Historiographic Anarchy

WikiLeaks is Not a FBI Target, Says DOJ, FBI

2012-01-30T04:47:00.000-05:00

After receiving a ”no records” response from the FBI in reply to a FOIA request I had submitted for FBI records pertaining to WikiLeaks, I had an appeal submitted to the Department of Justice's Office of Information Policy. Below is the DOJ's reply:

DOJ Response to an Appeal for Wikileaks Records

The DOJ states that there are no FBI WikiLeaks files and this means that the FBI has never targeted WikiLeaks as an organization.

I suspect that the FBI has filed WikiLeaks material away in the files of individuals such as Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, and other prominent WikiLeaks figures. By doing so, it keeps the material out of the hands of the general public and media because the FBI can invoke b(6), b(7) exemptions to Glomar (i.e. neither confirm, nor deny the existence) the material unless the individual submits a Privacy Act request, dies, or is convinced to sign a waiver and allow a third party to acquire material. In short, it might be 50 years before WikiLeaks material is available to the general public through FOIA or Mandatory Declassification Review requests.

I also think that lesser amounts of WikiLeaks material might be obtainable through FOIAing for information on attacks done by Anonymous on behalf of WikiLeaks.

The TSA EPIC Fails on FOIA

2012-01-26T00:18:00.000-05:00

As you can see, it took the Transportation Security Administration eight months (*) to respond to my FOIA request for a simple press kit. I am not sure if that is worst than the two months it took them to churn out a response to my request once they realized that there was no TSA press kit. With search skills like this, I have no full faith and confidence in their ability to stop terrorism.

TSA Has No Media Kit Letter

(*) This request was submitted and responded to in either 2010 or 2011. I misplaced the letter I received from the TSA and then I lost the file. The year is not particularly relevant given it occurred within the same calender year.

Herbert Yardley : The NSA Hero Who Was a Spy

2012-01-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

There is hope for Bradley Manning yet. That statement seems odd given that he's not challenging the facts of his case and, instead, is opting for a mitigation strategy. However, as the saga of Herbert O. Yardley shows, treasonous heels can become heroes if the evidence of their guilt is hidden by classification, buried in document dumps, and obscured by the passage of enough time. This was proven in 1999 when Yardley became an inaugural member of the NSA's Hall of Honor.

Well documented by James Bamford's books and the NSA's own website, Yardley "served as a cryptologic officer with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during WWI. In the 1920s he was chief of MI-8, the first U.S. peacetime cryptanalytic organization, jointly funded by the U.S. Army and the Department of State. In that capacity, he and a team of cryptanalysts exploited nearly two dozen foreign diplomatic cipher systems. MI-8 was disbanded in 1929 when the State Department withdrew its share of the funding." In 1931, in need of funds, Yardley published 'his memoirs of MI-8, "The American Black Chamber." In this book, Yardley revealed the extent of U.S. cryptanalytic work in the 1920s."

What Bamford did not know or chose to leave out his books was the fact that Yardley sold out the American Black Chamber to the Japanese Empire for 7,000 in 1930. This fact was uncovered by Ladislas Farago during his research for The Broken Seal: The Story of Operation Magic and the Pearl Harbor Disaster, a book on cryptography relation to Pearl Harbor. The story spawned an CIA investigation. Below is the 12/12/1967 Memorandum for the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence from Walter Pforzheimer confirming the allegations.

CIA Herbert Yardley Spy Memorandum

Nor was the CIA alone in launching an investigation. The National Security Agency conducted its own inquiry into Yardley's conduct which "tend[ed] to strongly to substantiate Farago's basic claim" though it also found that "much of the rest of his account of the transaction either could not be confirmed or was found to be wrong."(1) This tendency to be wrong was undoubted a reason that David Kahn and others disbelieved his allegations.(2) Eventually, the controversy as well as Yardley's memory faded from public memory creating the space necessary for his 1999 Hall of Honor Induction.

(1) [redacted], "The Many Lives of Herbert O. Yardley, Cryptologic Spectrum, Fall 1981 - Vol. 11, No. 4 , pg. 26 Read here
(2)Ibid., pg 28 fn. 68

A Father-in-Law With Benefits: How David Petraeus Advanced His Career

2012-01-23T18:07:00.000-05:00

I thought this would be as good a time to remind or teach everyone that David Petraeus' ascent is due, in part, not to his martial prowess, but his willingness to kiss or sleep his way up to the top.

When he was a mere West Point cadet, Petraeus conveniently fell in love with Hollister Knowlton, the daughter of William A. Knowlton, then West Point Commandant, providing an early demonstration of what Colonel Andrew J. Bacevich (ret.) describes as Petraeus' “considerable talent for cultivating influential figures, both in and out of uniform, who might prove useful in advancing his own prospects.” (1) Fortunately, for Petraeus, Knowlton wasn't completely through a long, successful career. After leaving West Point, Knowlton became the chief of staff United States European Command. After finishing Ranger School, Petraeus followed his father-in-law to Europe; he where was assigned to the 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team.

In some ways just as important as her status as the West Point's Commandant's daughter, was Hollister Knowlton's status as a descendant of a Mayflower traveler.(2) This a status that is far more important to many American blue bloods than that of “Director of the CIA” or “General.”

(1)Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War, (New York: Metropolitan Books, 2010), 193

(2) Miss Knowlton Officer's Bride At West Point, New York Times, 7/7/1974, pg..40

The FBI Response to an OpenBSD FOIA

2012-01-21T23:09:00.000-05:00

As ably documented by John Young on Cryptome, there was a long-running, slow-burning controversy over claims that OpenBSD had flaws built into by individuals operating at the behest of the FBI. Reading through the Cryptome documented exchanges, I failed to see anyone considered contacting the FBI, either directly or via FOIA request, on the matter and reporting a response. (1) So I had my cut- out fire off a request for records relating to the non-profit created around the OS. Below is the no record response the Bureau sent back. Take it for what you will.

FBI No Records Response Letter RE: BSD Foundation

Since Netcraft has confirmed that BSD is dying, I doubt this will be an issue much longer.

(1) Someone did contact a former FBI agent via Twitter and received a denial.

Ivan Saric: A Short Biography

2012-01-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

Ivan Saric's INSCOM file (or part of it). For some reason it is not included on the finding aids of the RG 319 IWG records. I acquired through a redirected FOIA request to INSCOM. I suspect because, according to this release, it only contained a brief half-paged blurb worth of biography. The page also a short biography of Gregorij Rožman, bishop of Ljubljana and collaborator with the Nazis, who, like Saric, escaped justice after the war.

Ivan Saric's NARA/ INSCOM File

Tito's Plan for Middle East Peace

2012-01-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

A recent perusal of my archives uncovered this cable from the National Archives. It is a September 1967 cable from the US Embassy in Yugoslavia regarding Tito's proposal to peace in the Middle East. Portions of his proposal were implemented as a result of the Camp David Accords. Other aspects have merit and should be reconsidered (or possibly considered for the first time) such as the Security Council guaranteeing Israel's borders security. If this sounds dubious to Israel supporters, keep in mind that the United States would be part of such force.

As for the cable, the poor reproduction is result of the document's condition.

Fun and Games With the CIA's CREST Database

2012-01-19T06:45:00.000-05:00

CREST or the the CIA Records Search Tool is a system used by the CIA to make available declassified records since 2000. It is located at NARA II in College Park, Maryland. For years, this system and the records contained with were available on just four computers housed on the second 3rd floor of the NARA II building. The reasons this limited access were, according to Mother Jones's reporting: fear of hackers altering the information, an implict desire to keep foreign intelligence from accessing those files, and a general wish to prevent mischief.

This has changed. The "CIA has now also begun to include documents images in addition to the metadata for a select group of documents referred to as the "Best of CREST: (BOC)." This means that some documents will be visible while others will be mentioned but you'll have to FOIA them to see them.

Metadata Leaks Still Secret Information

This inclusion of "metadata" makes for interesting reading. Recently, I discovered that metadata can compromise information the CIA wants withheld on national security or privacy grounds. Here is a safe example of such. Enter the name "Ann Caracristi" (she was the first female deputy director of the NSA) into the CREST search engine. You get back one document.

Now, request that document from the CIA. Here's what you get. Notice how Ms. Caracristi's name is withheld. Oops.
Caracristi Turner Letter

Half-Baked Declassification

Another problem with CREST is that it's subjected to the same half-baked CIA declassification standards as any FOIA, MDR, or statutory-required release. Here are two versions of a 3/14/1984 memorandum from Herbert E. Meyer to the Director of Central Intelligence,the deputy Director of Central Intelligence, and the Chairman of the National Intelligence Council titled: “Abortions in the Soviet Bloc: What They Mean.” The first version was released in August 2008. The second version was released in December 2008.

Here is the August 2008 version :

3/14/1981 Memo on Warsaw Pact Abortions

Here is the December 2008 version.

Soviet Abortion Limited Redactions

The August 2008 version has the following redactions:

A name or names on the first page is redacted while on the second page, Herbert E. Meyer's signature and another name are withehld. The third page is withheld in its entirety.

The December 2008 version it features fewer redactions. As you can see, the name withheld in the August 2008 edition is revealed. Meyer's signature is revealed though the name is still redacted. Only two names are redacted on the third page.

None of the Really Good Stuff is There

CREST and "Best of CREST" has a lot of interesting and worthwhile stuff. However, the truly fascinating materials are not hosted on the CIA's website. You have to FOIA them and then wait and possibly pay fees. This serves to limit access to these files by erecting utterly unnecessary barriers between the documents and the public. If the CIA has the staff and equipment to scan worthless thank you letters, than they have the staff to include copies of cool documents like the records on Stargate, Ramparts Magazine, and Grillflame, where most, if not all the responsive records have to be ordered up via FOIA.

Only one "Grill Flame" result is available online

Most Notorious Liar: J. Edgar Hoover on Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-16T08:57:00.000-05:00

As the media and government elite spend today showering Martin Luther King, Jr. the praise many of them either denied or would have denied him had he been alive, it is important to recognize how King was viewed in his own time.

Here is a 11/19/1964 article from the Chicago Defender (An African-American daily) on an unusual press conference held by J. Edgar Hoover the day prior objectively to discuss the findings of the Warren Commission but which became a three-hour, free wielding event in which Hoover gave forth on numerous topics, one of which was Martin Luther King, Jr. The headline truly says it all.

To be fair, Hoover blasted southerners, attacking “red necked sheriffs,” and others at his conference. He also criticized the American Nazi Party, its leader, George Lincoln Rockwell, the John Birch Society, called for stricter gun control., and expressed his disbelief in polygraphs.

Hoover suffered no career damage for his remarks. President Lyndon Johnson carried an earlier plan to have the age limit repealed so that Hoover could continue on as Director of the FBI.

N.B. I edited out the pictures of Hoover and King that were at the end of the article. They served no purpose with regard to this post. I also edited out white space.

Yet Another Rick Perry Facepalm

2012-01-15T21:51:00.000-05:00

I thought this Rick Perry quote was a hoot. "These kids made a mistake, there's not any doubt about it."

Not only did that video risk upsetting peace talks with the Taliban, it caused the governor of Texas to view Marines as little more than children. I'd rather be a "weekend warrior" than a "kid." At least the former implies a modicum of martial prowess and manliness.

I am going to post this on Facebook.

Melodrama Much?

2012-01-14T20:30:00.000-05:00

This bit of white knighting annoyed me. Particularly the closing line, "Hopefully, these ads will encourage more men to get involved in these discussions and move our culture away from one that in some ways reserves more scorn for a “cock block” than for a rapist."

Are cock blockers sent to prison? Are cock blockers forced to register with police who will provide their information to any interested party via the internet? Are cock blockers banned from forever holding certain jobs? Was cock blocking once punished by death in much of America? Did allegations of cock block result in innocent black men being transformed into "strange fruit?" Has NATO ever used its forces to arrest accused cock blockers and forced them to face trial at an United Nations tribunal in a far-off country which convicted them and sentenced to serve a long prison sentence in a distant country whose language the offender did not know? In the 1990s, did cock blocking by Serbs in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo bring about two NATO military campaigns and two NATO military garrisons to protect the civilians in those nations?

No. Only rape has spawned such reactions and punishments. In short, in all the ways that truly matter, cock blockers are treated with about the same disrespect and derision as other marginal forms of anti-social behavior such as the close talker or the double dipper. After all, when does a cock block do more than disrupt mutually- agreed- upon verbal social interaction?

Is the FBI Going After Bain Capital?

2012-01-05T02:03:00.001-05:00

The answer to the headline question is yes. About two weeks ago, the FBI evoked FOIA exemption 7(a) and denied access to all Bain Capital records on the grounds that "there is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records; and that release of the information contained in these responsive records could reasonably be expected to interfere with the enforcement proceedings."

Whether or not this "enforcement proceeding" target Bain Capital founder Mitt Romney is unknown.

FBI Response to FOIA Re: Bain Capital

An Aside

Some have asked in response to other FBI FOIA request related postings on this site whether the FBI is required to release files related to an open investigation. As this response shows, the answer to that question is no. However, the response also shows that the FBI is required to acknowledge their existence. The only time Bureau is allowed to claim a no records response is during an active investigation in which acknowledgment of responsive records would compromise it.

The Rubes and Rick: Rick Santorum and the Truth About Government Spending

2012-01-04T01:16:00.000-05:00

Small- government rhetoric is for the rubes. Take Rick Santorum. Santorum knows that government works. He has built his life and career upon and around government spending. He attended multiple highly-subsidized state schools. He made a career in law, a field that is heavily protected by government regulation. He was a government employee for decades before Casey beat him in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate election. He endlessly praises the largest, most bureaucratized elements of government (the military and law enforcement).

He also knows that government provided health care can and does work because his parents demonstrated that to him during their working lives. They worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

His railing against government spending? Mere political theater for the rubes.

How Was Your Christmas?

2011-12-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

My Christmas was subpar. I really didn't want anything, but my mother's love of big Christmases propelled her to badger me into making a list anyway. Now, I have a ton of stuff that will never get used, will be regifted, or will rot in some closet, but now I am expected to be grateful for.

My subnormal brother spent Christmas Eve "working," so we had to be quiet and tip-toe around the house while he sobered up enough to join the family. This occurred around 5. Thankfully, we got to eat, though I had already eaten the dessert pie out of the pan. My lack of self-discipline is why I am fat.

We ate in silence and then I wandered off and spent the rest of the time trying to fend off attempts by wayward Wi-Fi nodes to connect to computer and deciding which hobos I will give out my Christmas candy to in an ultimately futile attempt to keep them from trying to rob or rape me. Then I decided to blog. If I can focus my attention, I am going to post some amusing stuff soon.

Some Music- Skrillex

2011-12-25T10:43:00.000-05:00

One day, the fact I embedded this music into my blog will cause people to question my appropriateness, fitness for my job, and my sanity. However, nobody will think to question the moguls who produce and promote this music for their own profit. God Bless Capitalist America. Meanwhile, enjoy.

Don't You Smoke Crack?

2011-12-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

No, but it turns out that Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins the actor who played Thomas "Sams" in the film Lean on Me was busted allegedly trying to buy 200 lbs. of weed from an undercover cop in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County.I suspect he'll be enjoying Arpaio's "Tent City" accommodations soon enough.

If you're having trouble placing Hopkins, he's the non-Morgan Freeman actor in this clip.

Yet Another Blog

2011-12-04T21:38:00.000-05:00

I have started yet another blog. This is one, focused on the National Security Agency, is called Titanium Tibia. It is a homage to the line of duty injury I suffered in the military. I thought such a name would be delightfully tacky.

The Pope and the Bureau: The FBI File of Pope John XXIII

2011-12-01T03:54:00.000-05:00

The file contents aren't all that interesting, but the FBI's Record and Information Dissemination Section's ineptitude and sloth are on full display. I had a request submitted for all their records on Pope John XXIII. They give me the 10 pages of previously released material and then tell me that there might be more records where that came from. In essence, I am told to FOIA again and maybe this time they'll do their jobs.

As for the records themselves, as stated above there's nothing much to them. The file starts with a news article regarding the John XXIII's election. The second document, a three page cable from the American legation in Rome to J. Edgar Hoover regarding the health of John XXIII. In the cable, it speculated that the pope is dying from cancer (he ultimately dies from stomach cancer) and that this knowledge is being concealed by the Vatican due to John XXIII's desire to complete his work. The file concludes with some more press material about Pope John XXIII including a three page article from “Divine Love” a publication based in Fresno California, sent anonymously to J. Edgar Hoover.

Pope John XXIII's FBI File

Behold, A New Blog

2011-11-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

I have started a new blog on Baltimore City history titled "A Fist Full of History." You can see the first posting here.

Of course, I'll cross post anything of more general interest to this blog as well.

Ron Paul's Secret Love Affair With FDIC

2011-11-04T19:44:00.000-04:00

Publicly, Ron Paul, that allegedly contrarian, Libertarian defender of the Constitution, despises the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). According to this 11/22/2005, Ron Paul diatribe against the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act hosted on LewRockwell.com, the FDIC is a monstrous organization that, among others things,

charges banks premiums, 'which are actually taxes,”
transfers liability for poor management decisions from those who made the decisions, to their competitors,”
aggravated the S&L banking crisis of the 1980s and 1990s due to its inept management
"removes incentives for individuals to act on their own to protect their deposits or even inquire as to thehealth of their financial institution."

and, undoubtedly the worst of all in Paulite eyes,

"lacks constitutional authority"

Given his antipathy towards FDIC, and the ease with which Ron Paul can avoid supporting this system (by simply withdraw one's money from a bank), you'd expect Ron Paul to have no contact with the FDIC banking system, right? Wrong. Like most things government, Ron Paul is content to spit out platitudes about the evils of government, while mindlessly gorging on the benefits and goodies it gives out. As shown by Ron Paul's 2010 Presidential Campaign financial disclosure forms (h/t Opensecrets.org), Paul not only uses FDIC protection, but actively maximizes his protection by keeping the maximum amount of money covered in FDIC in one bank, and then spreading the rest out to a number of other financial institutions. As shown by the screen shot below, Ron Paul has 250,000+ in account at FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF LAKE JACKSON and spreads out the rest of his cash to two other Lake Jackson banks, the TEXAS DOW EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION and the TEXAS GULF BANK.

Now, I am sure the Paul nuts are going to vomit forth two defenses of their beloved icon. First, they'll argue that Paul is merely getting back the money he pays into this system. This is a common Libertarian argument, one that is without merit given that there is not a Libertarian alive who tracks his use of government resources to ensure that he only uses what he paid into the pot and not a penny more.

Second, they'll offer some convoluted gibberish about how Paul is forced to do this because of the government and he has no choice. Like the banks, he has the option of not being covered by FDIC. He can keep the money at home or in an investment not covered by the government.

Christ, given that Mandela spent decades in jail to maintain his beliefs, is it too much to ask that Ron Paul incur the slightest inconvenience in order to earn his reputation as some solid, limited-government, "pro-freedom," reputation?

Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Discloure Records

The FBI Finds Police Brutality Funny

2011-10-31T00:18:00.001-04:00

RIDS FOIA Buzz is a short newsletter point out the FBI's Record and Information Dissemination Section and intended to educate the RIDS Section staff about information and events relevant to their jobs. A while back, the owner of Government Attic acquired what appears to be the then entire production run of the newsletter.

There's little of interest on my part until the July 2010 edition where at the bottom of the third page where they have a spot of humor regarding law enforcement practices below is a screen shot is of the offending section:

The FBI portion is making most likely light of the April 1993 assault on the Branch Davidian in Waco Texas which resulted in the deaths of David Koresh and 74 others. The LAPD quip makes light of the LAPD's well-established, earned reputation and history of rampant thuggery and vile brutality.

Here are the first page of the July 2010 edition of the RIDS FOIA Buzz and the three page with the offending material.

FBI FOIZ Buzz Records

The FBI File on the (Koch Brothers Supported) Aspen Institute

2011-10-30T00:33:00.000-04:00

The FBI has responded to a FOIA that I had submitted for records pertaining to the Aspen Institute and released a small, 20-page file on the group. Those hoping for dirt on the Koch Brothers will be disappointed, the records deal with two separate protests directed against the organization. One lead by the US Labor Party and its minions in the National Caucus of Labor Committees (both of which were vehicles for the personal ambition of Lyndon LaRouche) which are described by in the FBI file as being “ a violent-oriented Marxist revolutionary organization, which aims to replace democracy in the U.S., with a Communist form of government,” and a smaller protest directed against the Aspen Institute in 2000.

The first protest was directed by the USLP and its NCLC wing against an Aspen Institute conference that was hosted at the Wye Plantation in Queenstown, MD in February 1979. The conference was an American-British affair supported by US State Department, which the files shows, provided security, titled, “Issues of Governance in Public Broadcasting.” The meeting featured senior figures in British and American public television. The investigation began after a member of the USPL or NCLC was caught trying to pass themselves off as a member of the Hudson Institute with orders to “pull together a dossier on the US Labor Party.” After some comparing of notes by those he contacted and those the USPL member claimed ordered his work, it was revealed that this individual was not a member of the Hudson Institute. The file is not clear, but it appears at this time that the FBI was involved. The FBI assembled a Teletype on the matter, but appears to have taken no further action.

The second protest monitored was the 8/19/2000 protest against the Aspen Institute during their 50^th anniversary celebrations. There is frankly very little of interest here except the fact law enforcement seemed shocked that the protesters were shocked to be on the receiving end of polite, respectful law enforcement behavior and that the Direct Action Network was targeted by the FBI.

FBI Records Aspen Institute

The NRO's WikiLeaks Record Drop: Was WikiLeaks Duped?

2011-10-29T09:53:00.000-04:00

Approximately 18 months ago, I had a request submitted to the National Reconnaissance Office for all their records relating to WikiLeaks.org. In the last few days, they final responded to that request and released a single, three page, heavily- redacted, email exchange among an unknown number of NRO staffers regarding a [redacted] document hosted on WikiLeaks' website.

The released document tells us very little about the NRO or WikiLeaks. It states that on 5/21/2008, a reference to something WikiLeaks.org related was listed or posted to the NRO's NRO Watch Log. This led to a [redacted] NRO staffer checking it out. Discussion ensued among NRO staffers. Very little of that conversation was spared the snazzy, red-bordered, glossy- black redaction scheme employed by the NRO FOIA office. However, one formerly classified as SECRET/NO FORN tidbit was spared (intentionally, I suspect). That portion of the document dealing with comments downplaying WikiLeaks and Cryptome.org 's posting of national security and other secret documents. {redacted] says of both:

In short, it appears that someone within the NRO is mocking both famed leaker sites for posting government documents that had been declassified and that both sites (as well as WikiLeaks in this case) have been duped in the past into posting what are purported to be secret documents that in fact had been declassified.

If that is the case (and given the ample redactions, my reading of the NRO comment might be wrong), this criticism is without merit with regard to Cryptome.org whose front page preamble states:

Cryptome welcomes documents for publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security, intelligence, and secret governance -- open, secret and classified documents -- but not limited to those.

Now, given at the time WikiLeaks declared- "Wikileaks does not accept rumor, opinion or other kinds of first hand reporting or material that is already publicly available," this criticism is accurately directed towards them. (It should be noted, as shown by the sole NRO document on WikiLeaks, this policy subsequently changed.)

Given that WikiLeaks was just becoming known to the American public and Cablegate and the dropping of the Afghan and Iraq War logs had yet to occur, I suspect this is the limit of WikiLeaks records existing as of the date of the request. Requests I had submitted to NCIS and US Army CID (see a CID second release here) during this time period have produced similar results. I also think that a plethora of records were created as WikiLeaks continued its high- profile leaks of American intelligence material. I have had a FOIA request submitted for that material and suspect that I'll post an update some time in late 2012 or early 2013.

NRO WikiLeaks Record Circa mid-2010

The Text of My WikiLeaks FOIA Request

2011-10-17T19:31:00.000-04:00

Below is the relevant portion of the FOIA request to the FBI that I had submitted for their records pertaining to WikiLeaks:

Pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C.§ 552, I request a copy of all records pertaining to WikiLeaks.

I agree to pay reasonable duplication fees for the processing of this request in an amount not to exceed $25. However, please notify me prior to your incurring any expenses in excess of that amount.

I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Thank you for your assistance.

As you can see, it is a slightly modified boilerplate FOIA request spawned by many a FOIA generator available online. The person who submits my FOIA requests has used this template before and usually received an accurate response from the FBI to prior requests.

WikiLeaks Has No FBI File

2011-10-17T05:56:00.000-04:00

According to the no records response letter on the right, the organization known as WikiLeaks has no FBI file despite having leaked over 250,000 purloined State Department cables, 700 illicit dossiers on Gitmo detainees, and tens of thousands of records on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This means that the lead law enforcement agency in the United States has been completely frozen out of the investigation into largest compromise of intelligence information in the history of the United States and probably the world, or Record/Information Dissemination Section is lazy, incompetent, dishonest, or some combination of the last three. As shown by the links below, there were publicly accessible, responsive records right on the FBI's website.

