people believe, elites have disappeared from Europe and given rise to the underclass.
Socialism, not democracy is the real shell that has allowed Europe to progress. But its still used as a political weapon to give the impression of political equality.
The American shell
Americas shell is technically NOT democratic, (even though some experts claim so), and it’s not based on republicanism either. But the catch with Republicanism, is that no one really knows what it really means inside a political system other than having the“ability to vote.”
Republicanism itself was not a conservative idea, it was added with the transition of power during the age of the American reformation fighting the British Imperialist. As Anglicans, during the american Enlightenment 1715–1789, applied it to their political believes alongside with the free-masons.
The only republicanism ideology that presents itself as truly democratic is ‘where the head of the state is appointed by means other than heredity, often through elections.’ But it never states that citizens of a republic have the “power of rule” even though they might appoint a ruler. That’s a problem often overlooked by serious political scientist.
One ought to remember that the United States was founded after resisting British Imperialist rule, just alike Russia fought the bourgeois repression and in the aftermath integrated communism. The principal reason both ideologies came under the same oppressing circumstances, which is why they’re not that different when the scope is focused.
America is 99% capitalism, it is not a democracy and it only shares one basic principle of republicanism (power to vote). And the true composition of the U.S. political shell system is capitalism not democracy and the substance inside its egg is called Corporatism.
Because I believe, and said it many times, that corporatism is the radical brother of capitalism. And globalization is the “true odor” it impregnates around the globe after it leaks from U.S. corporatism.
But globalization is the modern day industrialism promoted back in the 19th century by the precepts of the British Empire. Democracy just doesn’t exist and its actually never been observed in any society.
That’s the problem with democracy, that it only works as the imaginary outer shell of any political system, because pure 100% democracy would grow a chicken in the form of Anarchism (never been observed either, and tribalism is not anarchism). As in that system, anarchy “rule of the people” works miracles without rulers because there is no structural order.
Democracy is fantizidal.
Egypt ready for change
July 3rd, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
Egypt pushed for the last 24 hours the ultimatum launched yesterday by the army with multitudinous protest without the slightest hint of dialogue.
Everything seems destined to looks as if the armed forces took on the morning control of the Arab country.
The ‘current bill’ would happen only by suspending the controversial Constitution, adopted in the Egyptian referendum last December, to dissolve the Shura, and the High Chamber which currently holds all legislative power after the dissolution last June of the low Chamber.
According to the draft to which accessed Reuters, the bill would force Egypt, the most populated country the Arab world, to return to the ‘match point’ of two and half years after the fall of Hosni Mubarak.
A new transition, that oppose the Islamists, who not would include the celebration of new parliamentary elections and presidential.
But the first swing after the 48 hour army ultimatum was that the Government submitted its resignation to President Mohamed Mursi, which still has not pronounced anything on behalf of the petition.
The order conceded 48 hours at political forces to comply with the popular request, installed yesterday during hours to Islamists in silence during street protest. When he spoke last mid night, his voice rang challenging.
They urged his peers to take the streets to prevent any “attempted state of coup”. The ultimatum not even aroused unanimity in the frayed rows of oppositional accentuating the uncertainty that reigns in the most populated country of the Arab world.
‘Not accept a coup’
“We will not accept a blow to the legitimacy of the President. They will have to be above our corpses”, said last night the prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed el Beltagui, to the crowd that since last Friday encampeth on the outskirts of a mosque cairota of Medinat Naser. At dawn, the Presidency censored the ‘communiqué of the armed forces fearing of some the connotations of some phrases “that could cause confusion”.
The note confirmed that the successor of Hosni Mubarak had not been informed previously of the changeover that fronted the Army.
Unsurprisingly, the “communiqué” fell like a jug of cold water inside the palace. This past Wednesday, in his last speech to the nation, President Mursi wanted silence to the speculations regarding “sabers of noise” and boasted of being the commander in chief of the armed forces.
Yesterday, the exit to the palestra of the uniformed army jumped by airs of swagger. “The Muslim Brotherhood made miniscule the possibility that the opposition and possibility that the army would intervene to return the country to the box exit”, said the Egyptian analyst Jalil al Anani, expert in the Brotherhood.
The called Frente of June 30, that agglutinates to various opposition groups Egyptians, has chosen to ex prize Nobel of Peace Mohamed El Baradei as representative responsible for prepare a political transition and achieve “the people’s demands”.
One of the scenarios, the most extreme in this case, would take the fiasco to Algerian grounds. “The Islamists could understand it as a coup against a democratically elected president. It can lead to a bloody confrontation between Islamists and the military as happened in Algeria during the decade of 1990”, adds the political scientist.
Yesterday, the Brotherhood-which brought to urgency a meeting of its bureau-broke under the silence of the umbrella of its allied Salafists (rigorists Muslims). In a press conference, the coalition of Islamist parties encouraged the manifestations and rejected “any attempt to face the army against democratic legitimacy.”
However, no Brotherhood members took the word in the press conference. The voice took was taken by Al Gama al Islamiya, the former terrorist organization that renounced to weapons in 1999 and has become the main socio of President and his group.
Another key ally is happened last night definitely to opposition camp: the party Salafist Al Nur asked the convening of elections early presidential.
But the President was not willing to take the street protests, as it considers a “counterrevolution” by nostalgics of Mubaraks regime with the blessing of the opposition liberal leftist, to modify its roadmap and snatch his armchair.
Mursi further believes that he is the only legitimized person to pull-without help the military country of the quagmire.
In fact, his office insists that the “rais” follows an outstretched hand to engage in dialogue and reconcile with his detractors within the constitutional framework. The ultimatum the army, considered, “only serves to deepen the division”.In his judgment, the call last night from Barack Obama to Mursi is a test of that authority indisputable.
And what about the other side? The Egyptian opposition is an amalgam that mixes just as bad as oil blends with water. Yesterday it was not agreed to any a step forward on the military, which hinders any dialogue left in the narrow space within 48 hours.
“There is no presidency with which negotiate”, came to say last night the prominent member of an opposition party.
One of the scenarios is the consensus, of the formation for a national unity government that revitalises a cabinet wounded by the resignation of six technocrat ministers in the last hours, that seems doomed before its start to failure.
Shortly after the diffusion of the communiqué, thousands of people celebrated in Tahrir Square the return of the army, whose helicopters-in an attack of patriotism-launched a rain of teachest to the Egyptian crowd.
The opposition campaign ‘Tamarrud’ (Rebellion, in Arabic), which ensures having gathered 22 million signatures demanding the march of Mursi and the convening of early presidential elections, to celebrate. Which believes the spokesman of the initiative Mahmud Badr.
The National Salvation Front, the main opposition of the alliance, accepted to participate in the dialogue but interpreted the step as a support to their slogans. The protests, in any case, know not to truce. One of the main faces in the block, the former secretary general of the Arab League Amro Musa called it “a historic opportunity that should not be wasted”. Among the opposition of most enthusiastic sectors with the army, those that linked the Mubarak regime, reigned the urge of revenge against few towards those who feel.
“I believe this regime will end completely in a week”, declared to Reuters Ahmed Shafik, former Prime Minister of Mubarak who faced Mursi in the second round of the elections of last year.
Among the revolutionaries, human rights activists and groups leftists, the army statement caused dread. They reject his return. “We are totally against. We support the military’s role as protector of our borders, our people and our national security but do not want him back which would suppose a military regime that imposes a roadmap”, told the state newspaper Al Ahram Ingi Hamdi, leader of youth movement April 6.
Michelle Bachelet cruises in the Chilean primaries
June 30th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
Structural changes in health and education, fight inequality and poverty, encourage savings, regulate natural resource extraction. These are some of the plans which Chilean presidential candidates had to include for the first open primary election in Chile.
As expected, Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile from 2006 to 2010, and former director of UN Women, won the election with approximately 74% of the votes cast. Following the results, released late on Sunday, the former president thanked his voters support for this election day and was established as the official flagship of the New Majority pact.
“We will keep fighting to reach La Moneda”, Socialist presidential candidate said after the results were made public. “It was a fraternal primary campaign, but with much emphasis on ideas and certainly differences.”
“ but also similarities and similarities,” said the former president of Chile.
“I am convinced that the next few days we will have to look forward as we continue to work, because I know we will continue to walk together,” added the former head of UN Women.
Along with Bachelet, in the covenant of the New Majority, was presented the finance minister, Andres Velasco, former Democrat Mayor Claudio Orrego and José Antonio Gómez a radical supporter for change.
In the covenant of the Alliance, now governs businessman Sebastián Piñera, which competed with former Defense Minister Andres Allamand (National Renewal) and former Economy Minister Pablo Longueira (Independent Democratic Union), who beat his fellow for a few thousand votes in a bitter dispute.
After more than two decades of democracy, Chile premiered an open primary system and binded to elect the presidential candidates of the two major political blocs in the country, known popularly as The Alliance and the Coalition. The winners of two major coalitions of Chile, along with several minority candidates, will be the candidates in the upcoming November 17 elections.
The start of the electoral process was scheduled at 08:00 local time, but the winter cold and freezing temperatures caused the polling stations of the presidential primary to soon order a settle for something more than expected. By 08:30 tey only had a table set up in the National Stadium in Santiago, one of the largest polling stations in the capital, with more than 200 tables.
Few, but more voters than expected.
Gradually it started encouraging people to vote and 13 million Chilean that took the electoral suffrage by nearly three million people waiting to cast their vote. Remember that those who could not vote were affiliated with a minor party. They finally casted their vote just over 20% of the eligible population, nearly twice as many people as originally expected. Across the country ran 13,538 polling stations, of 13,541 tables that were convened.
All polls agree that Bachelet will be the next president of the country to change Sebastián Piñera, current president of the country till March 2014. The main proposal of the former president’s tax reform is to raise more than 8,000 million, or 3% of GDP, which earmarked, in part, to a profound change in the education system focused on gratitude and funds to raise the quality of learning.
Last week there were tense moments after the eviction of thousands of students who had taken dozens of schools across the country and some polling stations. In the eviction there were 151 detainees, almost all minors.
The police operation came hours after a massive demonstration for free education ended with violent clashes between students and police. More than four years after that the education crisis started affecting the country.
Again, Chileans living in different parts of the world made a symbolic vote as a way to protest the lack of progress in the law that allows voting abroad. The initiative took the name ‘Make your vote fly’ and was taken on place in cities such as Paris, Madrid, Sydney, in the state of California, in the United States.
Is Edward Snowden a hero or a traitor?
June 30th, 2013
Contributor Opinion.
Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning committed a serious crime in the eyes of the U.S. Government for releasing information about questionable government behavior. (But Bradley Manning’s case might be a lot less morally justified since lots of documents were released)
George Bailey.
“Judge Napolitano of Fox News said today that Snowden committed an act of “Personal courage and patriotism.” Napolitano is the only national figure on any mainstream media outlet I know of, that making such a point. And I agree.”
Majia Holmer Nadesan.
“I don’t have all the details so I cannot say with certainty whether I think Snowden is a traitor or hero, but my strong sentiment is toward the latter.
The Obama Administration has a very clear record of prosecuting whistleblowers using the 1917 Espionage Act. The ACLU asserts the Obama Administration has the worst record for prosecuting whistleblowers among recent administrations (E.g., see http://www.aclu.org/national-
Did Snowden really jeopardize national security by leaking that the government was spying on nearly all its citizens? What evidence is there that disclosure of this fact endangered US citizens’ security?
What about the US constitutional principle of privacy being violated by widespread electronic surveillance? Doesn’t the invasion of privacy by government count as a threat to the security of our constitution as a democratic nation?
I personally see a direct threat posed by widespread surveillance, whereas the threat posed by our new knowledge of surveillance is unproven.”
Hossein Amiri.
“About Snowden, yes he is a traitor certainly because all citizens gave a lot too keep the countries secret.”
Claude Nougat.
Why do I say he’s a scapegoat? Because this way the American Government has mixed up two issues: the privacy one with the “protection from terrorism/homeland safety one”.
For the US Authorities, Snowden is a traitor, full stop. That conveniently shifts the focus away from the more important issue: privacy or more precisely “Big Brother is Watching You”. With American modern technology, Orwell’s terrifying vision in 1984 is coming to pass. Now, Obama is not Putin or Morsi, much less North Korea’s Kim. But can we trust the American government to resist the totalitarian temptation over the next 100 years?”
Gwendolyn Lindsay-Jackson.
“It’s not that I don’t trust President Obama or his current administration. I voted for him and I am a major supporter.
The concern I have is what precedent will the surveillance actions of the NSA on United States citizens and criminalization of whistle blowers set for the future when a current administration is replaced by one that you do not trust.
Therefore, for me, the issue goes beyond whether or not Mr. Snowden is a hero or a traitor.”
Catherine Haig.
“Eric Snowden has said the only reason he joined the NSA as a contractor was to expose them. He hasn’t made any money off leaking these documents.
Obama has revealed himself to be the GREAT PRETENDER and as a President, Black or White, he is one of the worst I have ever seen. May America never be cursed with the likes of him again and I voted for him. He was elected on his race alone by many white people which I believe is racism in its truest form.
There is no such thing as reverse racism. It just is or isn’t. Snowden has nothing to gain so this makes him a hero, a patriot and the more Obama’s Admin continues to chase him and admonish other countries who would help him escape US capture, the more stupid the United States looks. SMH in total disappointment that anyone’s private info would be suspect for NSA.
If America wants to stop terrorism in its country better utilize Guantanamo Bay Detainment Center and dump suspects in there when they are captured as illegals. Better utilize Immigration agencies that have not done its job. Agencies like Homeland Security. Instead of letting everyone in and then spying on them; nip it in the bud before these illegals come here to kill us.
Florin M. Anton.
“He’s not a hero. What he managed to intend by revealing those documents? Has he done any good by doing that? Did he help people? What the NSA has done is wrong, but that’s not a way to ‘pay them back’ by revealing secret documents.
On the other hand,, if he exposed the bad behavior of government applied to US citizens, that’s good, people need to know that the ones who are supposed to protect national interest are hurting them by not defending their privacy. So all depends on what he revealed by exposing those documents, focusing on the people’s reactions, by maybe not the government’s.
Nwachukwu Egbunike.
“The question is simple but I doubt if the answer an easy ‘traitor’ or ‘hero’ response.
Snowden was not only heroic but certainly should be celebrated for valour. It takes much more than courage to knock oneself into such misery- threat to life and uncertainty to one’s family. If Snowden was merely selfish – like most of us are – then he has no business revealing such highly sensitive surveillance details to global sunlight. What does he stand to gain? Fame or wealth? I very much doubt that he had such pretensions, rather I perceive one who has a duty of conscience and had to bow to it’s voice at great personal expense.
And coming from a continent, where the US and other Western nations are always pontificating about the beauty of free speech, democratic ideals and human rights, I am shocked to say the least. Snowden has confirmed what many of us have always inferred that the democracy crusade of US is not a dogma of faith. As such, if the most democratic nation of earth, spies on her citizens with such contempt, on what moral grounds would she demand that privacy be a universal doctrine?
With the above, though not exhausting, solidifies Snowden as a hero! That he dared to take up the most powerful government, expose her soiled underwear to the stunning gaze of the entire world cannot be anything else but heroic.
However, Snowden was under no delusion about the consequences of his action. He knew by taking this road of no return he has also signed his death warrant. Laws are necessary, else anarchy reigns. Granted that some laws are unjust, but there be ‘unjust’ law in the absence of law. In other words, Snowden in the eyes of the laws of the US is a traitor.
This now brings us to the burning question? Why should the law burn and not protect whistle blowers? Obviously that is the question, but I’m afraid that the answer is blowing in the wind…”
Theodore Karasik Answers Questions About Mexican Cartels Linked With Islamic Cells
June 29th, 2013
By Luis Salomon and Jaime Ortega.
Dr. Theodore Karasik is the Director of Research and Consultancy at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA) in Dubai.
1) Is it somewhat possible that Mexican Cartels could work alongside Islamic terrorist groups and have training camps inside of Mexico? And have you ever heard about such rumors?
There are rumors for many years about Islamic terrorist groups in Mexico particularly in Oaxaca. There had also been concern about Islamists coming via Latin America to Mexico via Trinidad and Venezuela and especially from the Tri-Border region.
2) If it turns out to be true (not confirmed), how could such cooperation have even started? And why?
The cooperation is based on the nexus of trans-regional crime and terror groups because they find commonality in their operations and need for finances.
3) Hypothetically speaking: How could Islamic Terrorist groups benefit from such an alliance (weapons, bombs)?
The cooperation involves the movement of money and perhaps weapons and small bombs.
4) There have been reports that Mexican Cartels have accessed mini submarines to smuggle narcotics to the Californian coast line by the U.S. Coastal guards. If this is correct, could they hypothetically use these submarines to transport terrorist(s) or weapons for operations inside the U.S.?
The subs do exist and hypothetically could be used by terrorists or weapons for operation in the United States. This type of activity has been a concern for many years.
5) Logistics: Would it be more effective for Islamic terrorist cells to enter via border with Mexico-U.S. than directly flying to the U.S.?
Yes it would be easier for Islamic terrorist cells to enter via the Mexico-U.S. border. But the real concern is not so much al-Qaeda types but Hezbollah operatives who have been operating in Mexico for a number of years and link up with Mexican drug cartels to produce meth in the United States.
6) Have any Islamic Groups ever worked outside of its religious consent, and participated in operations alongside other paramilitary groups with a different agenda?
Not that I am aware of….
7) Target: Would a city like Las Vegas, which is known for Mexican Cartel drug operations be a target for any Islamic Terrorist, helped by them?
It is possible and not outside the realm of the imagination. Analysts are working on these types of scenarios and look for warnings and indicators all the time.
Russia and China: “Let it snow”
June 26th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
he U.S. diplomatic relations lean once again on unstable grounds now challenged by Russia, after Edward Snowdens ghost stay in Hong Kong, under China’s supervision.
The competing demands and rolling developments in the case paint a picture of a complicated diplomatic tussle with no easily discernible outcome. It has created an embarrassment for the Obama administration, but also challenged relations between the U.S. and other countries, not just Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who confirmed that Snowden had arrived in Moscow as a transit passenger despite speculation to the contrary, rebuffed US demands on Tuesday.
“We can only extradite any foreign citizens to such countries with which we have signed the appropriate international agreements on criminal extradition,” Putin said, adding that as Snowden had committed no crime on Russian soil, he is free to travel at will.
“Snowden is a free person. The sooner he chooses his final destination, the better it is for him and Russia,” Putin continued.
Edward Snowden flight continues to generate unknowns. Solved the mystery of your current location, the former coach of the CIA remains in the transit area of the Moscow International Airport. The big question now is where is he headed after being responsible for the massive cyber espionage filtration.
Although Ecuador seems to be the dream destination for Snowden, the Ecuadorian authorities now say they have not provided any official document or any pass to travel without a passport. However, the Univision network has released in a exclusive report that Snowden will eventually pass that barrier, to complete his journey from Moscow to Quito.
The document in question is dated to June 22 and has the signature of Fidel Narváez, Consul of Ecuador in London, the same who hosted Julian Assange for more than one year. According to Univision, the text uses the official stationery of the Chancellery of Ecuador, but it is not technically an asylum request but more of an “humanitarian traffic.”
Galo Galarza, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry charged while on tour Ricardo Patiño, has denied the assertions of the founder of Wikileaks, who said that Snowden had the pass. “That’s not true, no passport, we have not given him any document by any Ecuadorian consulate,” he assured.
State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell — asked repeatedly Wednesday about the possibility of Snowden being stuck in travel limbo — told reporters that one possibility is the U.S. could issue him a document that allows him to take a one-way flight back to the U.S.
“That’s the kind of travel document we’re prepared to issue an individual accused of serious crimes,” he said, adding that U.S. officials continue to make the case to the Russians that “there’s a basis” for his return to the U.S.
Hong Kong Blocks Cryptome DNS, The Daily Journalist and Others
June 25th, 2013
By Cryptome.
Other examples:
WikiLeaks.org (141.101.112.19, 141.101.113.19, 141.101.123.19, 190.93.240.19, 190.93.241.19) is blocked by Hong Kong and Ankara.
EFF.org (69.50.232.52) by New Delhi and Hong Kong.
The Daily Journalist (50.63.77.1) By Hong Kong.
NSA.gov (65.196.127.225, 65.196.127.226),
CIA.gov (198.81.129.107),
USDOJ.gov (149.101.146.71),
FBI.gov (72.21.81.85)
blocked by Hong Kong.
WHITEHOUSE.gov with multiple IPs and servers (the Google server is interesting), blocked by Hong Kong:
New York NY, United States (Speakeasy) 23.38.104.110
Mountain View CA, United States (Google) 23.1.16.110
Dallas TX, United States (Speakeasy) 23.38.104.110
Boston MA, United States (Speakeasy) 23.1.16.110
Providence RI, United States (Verizon) 72.246.220.110
Recife, Brazil (Hotlink Internet) 23.1.16.110
London, United Kingdom (BT Global) 2.22.12.110
Lille, France (Nordnet) 184.26.156.110
Merzig Saarland, Germany (Probe Networks) 2.17.252.110
Bologna, Italy (INFN) 2.22.12.110
Ankara, Turkey (TTNET) 184.26.156.110
St. Petersburg, Russia (Uni of Tech & Design) 72.246.172.110
Peshawar, Pakistan (PTCL) 23.75.68.110
New Delhi, India (BSNL) 23.34.48.110
Bangkok, Thailand (TOT) 72.246.220.110
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (Clear-Comm) 184.26.156.110
Hong Kong, China (PCCW)
Sydney NSW, Australia (Exetel) 23.63.16.110
Melbourne VIC, Australia (Telstra) 23.75.68.110
Auckland, New Zealand (Xtra) 23.63.16.110
DEFENSE.gov also with multiple IPs and servers (the Google server is interesting), blocked by Hong Kong:
New York NY, United States (Speakeasy)
24.143.206.186
24.143.206.24
Mountain View CA, United States (Google)
64.208.126.106
64.208.126.137
Dallas TX, United States (Speakeasy)
72.247.238.51
72.247.238.65
Boston MA, United States (Speakeasy)
165.254.27.82
165.254.27.96
Providence RI, United States (Verizon)
125.56.201.105
125.56.218.33
Recife, Brazil (Hotlink Internet)
64.208.126.106
64.208.126.137
London, United Kingdom (BT Global)
23.62.53.106
23.62.53.66
Lille, France (Nordnet)
72.247.238.51
72.247.238.65
Merzig Saarland, Germany (Probe Networks)
23.14.92.202
23.14.92.217
Bologna, Italy (INFN)
23.62.2.235
23.62.2.242
Ankara, Turkey (TTNET)
23.62.53.106
23.62.53.66
St. Petersburg, Russia (Uni of Tech & Design)
72.247.238.51
72.247.238.65
Peshawar, Pakistan (PTCL)
23.63.99.43
23.63.99.73
New Delhi, India (BSNL)
125.56.222.16
125.56.222.9
Bangkok, Thailand (TOT)
63.150.131.27
63.150.131.33
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (Clear-Comm)
72.247.238.51
72.247.238.65
Hong Kong, China (PCCW) Blocked
Sydney NSW, Australia (Exetel)
23.15.10.72
23.15.10.74
Melbourne VIC, Australia (Telstra)
165.254.27.82
165.254.27.96
Auckland, New Zealand (Xtra)
23.15.10.72
23.15.10.74
GOV.ru blocked by Hong Kong.
It appears that all of US .mil is blocked everywhere.
But then GCHQ.gis.gov.uk is blocked everywhere.
GOV.cn is blocked everywhere.
Along with GOV.hk which blocks itself everywhere.
U.S. Blames China For Allowing Snowden to Flee
June 24th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
Barack Obama said that the U.S. government will do everything possible to stop Snowden in Russia. “We are pursuing all legal venues and working with other countries to comply with the law”, has expressed barack Obama.
The White House has blamed the Chinese regime for allowing Edward Snowden “to flight take flight” and warned that the incident would have “a negative impact” on relations between the two countries.
“We do not believe it was a mere technical decision of an immigration officer in Hong Kong to allow Snowden to leave China, but a conscious decision to allow a fugitive escape,” said presidential spokesman Jay Carney, who said the United States had met the appropriate requirements to deliver their extradition request.
Snowden fled to Hong Kong a few hours after the city authorities requested t the U.S. for more information about the crimes against him. One end of the White House believes, that was the real proof of the political nature of the decision to escape the extradition.
Carney explained that the U.S. government is in contact with the authorities in Hong Kong since June 10 and a week later filed its extradition request. “Then said they did not need more explanation and only on June 21 asked for more information,” said White House spokesman, that explained that the United States was preparing its response to the Chinese authorities in order to capture Snowden.
The White House spokesman was not convinced by the explanations of Hong Kong on the flight of Snowden and ensures that its diplomats made it clear in advance that the United States had canceled his passport: ” Hong Kong authorities were advised of the status of Snowden documents sufficiently in advance to have forbidden him to travel. therefore we do not believe the suggestion that China could not have acted. “
The White House seems to had been internally stolen by Snowden’s documents which are in the hands of various foreign intelligence services. Although his spokesman did not define the filter as a spy for the enemy and has not provided details to justify this assertion.
As he did at dawn, official spokeswoman of the White House Carney, has asked Russia to hand Snowden over as soon as possible and recalled that the United States has extradited several Russian criminals at the request of the Government of Moscow.
Secret Documents Reinforce The NSA Surveillance Program
June 21st, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
Edward Snowden has been the trigger for one of the biggest scandals that have plagued the Obama Administration. This sub-contracted employee of the CIA decided to reveal the methods used by U.S. authorities to spy on citizens and businesses and gradually, their leakage to the newspapers ‘The Washington Post’ and ‘The Guardian’ that shed new details about his leakage.
The British newspaper revealed on Thursday two classified documents that provide the legal basis for the broad Internet espionage operations by the National Security Agency (NSA). Both orders, signed by the U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, respectively detailing how the NSA can spy a “U.S. person” under the Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) and the safeguards to prevent U.S. store data , which may not be compatible with the Constitution.
The orders show that the NSA can intercept communications from citizens or permanent residents to communicate with a foreigner, but they must omit the name of the U.S. citizen affected by espionage or simply delete information.
According to the order on the monitoring of non-US citizens, signed by Holder in 2009 and classified as “top secret”, the NSA must ensure that the “physical location” of espionage target is outside the United States as a first step.
The second document, classified as “secret”, explains the process to “minimize” the “acquisition, retention, use, and dissemination” of information of American citizens in the process.
These two documents were forwarded to opaque FISA court, authorizing the NSA access to phone records and information from the internet.
President Barack Obama has said that these two programs spy secrets but do not listen to phone calls or read emails from Americans.
However, these two orders that qualify NSA and FBI Americans could store information if it is categorized as an “inadvertent” and whenever relevant for intelligence to be useful for preventing immediate or people, it can be recorded.
It also provides access to server content communications or telephone numbers in the United States if they are useful to determine whether a party is physically on U.S. soil or not.
Report On Iran And China’s Friendship
June 21st, 2013
Posted by Jaime Ortega.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
China and Russia are key players in US-Iranian strategic competition. As major world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia play an important role in shaping sanctions and other aspects of international action in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.
At the same time, they are both trading partners with Iran, and are arms exporters to the Islamic Republic. China has been a major importer of Iranian oil and both Russia and China have an interest in investing in Iran’s petroleum sector. This gives both nations mixed motives in dealing with the US and Iran.
These motives are compounded by the fact that Russia trades less with the US, and has exported nuclear technology to Iran, but has more reason to be concerned about Iran’s nuclear weapons programs. China is a major trading partner with the US, but is also caught up in a growing competition with the US for power and influence in Asia.
This helps explain why the formal position of both China and Russia is that they will only impose those sanctions required by applicable UN Security Council resolutions and not enact sanctions beyond those specifically mandated. They have so far interpreted the UN sanctions to mean they should place serious limits on the sale of critical new weapons to Iran, but have the potential option of making such sales to Iran in the future.
Both countries seek to maximize the benefits they can gain from the ongoing competition by refusing to commit to either player. Both nations have an interest in preventing or at least forestalling open hostility that will upset this balancing act, as any conflict could have an impact on their economies.
As a result, China and Russia seek to use their support of either side to advance their own positions, while at the same time minimizing the diplomatic costs of their actions. In the recent past, China has carefully tilted toward Iran, and Russia toward the West.
But China has also recently been more cautious in dealing with Iran, and Russia has increasingly tended to game the issue as part of a broader hardening in its relations with the US.The US seeks Chinese support in pressuring Iran to end its nuclear weapons program and limit arms transfers.
Iran urges China as a fellow non-Western power to resist what Iran believes areUS-led attempts to “dictate” China’s behavior. Iran also seeks to win Chinese support by billing itself as a secure and dedicated source of energy resources for a century of Chinese growth.
The resulting US and Iranian competition for influence over China and Russia plays out over proliferation and sanctions, trade and energy investments, arms sales, and each nation’s position in dealing with Afghanistan and Central Asia.So far, China has been able to maintain positive, if somewhat strained, relations with both the US and Iran by selectively supporting each side.
China is willing to use US competition with Iran an opportunity to expand its influence and test the boundaries of the US-led international order.
