Tag: Internet Research Agency

The ‘Israel Lobby’ Works for the US Military Industrial Complex

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Since publication of John Mearsheimer’s and Stephen Walt’s ‘The Israel Lobby’ in 2007, superior public relations has served as the main explanation for the outsized influence that the nation of Israel holds over American politicians. In that telling, AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee) and other supporters of Israel built a sophisticated and far-reaching public relations machine that promotes US politicians who support Israel and punishes those who don’t.

The ‘Israel Lobby’ Works for the US Military Industrial Complex – by Rob Urie – 27 June 2024

H/T: xenagoguevicene

Biden Appeals Judge’s Ban on Government Asking for Social Media Takedowns

Ms. Cat

Biden Appeals Judge’s Ban on Government Asking for Social Media Takedowns

State Department officials, according to a Facebook employee speaking with The Washington Post, told the company all future monthly meetings to discuss content takedowns were “canceled pending further guidance.” The reported cancellation means government officials and trust and safety representatives at Facebook will no longer meet to discuss brewing political misinformation or foreign influence operations. It’s unclear whether other agencies have taken similar measures following the ruling or if Google or Twitter have canceled meetings. The State Department, Meta, and Google did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment. Twitter sent us a 💩 . …

Judge compares Biden’s admin’s meeting with tech companies to Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth’

The Justice Department appealed Trump-appointed federal Judge Terry A. Doughty’s preliminary injunction hours after it landed, according to court documents filed Wednesday evening. Doughty’s preliminary injunction bars numerous government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) from contacting or asking social media companies about posts he said are protected by the First Amendment. The ruling does offer some exceptions for government communications with tech firms intended to warn them of national security threats, criminal activity, and voter suppression. Government officials maintain their content recommendations to social networks were merely suggestions, not legal demands. Doughty said numerous uncovered communications show Biden administration officials wielded threats of increased regulations or a stripping of Section 230 immunity protections to get its way.

Related:

State Dept. cancels Facebook meetings after judge’s ‘censorship’ ruling

When tech companies and State Department officials meet, “they talk about foreign influence, they compare notes. It gives them the opportunity to ask questions about foreign influence they are seeing,” this person said. “State will share Russian narratives, things they are seeing in state media in Russia about U.S. topics. They will ask whether Facebook is seeing things from known entities, such as the Chinese Communist Party or the Internet Research Agency,” the Russian entity thought responsible for much of the interference in the 2016 election. …

“The really tough question is when does the government cross the line from responding to speech — which it can and should do — to coercing platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech?” Kosseff said. “The judge here believes that line was crossed, and he certainly cited some persuasive examples,” such as administration officials suggesting antitrust actions against tech firms or changes to their liability protections while criticizing their content moderation efforts.

US Court Victory Against Online Censorship

Interesting USG Reactions to Wagner Group Rebellion

Ms. Cat

American officials determined as early as January there was an internal power struggle underway between the private military group Wagner and the Russian government, and have been gathering and closely ‘monitoring’ intelligence on the volatile dynamic ever since, according to officials.

US has closely ‘monitored’ power struggle between Prigozhin and Russian government for months

Related:

US to delay Wagner sanctions for fear of siding with Putin: WSJ

Cameron Hudson, a former chief of staff to the US special envoy for Sudan, stated that Washington had a strategy to “target, isolate, and weaken Wagner’s growth in Africa,” adding that by maintaining that approach, Washington is now potentially assisting Putin.

Wagner Chief Denies Claims That He Offered Ukraine Russian Troop Positions + What are we to Make of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group?

Ms. Cat1 Comment

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, dismissed claims made by The Washington Post that he offered Ukraine Russian troop positions in exchange for a Ukrainian withdrawal from Bakhmut, calling the report “laughable.”

Wagner Chief Denies Claims That He Offered Ukraine Russian Troop Positions

Related:

What are we to Make of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group?

FBI Interviews Sarah Bils, the Donbass Devushka, as the DOJ and NCIS Probes Her Past

Ms. Cat

The DOJ and NCIS confirm that Bils is under multiple investigations, as details of a trouble past come to light.

…

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh was peppered with questions about Bils during a Monday press briefing. When asked if the Department of Defense was aware that the former Navy chief petty officer had been posting Russian propaganda since 2014 and if she had been under investigation prior to the revelation of the document leak, Ms. Singh replied, “Because this investigation is ongoing, I would refer you to the DOJ for that.”

…

The investigation by the FBI and NCIS comes at a time when the U.S. government appears to be cracking down on Russian influence [dissent] in American politics. In a separate case, the DOJ announced on Tuesday that four U.S. citizens and three Russian nationals have been charged with “conspiring to covertly sow discord in U.S. society, spread Russian propaganda, and interfere illegally in U.S. elections.” A federal grand jury alleges that Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents recruited, funded, and discredited U.S. political groups to act as unregistered Moscow agents. Omali Yeshitela, Penny Joanne Hess, Jesse Nevel, and Augustus Romain Jr. of St. Petersburg, Florida, have been charged with violating the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and each faces up to five years in prison.

FBI Interviews Sarah Bils, the Donbass Devushka, as the DOJ and NCIS Probes Her Past

NAFO claims that Donbass Devushka’s Telegram channel was started in 2014 (during the war in Donbas?), while Bellingcat alleges that it was the first to publicly leak the Pentagon documents. Malcontent News suggests that she could be charged as a foreign agent due to her loose association with Rybar. They incorrectly state that the members of the Uhuru Movement are being charged under FARA. They’re being charged under Title 18 U.S.C. §951, according to the indictment. FYI, speech is restricted, under the UCMJ, while serving in the military.

Previously:

NAFO: Social-Media Account Overseen by Former Navy Noncommissioned Officer Helped Spread Secrets

Four Americans and two Russians conspired to sway elections, influence politics, Justice Department says

‘Tools of Russia’: FBI Raid on Black Political Party Seen As Part of ‘Black Scare/Red Scare’ in United States

Ms. Cat1 Comment

‘Tools of Russia’: FBI Raid on Black Political Party Seen As Part of ‘Black Scare/Red Scare’ in United States

Related:

*In progress: Alexander Ionov case – Russiagate 2?

FBI Raids St. Louis Black Liberation Group Alleging Russian Ties

Russian operative used U.S. activist groups to spread propaganda, feds say (Previously)

Yes California statement on Russian funding accusations (AGAIN) (US Political Group 3?) – Marcus Ruiz Evans* says that they were already cleared and that the FBI is only focusing on Louis J Marinell—more links in the video description.

Louis’ Response: No, Alexander Ionov never funded or “exercised direction or control” over me or the California independence campaign (archived)

Source.

Why do they flee?

Ms. Cat

Why do they flee?

It’s not that these people prefer to live in the United States. They’d much rather remain with their families and friends, be able to speak their native language at all times, and avoid the hardships imposed upon them by American police and other right-wingers. But whenever a progressive government comes to power in Latin America or threatens to do so, a government sincerely committed to fighting poverty, the United States helps to suppresses the movement and/or supports the country’s right-wing and military in staging a coup. This has been the case in Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras.