Tag: Patriot Act

“Time to stop singularizing Trump as uniquely evil”

Ms. Cat

As practically everyone on planet Earth must now know, Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be convicted of felonies after leaving office. The response to the outcome of the trial from Democrats and Republicans has been predictably binary. Democrats have been reveling in the outcome and seem to think that the trial’s conclusion has delivered a final blow to Trump’s credibility and, in turn, his chances of winning the upcoming election. Trump’s supporters, on the other hand, are largely condemning the trial as politically motivated “lawfare” waged by the “radical left” in order to derail Trump’s chances of winning the upcoming election, which might end up galvanizing his base.

Trump’s Conviction Papers Over Much Bigger Crimes that He (and Every Other Recent US President) Has Committed in While Office

I can’t stand Trump, but this is why I don’t post about the criminal charges against him. I’d rather see him, and the rest of them, charged for war crimes! Furthermore, I can understand why his supporters, and even foreigners, see it as lawfare.

The FBI’s Material Support for Israeli Apartheid Against Palestinians

Ms. Cat
Tweet from Abed A. Ayoub, the national executive director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

By Chip Gibbons / The Dissenter

Israel’s war on the besieged Gaza Strip has entered its sixth day. The Israeli military has launched a massive bombardment with airstrikes killing over 1,000 Palestinians.

The FBI’s Material Support for Israeli Apartheid Against Palestinians

‘Hunt Forward’ cyber teams have deployed to 24 countries, including Ukraine

Ms. Cat

The cyber defense teams monito crucial networks in allied countries. US cyber chief Gen. Paul Nakasone also said the NSA is centralizing AI-related missions.

‘Hunt Forward’ cyber teams have deployed to 24 countries, including Ukraine

Related:

NSA to stand up AI security center

Securing artificial intelligence entails “protecting AI systems from learning, doing, and revealing the wrong thing,” he said. “We must build a robust understanding of AI vulnerabilities, foreign intelligence threats to these AI systems, and ways to encounter the threat in order to have AI security. We must also ensure that malicious foreign actors can’t steal America’s innovative AI capabilities.”

…

Asked about AI—including deepfakes—influencing voting in the upcoming 2024 U.S. general election, Nakasone said people need to practice vigilance, and that his team is making sure they “understand the threat techniques of our adversaries”—which the center will help them do

Cyber War and Ukraine

The Coming Fight Over American Surveillance

Ms. Cat

The Coming Fight Over American Surveillance

But no threat of any kind is required to conduct surveillance under Section 702. The law permits surveillance of any foreigner abroad, as long as a significant purpose of the surveillance is to acquire “foreign intelligence information.” FISA defines this term extremely broadly to include any “information related to . . . the conduct of U.S. foreign affairs.” A conversation between friends about whether the United States should do more to support Ukraine would justify surveillance under this definition.

😳

Did the U.S. really lift sanctions off Syria temporarily?

Ms. Cat

The “humanitarian exemptions”, on Syrian sanctions, are conditional!

The U.S. Treasury announced a decision on February 9 claiming to allow an easing of sanctions imposed on Syria for the ensuing six months until August 8, as part of “earthquake relief efforts.”
The decision allows for “third parties” to transfer aid to Syria without fear of U.S. sanctions, but should only be intended for aid to earthquake-effected areas. Nonetheless, the sanctions programs applied to Syria for many years, the most severe of which are the Caesar Act (2019) and Captagon Act (2022), provide for “humanitarian exceptions,” but are conditional on U.S. approval.

Did the U.S. really lift sanctions off Syria temporarily?

Related:

Did the U.S. lift sanctions on Syria?

So any earthquake relief effort must take place away from the Syrian state. In other words, it must contribute to undermining the sovereignty of the Syrian state, or it will not take place.

Why Not Defund the Military?

Ms. Cat

Amidst all the talk about defunding the police, notice something important: No one talks about defunding the military. That’s because the military establishment is too powerful and has come to be accepted as a permanent feature in American life. Except for libertarians, everyone treats the military as their god.

Why Not Defund the Military?

Not sure if he’s correct about military capabilities but I can get behind defunding the military!