China:
China plays a key role in determining the success of US attempts to isolate Iran and is an important player in US-Iranian competition. The struggle to capture Chinese support plays out over issues like proliferation and sanctions, trade and energy investments, and arms sales. Iran seeks to win Chinese support primarily by billing itself as a secure and dedicated source of energy resources. Despite continued US pressure, China has been able to maintain positive, if somewhat strained, relations with both the US and Iran by supporting nuclear/arms sanctions on Iran diplomatically and by flouting them in practice. X. The Impact of China and Russia AHC 20.11.12 5
Russia:
The US and Iran compete for Russian support on an issue-by-issue basis. Russia does not yet consider Iran a security threat and it is not dependent upon Iran’s energy resources; rather it is a competitor. Instead of having one overriding interest in Iran like China, Russia has a multiplicity of interests, none of which is central to Russia’s global strategy. Russia’s ties with Iran involve nuclear technology and infrastructure sales, arms sales, and influence in the Gulf and Middle East. In the international arena, Russia has repeatedly tried to portray itself as an intermediary power in order to best position itself within the ongoing US-Iranian competition, all the while working to reap the benefits of selective cooperation with both sides.
China
China is an active player – as both a supporter and potential spoiler – in the ongoing struggle between the US and Iran. China exploits its dual-role as Iranian benefactor and permanent member of the UN Security Council and serves as a de facto gatekeeper to meaningful international sanctions on Iranian nuclear ambitions. The US is obliged to leverage the strength of its bilateral partnership with China to influence China’s position vis-à-vis Iran.
Iran seeks China’s patronage by offering economic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector; by stressing the need for mutual opposition to American dominance; and by encouraging China to take a leading role in shaping the future of the global system. China values its relations with the US too much to risk a meaningful breach, but it is willing to use US competition with Iran as an opportunity to improve its global strategic position. Evolving US-Chinese Relations
To read more about this piece go to…http://csis.org/files/publication/121129_srf_chapter_11_china_russia.pdf
Veryan Khan Answers Questions About Alqaeda Links With Mexican Cartels
June 20th, 2013
By Luis Salomon and Jaime Ortega.
Veryan Khan is associate publisher at The Beacham Group, LLC., and Editorial Director of its Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium http://www.trackingterrorism.org/
1) Is it somewhat possible that Mexican Cartels could work alongside Islamic terrorist groups and have training camps inside of Mexico? And have you ever heard about such rumors?
There have been many such rumors of Mexican drug cartels working with AQ splinter groups — there are also rumors that the franchises would take advantage of the tunnels into the US for possible attacks. Though there is no solid proof I have seen of either rumor. The solid evidence is coming in for AQIM in Mali having connections with FARC in Colombia, financing attacks with Narcotics. It came 2 months ago that it was a direct weapons for product in a pretty sophisticated
2) If it turns out to be true (not confirmed), how could such cooperation have even started? And why?
The convergence between organized crime and terrorist groups are many. They have many of the same needs: safe houses, training camps, arms supplies and cashes, ways to move money secretly. There is substantial information on this topic on TRAC.
3) Hypothetically speaking: How could Islamic Terrorist groups benefit from such an alliance (weapons, bombs)?
Money, money, money … moves everything. As I mentioned earlier MX cartels have ways to get into the US “under the radar” that would greatly benefit anyone wanting to plan an attack.
4) There have been reports that Mexican Cartels have accessed mini submarines to smuggle narcotics to the Californian coast line by the U.S. Coastal guards. If this is correct,could they hypothetically use these submarines to transport terrorist(s) or weapons for operations inside the U.S.?
TRAC has photos of the submarines. Other South American cartels have mini subs too.
5) Logistics: Would it be more effective for Islamic terrorist cells to enter via border with Mexico-U.S. than directly flying to the U.S.? This is the fear of the anti-immigartion proponents.
Even with its faults, the US has done a very good job with their “no fly” lists and airport security. Yes, flying in is way more difficult.
6) Have any Islamic Groups ever worked outside of its religious consent, and participated in operations alongside other paramilitary groups with a different agenda?
Are we talking about all Islamic groups in general or AQ and its affiliates? The world of Islamic groups in general is pretty big, so, co-operation with others is not totally out of the question. Hezbollah has been working in the tri-border region of South America for a pretty long time now. The AQIM/ FARC connection is a profitable/business relationship. The AQ affiliates of MUJAO and Ansar Dine in Mail directly and effectively panned attacks with the Tuareg group MNLA before they took over Mali last year.
7) Target: Would a city like Las Vegas, which is known for Mexican Cartel drug operations be a target for any Islamic Terrorist, helped by them?
I think any US city is potentially a target for AQ or for inspiring a home grown cell to target. The MX cartels would have to have something pretty BIG in the pot for them to help AQ openly. After all their bread is buttered by US customers, why kill their target market off?
Official Report: The Fast and The Furious
June 19th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
On October 31, 2009, special agents working in the Phoenix office of theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a local gun store about the recent purchases of multiple AK-47 style rifles by four individuals. Agents began investigating the purchases and soon came to believe that the men were so-called “straw purchasers”involved in a large-scale gun trafficking organization responsible for buying guns for transport to violent Mexican drug trafficking organizations. This investigation was later named “Operation Fast and Furious.”
By the time ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (U.S. Attorney’s Office) publicly announced the indictment in the case on January 25, 2011, agents had identified more than 40 subjects believed to be\connected to a trafficking conspiracy responsible for purchasing over 2,000 firearms for approximately $1.5 million in cash. The vast majority of the firearms purchased by Operation Fast and Furious subjects were AK-47 style rifles and FN Herstal 5.7 caliber pistols. During the course of the investigation, ATF agents seized only about 100 of the firearms purchased, the result of a strategy jointly pursued by ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that deferred taking overt enforcement action against the individual straw purchasers while seeking to build a case against the leaders of the organization.
Numerous firearms bought by straw purchasers were later recovered by law enforcement officials at crime scenes in Mexico and the United States. One such recovery occurred in connection with the tragic shooting death of a federal law enforcement agent, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry. On January 16, 2010, one of the straw purchasers, Jaime Avila,purchased three AK-47 style rifles from a Phoenix-area gun store.
ATF agents learned about that purchase 3 days later and, consistent with the investigative strategy in the case, made no effort to locate Avila or seize the rifles although ATF had identified Avila as a suspect in November 2009. Two of the three rifles purchased by Avila on January 16 were recovered 11 months later at the scene of the murder of Agent Terry, who was shot and killed on December 14, 2010, as he tried to arrest persons believed to be illegally entering the United States.
The day after and in response to Agent Terry’s murder, ATF agents arrested Avila. Several weeks later, on January 19, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 20 Operation Fast and Furious straw purchasers and gun traffickers. As of August 1, 2012, 14 defendants, including Avila, have entered guilty pleasto one or more counts of the indictment. Although the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was assigned to investigate the murder of Agent Terry, the senior leadership of ATF and the Department of Justice (Department or DOJ) took little action in the immediate aftermath of Agent Terry’s death to learn more about an ATF investigation that involved the trafficking of approximately 2,000 weapons over many months,and how guns purchased by a previously-identified subject of that investigation ended up being recovered at the scene of Agent Terry’s murder.
Shortly after Agent Terry’s death, stories began appearing on the Internet alleging that ATF had allowed firearms to “walk” to Mexico, and that one of those firearms may have been linked to the death of a federal law enforcement officer. The flaws in Operation Fast and Furious became widely publicized as aresult of the willingness of a few ATF agents to publicly report what they knew about it, and the conduct of the investigation became the subject of a Congressional inquiry. On January 27, 2011, Senator Charles E. Grassley wrote to ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson that the Senate Judiciary Committee had received allegations that ATF had “sanctioned the sale of hundreds of assault weapons to suspected straw purchasers,” who then transported the firearms throughout the southwest border area and into Mexico.
On February 4, 2011, the Department responded in writing by denying the allegations and asserting that “ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico.” However, after examining how Operation Fast and Furious and other ATF firearms trafficking investigations were conducted, the Department withdrew the February 4 letter on December 2, 2011, because it contained inaccuracies.
Also on January 27, 2011, Senator Grassley’s staff brought the allegations of one ATF agent to the attention of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). We interviewed the agent and began a preliminary inquiry into the matter. On February 28, 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder requested the OIG to conduct a review of Operation Fast and Furious, and we agreed to conduct the review. This report describes the results of the OIG’s review. During the course of our review we received information about other ATF firearms trafficking investigations that raised questions about how those 3 investigations were conducted. This report describes one of them, Operation Wide Receiver.
We plan to issue a separate report on at least one other ATF investigation that involves an individual suspected of transporting grenade components into Mexico, converting them into live grenades, and then supplying them to drug cartels. The OIG also is completing its investigation of an allegation that one or more Department employees provided to a member of the media a copy of a May 2010 undercover operation proposal drafted by one of the ATF agents who publicly testified about his concerns with the conduct of Operation Fast and Furious. Additionally, we are reviewing allegations that two ATF agents who publicly testified about their concerns regarding Operation Fast and Furious were reassigned to positions within ATF that could have subjected them to retaliation.
We also will continue to review information that has been provided to us to determine whether other reports are warranted on additional topics related to Operation Fast and Furious, such as information sharing among ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI regarding key figures in parallel investigations. I. Methodology of the Investigation The OIG’s review focused on ATF’s handling of Operations Wide Receiver and Fast and Furious. In addition, the OIG reviewed the Department’s knowledge about those cases, as well as the Department’s statements to Congress about them.
To review these issues, the OIG conducted interviews with more than 130 persons currently or previously employed by the Department, ATF, the DEA, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We interviewed many of these witnesses on multiple occasions. We interviewed several senior officials in the Department, including Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., Deputy Attorney General James Cole, Assistant Attorneys General Lanny A. Breuer and Ronald Weich, Chief of Staff and Counsel to the Attorney General and former Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler, and three of the five current or former Deputy Assistant Attorneys General (DAAG) who authorized the wiretap applications in Operations Wide Receiver and Fast and Furious.
2 In addition, we interviewed former U.S. Attorneys for the District of Arizona Dennis K. Burke and Paul Charlton, former Criminal Chiefs Patrick…..
For more on this report http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/2012/s1209.pdf
Massive Protest Of Middle Class Brasil
June 19th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
With at least 100,000 people in the streets of downtown Rio de Janeiro, the future Olympic venue became alive, on Monday, where the largest demonstration in Brazil, has held numerous protests that combine discontent over investments injected into the Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup, including the abandonment of precarious public services.
The demonstration reached its peak at 17:30 local time with a trail of people in the Avenida Presidente Vargas, one of the main roads in the center of the city.
A the public called for the “marchinhas” mobilization a reminiscent of Rio Carnival parades, that includes the youth, seniors and families that have raised their voices to express a range of claims, the most diverse, but with the same ideals: “It’s not 20 cents worth it is all about rights,” read the banner in the header.
“They say we are the middle class, but if I have hunger nobody is going to help me, we are here for everyone,” says Erick Son, a travel agent of 19 years of age.
The “middle class Brazil” that aspired in the past president Dilma Rousseff, is what protestors rebuked in Rio with posters like “Dilma, you’ve already been here,” referring to the activist past of the president for the Brazilian military dictatorship.
On these claims that have already crossed the Atlantic, Dilma has simply stressed, Monday through a statement that “peaceful demonstrations are legitimate and are characteristic of democracy and youth”, in its first assessment of the protests.
The lawyer for the Federation for the Homeless Internationalist, Paula Andrea believes that this group is the most affected by the sporting events of the next three years. “The World Cup has caused the eviction of thousands of families that were dedicated to sport facilities and tourism promotions,” says Paula.
For Uwe Schliemann, 39, and his son Ian , protected with small plastic glasses, the main problem is corruption in the country: “We have rulers who have been convicted and want to take power over the institutions country’s legal assesments. “
After Sunday’s disproportionate police action near the Maracana stadium, the protesters went yesterday equipped with masks, handkerchiefs soaked in vinegar and glasses, to mitigate the effects of tear gas and pepper spray often used by the Military Police.
In Sao Paulo, where about 65,000 people demonstrated, according to the newspaper “Folha ‘, the controversial arrests for carrying vinegar made last Thursday gave rise to what is known as’ March for legalization of vinegar’ or ‘Revolt Vinegar’ whose claims, present in social networks giving rise to all sorts of jokes have been heard in several cities.
The protest in Rio de Janeiro uneventful most of the time, ended with clashes between police and protesters that left at the last moment, and resulted in ten arrests. According to the newspaper O Globo, there were 29 wounded, among whom, according to the Ministry of Security, 20 are officers. Nine people had to be taken to hospital, some of them injured by bullets and rubber bullets.
Putin And Cameron Discuss Syria
June 17th, 2013
By Jaime Ortega.
David Cameron the British Prime Minister said that his country and Russia can overcome their differences on Syria, while Moscow has warned the West of arming the Syrian opposition. At the regional level, the Arab League welcomed the invitation of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to hold an emergency summit on the crisis in Syria. In the meantime, the Eight Vatican summit called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria.
In London, Cameron said on Sunday after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of Eight summit in Northern Ireland, that Russia and Britain can overcome their differences on the subject of the Syrian war.
Cameron said at a joint news conference with Putin, “What I got out of our discussion today is that we can overcome these differences if we realize that we agree on some basic goals which put an end to the conflict to prevent the disintegration of Syria and let the Syrian people decide the ruler and the fight against extremists and defeat to them.”
For his part, Putin warned the West of arming Syrian opposition, saying that opponents of President Bashar al-Assad eat human organs and should not be supported.
In his first public remarks since the decision by the administration of President Barack Obama to arm the Syrian opposition to overthrow Assad, Putin said at the press conference that Russia wants to provide favorable conditions for ending the ongoing conflict that started two years ago.
He added, “I think you cannot deny that one should not support the people who do not kill their enemies, but are making they are eating the bodies in front of people and cameras.”
He said, “Are these the ones who want to support them?They want to provide them with weapons?”.
He said that Moscow “does not violate the rules,” while the international supply of weapons to the Syrian regime, saying that the Westerners partners in the Group of Eight arming Syrian dissidents would be a violation of these rules. “We are not breaking any rule or standard, and we call on all our partners to adopt the same behavior.”
Morsi called for a summit of Arab and Islamic countries to support the Syrian people (French)
The Arab summit in the Arab world, expressed that the Arab League welcomed the invitation of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to hold an Arab mini-summit on Syria, said Ambassador Ahmed Ben Helli – Deputy Secretary-General of the League – The challenges existing pay university to welcome any gathering between Arabs or Muslim at this level, but he pointed out that the university had not received the request of Egypt officially.
During the conference of victory of the Syrian people, Mursi called a meeting which was held in Cairo on Saturday evening – to the summit of Arab and Islamic countries for this purpose, and said that the Syrian people demand more action for his victory, also called for the Security Council that issued a decision banning flights over Syria, and announced the cut-Egyptian of relations with the Syrian regime.
In response to a question about the vision of the Arab League to the Egyptian position, Ben Helli pointed out, that the Arab League Council had passed a resolution of this regard this last year, but the execution is a sovereign decision for each member of the university on the unit in terms of sovereignty, freedom and positions of the Syrian crisis.
On claims to impose a no-fly zone over Syria, Ben Helli said, “We are now talking about dialogue and peaceful resolution of the crisis, which is paid by the Arab League towards resolving this crisis, and stop the blood shed urgently and save Syria.”
Amr and Kerry
On the other hand, the Foreign Ministry said that the Egyptian Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr to continue a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry and addressed the deteriorating situation in Syria.
The statement stresses that Amr believes things can not continued this way, stressing rejection of killing and bloodshed of the Syrian people, as happens on a daily basis.
The statement added that the two ministers consulted on ways to provide support to the Syrian opposition in the framework of strengthening their capacity to engage in political negotiations seriously will eventually lead to a political solution which is accepted by the Syrian people and bring him to their legitimate aspirations. which also met with Egyptian Foreign Minister envoy Arab International Joint file Syria , Lakhdar Brahimi, where they discussed the situation in Syria and stressed the need to stop the military machine that claimed the lives of more than ninety thousand Syrian
Chinese espionage a voracious problem involving a mass of ordinary students and businessmen
June 17th, 2013
By Julian Assange.
According to a classified UK travel briefing released today in full by WikiLeaks, Chinese intelligence activity has become “widespread” with a “voracious appetite for all kinds of information; political, military, commercial, scientific and technical” being fed by bugged hotel rooms and a “mass of ordinary students, businessmen and locally employed staff who are working (at least part-time) on the orders of various parts of the State intelligence gathering apparatus.”
Chinese espionage efforts, designed to clone Western technology have become more sophisticated: “The Chinese have realised that it is not productive to simply steal technology and then try to `reverse engineer it’. Through intelligence activity they now attempt to acquire an in-depth understanding of production techniques and methodologies. There is an obvious economic risk to the UK”.
Chinese agents are “expert flatterers and are well aware of the `softening’ effect of food and alcohol.”. Under the cover of consultation or lecturing, a visitor may be “given favours, advantageous economic conditions or commercial opportunities.” In return they will be expected to “give information or access to material. Or, at the very least, to speak out on China’s behalf (becoming an `agent of influence’).”
The full travel brief follows. The pristine original, with over 2380 pages of context, can be found here.
RESTRICTED
Security Directions for Countries to which Special Security Regulations Apply (CSSRA)
ANNEX F
TRAVEL BRIEF FOR VISITORS TO CHINA
Introduction
1. China is now one of the world’s fastest growing economies. And, despite the difficulties of working there, many foreign companies are eager to join the increasing number of those who are investing their time, money and effort in establishing links with China.
2. The purpose of this brief is not to discourage the development of trade, nor to warn against the financial and legal pitfalls of working in China which, incidentally, are many! This brief gives advice about Chinese intelligence activity and how you can guard against the risks it might pose to you when visiting China.
3. Chinese intelligence activity is widespread and has a voracious appetite for all kinds of information; political, military,commercial, scientific and technical. It is on this area that the Chinese place their highest priority and where we assess that the greatest risk lies.
4. The Chinese have realised that it is not productive to simply steal technology and then try to `reverse engineer it’. Through intelligence activity they now attempt to acquire an in-depth understanding of production te chniques and methodologies. There is an obvious economic risk to the UK. Our hard earned processes at very little cost and then reproduce them with cheap labour.
5. It is also, potentially, more serious than the above. In certain key military areas China is at least a generation behind the West. The Chinese may be able to acquire illegally the technology that will enable them to catch up. The real danger is that they will then produce advanced weapons systems which they will sell to unstable regimes. They have a track record of doing so. The consequences for the world’s trouble spots and any UK involvement there could be disastrous.
Characteristics of Chinese Intelligence Activity
6. Chinese intelligence activity is very different to the portrayal of `Moscow Rules’ in the novels of John Le Carre. The Chinese make no distinction between `information’ and `intelligence’. Their appetite for information, particularly in the scientific and technical field, is vast and indiscriminate. They do not `run agents’ — they `make friends’. Although there are Chinese `intelligence officers’, both civilian and military, these fade into insignificance behind the mass of ordinary students, businessmen and locally employed staff who are working (at least part-time) on the orders of various parts of the State intelligence gathering apparatus.
Cultivation
7. The process of being cultivated as a `friend of China’ (ie. an `agent’) is subtle and long-term. The Chinese are adept at exploiting a visitor’s interest in, and appreciation of, Chinese history and culture. They are expert flatterers and are well aware of the `softening’ effect of food and alcohol. Under cover of consultation or lecturing, a visitor may be given favours, advantageous economic conditions or commercial opportunities. In return they will be expected to give information or access to material. Or, at the very least, to speak out on China’s behalf (becoming an `agent of influence’).
Locally Engaged Staff
8. Most companies operating in China are obliged to employ a number of locally engaged staff supplied by organisations such as the `Provincial Friendship Labour Services Corporation’. It is probable that the Chinese civilian intelligence service will have briefed such staff to copy all papers to which they are able to gain access. Many Chinese students and some businessmen also work to a brief from the Chinese intelligence services.
Technical Attacks
9. The Chinese intelligence services are known to employ telephone and electronic `bugs’ in hotels and restaurants. They have also been known to search hotel rooms and to use surveillance techniques against visitors of particular interest.
Compromise
10. The Chinese intelligence services have been known to use blackmail to persuade visitors to work for them. Sexual involvement should be avoided, as should any activity which can possible be construed as illegal. This would include dealing in black market currency or Chinese antiques and artefacts, straying into `forbidden’ areas or injudicious use of a camera or video recorder.
What you should do
11. This brief has warned you about the aims of Chinese intelligence activity and indicated some of the means they use to obtain intelligence. The steps you take to protect yourself, your department or agency, your company and the UK are up to you.
Security Directions for Countries to which Special Security Regulations Apply (CSSRA)
12. Common sense will tell you to be careful in your dealings so that you do not give away more than you mean to, or find yourself in a position where you will feel obliged to do more for the Chinese than you know you ought. Careful use of the telephone and postal system will prevent you from giving away free information. By avoiding indiscreet and injudicious behaviour you will prevent yourself from being compromised. If the worst case happens, and you are arrested and charged, or if you have been caught in an embarrassing situation you should always insist on being immediately allowed to contact the British Embassy immediately.
The Disruptive Power of Systematic Cyberattacks
June 15th, 2013
By Jan Kallberg and Bhavani Thuraisingham.
The University of Texas at Dallas A few nation states have started leveraging the Internet for geopolitical state gains. Using the development of the battle tank as an analogy, the authors explore the Internet’s militarization. The technology used is old, but the ideas are revolutionary.
Public sentiment seems to be that Internet security has continually increased over the past 20 years, and recent advancements in client computer security have contributed to a population that largely trusts, and is at ease with, the Internet. People use online banking, run their businesses in the cloud, and rely on net-supported transactions. The limited abilities and resources of early attackers largely contained most threats. Attacks were primarily carried out through digital smash-and-grab thefts of credit card numbers and personal information, resulting in marginal financial damage.
The entrance of state actors as attackers reverses the trajectory of Internet security and extends the potential for damage. The threat no longer engulfs just individuals and businesses but also entire nations. Novel Use of Existing Technology Nation states are starting to exploit the Internet for policy, geopolitical, and state gains, but applying novel strategies to old technology for such gains is nothing new.
1 Consider the armored tank, which was first introduced to the battlefield in 1916. The tank was used for two decades as a movable pill box (bunker) and machine-gun nest; it could move from the trenches and follow the infantry in the World War I strategy of position warfare. It wasn’t until the German assault on France in 1940 that the armored tank became an integral part of the military strategy, directly affecting the conflict’s outcome.
The Germans saw the armored battle tank’s potential in helping them reach their geopolitical goals. Before blitzkrieg—the German concept of mobile armored warfare—wars were fought in a linear manner: the infantry was at the front of the fighting line, followed by a line of artillery bombarding the enemy from a distance, followed by a logistic echelon supporting the artillery and infantry.
At the start of World War II, the French and many other armies still subscribed to this concept of three lines of military units, where only the first unit had contact with the enemy. A shift in thinking occurred when Colonel Heinz Guderian, along with others in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, realized that armored tanks could do more than just slowly move alongside an infantry trying to take a hill or set of trenches.
2,3 Guderian realized that tanks could be used in massive numbers to attack enemy territory. Instead of using the tank to move military hardware in a tactical manner, the Germans transformed it into a vehicle to form an innovative overarching strategy. The revolutionary idea with blitzkrieg was to strike deep with massive tank formations, ignoring the enemy infantry to plough through the artillery and attack the bakery. Indirectly taking the initiative and forcing the enemy to counteract deflated the enemy’s line of defense and made their units easy prey for the armored units.
It took battle tanks almost 25 years to reach the point of effective military use, but the main obstacle was never the technology. Rather, it was the inability to reconceptualize the existing technology. Development of the military helicopter followed a similar path. The helicopter was invented in the 1930s, and in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the military started to use it as a truck that could move through air space.
The military had helicopters for 20 years before it started using them as a significant weapon. Once the intellectual ceiling was broken, militarized helicopters quickly evolved into today’s attack helicopters. The Internet has experienced developments similar to those of the armored tank and helicopter—and the intellectual ceiling for Internet militarization has been incrementally breaking since 2010. Militarizing the Internet
Militarizing the Internet.
Didn’t require new technology or networking capabilities; rather, it required rethinking how the Internet application layer could be used for political or military gains.Stuxnet—the set of code that affected the Iranian nuclear centrifuges—is the product of such a change in thinking. Designing Stuxnet to target and deliberately damage the Iranian nuclear centrifuges turned an existing technology into a new cyberweapon.
Applying this type of weapon, nation states could potentially attack industrial control systems, such as municipal waterworks or other local infrastructure, damaging a society’s ability to function. The increased number of SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems attacks are a product of the shift in the cyberattack modus operandi, from marginally funded cybercriminals are replaced with well-funded state actors with a completely different objective and agenda.
1 A state actor seeking an advantage over another state might attack the core industrial backbone of a targeted country in the hopes of creating havoc in the transportation and communication infrastructure. For the traditional threat, cybercriminals, this would be a pointless operation, which is why we now must quickly change how we view, design, create, and maintain information security and protect our assets connected to cyberspace.
1 A militarized Internet and the potential for intelligence and economic espionage, which could destabilize adversarial states, radically changes the fundamentals for cyberspace security. State actors could exploit weaknesses in national infrastructures and information systems as well as exploit the public’s heavy reliance on the Internet.Although the goal for individuals and criminal networks is usually financial gain, a state might seek to optimize its influence and power or avoid being overpowered by others.
It thus has a vested interest in being able to destabilize the systems of other nations and could employ a full-system attack strategy instead of the traditional cyberattack, which seeks limited goals with a quick turnaround. Nation states have more time, resources, and opportunities, making them a far more capable perpetrator for covert cyberoperations. Certain areas, previously sheltered from cyberattacks —such as the space-borne US global information grid—could be a target for state actors.
4 A criminal network or hackers didn’t stand to gain financially from attacking the US global information grid, and even if they could sell the accessed information, it wouldn’t be worth the risk, given the repercussions if caught.
Thus, the satellite infrastructure wasn’t considered vulnerable. Attacking the global information grid represents no quick financial gain for a criminal network or hackers, and any marginal gain from selling the information would be drastically outweighed by the repercussions of the act, which have left the satellite infrastructure untouched by serious and capable cyberattacks.
However, in 2011, William J. Lynn III, former US deputy secretary of defense, reflected on the US national security space strategy:
5 The willingness of states to interfere with satellites in orbit has serious implications for our national security. Space systems enable our modern way of war. They allow our warfighters to strike with precision, to navigate with accuracy, to communicate with certainty, and to see the battlefield with clarity. Without them, many of our most important military advantages evaporate.
A kinetic antisatellite missile attack against the US would catapult the missile-launching nation on a confrontational course likely to lead to war or other uncertain drastic repercussions. However, a cyberattack carries much less risk, and it would be significantly harder to identify the perpetrator with sufficient satisfaction to warrant sanctions from the international community.
Attacking the superpowers’ space-borne grids presents an opportunity to undermine information supremacy and war-fighting abilities, with direct geopolitical consequences. The Digital Maginot Line John Fraser, a British editor, wrote in The Spectator after a major British security breach:
6 Suddenly, the western Internet “firewalls” are looking like a digital Maginot Line, so vulnerable that amateur hackers [could] steal hundreds of thousands of secrets for fun. So what might a cyberarmy be able to achieve?
This analogy relates back to the history of the tank, when the French built the Maginot Line on their border with Germany to ensure the Germans couldn’t successfully attack France after World War I. Work started in 1930, and this construction project was one of the largest of its time. However, the Maginot Line was based on a major flaw—the French assumed the attacker would use a designated path and thus planned on fighting in fortified positions along that path.
Using the new mindset of armored and mobile warfare, the Germans took another route, and the French endured one of history’s most humiliating defeats. The entrance of state actors into cyberoperations represents the same drastic change of mindset and concept as the Germans using mobile armored warfare to overrun French defenses in 1940. A digital Maginot Line would be pouring in money and resources into a defensive position that assumes that cyberattacks occur as expected. The vast effort in cybersecurity today is placed on addressing the threats of the past, where a few unfunded individuals pound a singlepoint of system entry using often crude tools to find configuration errors.
Information assurance strategies thus resemble trench and position warfare, fought from fixed positions in a known terrain using hardened positions and pre-assessed planning. The hardened system defends against a few limited attacks trying to penetrate a specific sector, server, or area. We can’t continue to focus on information assurance.
6 By continuously hardening systems, a false sense of control and security is maintained, mainly based on the earlier attacker profile with single individuals or small criminal efforts penetrating the system. State actors have far more options to attack a system than solely trying to penetrate a firewall, so we need to redesign and restructure cybersecurity from a systems perspective.
The well-funded and geopolitically driven militarization of the Internet is a recent development—and represents a major shift in the related risks and threats. Security analyst Dan Geer has said that researching cybersecurity requires embracing the unknown.
7—in other words, cybersecurity researchers must step out of their comfort zone of traditional IT security, taking a higher-level systematic view of system security. Political scientist Kenneth N. Waltz said that the power with nuclear arms isn’t what you do with them but instead what you can do with them.
8 Similarly, a state could use the mere threat of cyberoperations to deter other states from taking certain actions. However, once states engage their resources in cyberoperations, universities and intelligence agencies can become armories, 9 and defense industries can receive contracts to identify weaknesses in foreign systems.