For example here is a 3/16/2011 Statement Before the House Judiciary Committee mentioning a FBI investigation into WikiLeaks.

Here is a 7/19/2011 press release announcing the arrest of 16 people for allegedly participating cyber attacks in support of WikiLeaks

Finally, here is a 4/21/2011 statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism by Gordon M. Snow Assistant Director, Cyber Division

Clearly, the FBI has WikiLeaks related record. Now, why couldn't the apparent goof troopers in RIDS find them? I have my theories.

Lunatic Calm's Best Song

2011-10-14T20:12:00.000-04:00

Lunatic Calm's Leave You Far Behind was their best song.

Amy Winehouse has No FBI File, Bureau Says

2011-10-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

Given her international celebrity and the amount of crack she smoked, I am shocked to report that the FBI has no file on recently deceased singer/domestic violence practitioner Amy Winehouse.

I Have Returned

2011-10-03T20:11:00.000-04:00

Due to health, economic, employment, and technical issues, I have not posted in a while. Thankfully, these issues have been resolved or, at least, they have abated, so expect more updates soon.

I promise.

A Cornucopia of Crazy: The Westboro Baptist Church's FBI File

2011-08-22T23:52:00.001-04:00

Recently, in response to a FOIA request submitted on my behalf, the FBI released to me its 191 page dossier on the Westboro Baptist Church, a rather vile organization known for its staunch anti- LGBT stance. As a survey of the file conducted by me reveals, the Westboro Baptist Church has experienced some degree of blowback due to their “God Hates Fags,” crusades. The file also reveals past incidents of anti-Semitic belief that drove the WBC to support a Nazi war criminal.

In response to the possibility of harm against Phelps and his clan, the FBI conducted investigations into threats against the organization. In 1996, the FBI intervened redacted after she sent threats to the Westboro Baptist Church after becoming enraged over his attitudes towards the LGBT community. They intervened the self-confessed guilty party, the served at least one subpoena (to her ISP), and fully documented the threat. Even after deciding the case was not worth federal investigative resources, the AUSA, in light of [redacted]'s possession of firearms, even tried to keep the case open in the event that Phelps traveled to the West Coast again. In 1998, the FBI investigated bomb threats against the Westboro Baptist Church. Twice in January 1999 and thrice in March 1999, bomb threats were received by the Westboro Baptist Church and each time the FBI looked into it.

Other interesting factoids gleaned from the FBI dossier on the Westboro Baptist Church:

The militia ~~network~~ (1) types believed that Phelps was an ally due to his and his church's anti- LGBT biogtry,and its membership occasionally became agitated to the point of threatening violence when this was discovered not to be the case.

The FBI provided information on the group to the Canadian (and possibly the Finnish) government(s).

Westboro Baptist Church is staunchly anti-Semitic.

In one press release they described Harriet Lerner as “THE JOLLY ANTICHRIST JEW” In another press release, the Westboro Baptist Church calls Ruth Bader Ginsburg a “Jewish Dwarf,” and asks in a photo caption: Why was she chosen over 3 gentile women?” A January 1997, press release described the Office of Special Investigations' attempt to deport to Kolnhofer as “Jew vengeance” and claimed that these efforts amounted to “SHYLOCK JEWS WANT ANOTHER POUND OF FLESH. POOR OLD MAN, 79, ON LIFE SUPPORT.” It also railed against “tyrant Jew Judges” and :Bloody Nazi Jews” in Kansas who supposedly attacked members of the church and suppressed their free speech and freedom of religion rights. The press release concluded with a announcement that the WBC would be protesting the Holocaust Museum (alternatively described as the “Holocaust Memorial Sodomite Museum and the Holocaust Fag Museum,” in Washington DC in January 1998.

The reason for the Westboro Baptist Church's litigious nature is their refusal “to solicit or accept financial contributions, being of the Old School Baptist persuasion, whose churches never pass the plate, lest the Gospel be deemed for sale.”

His family has criminal behavior and the FBI recommended that “caution should be used when addressing [redacted] and his followers. Some of the family members, including [redacted] have criminal records to include battery, extortion, witness intimidation, harassment, and other miscellaneous charges.

They view their signs as “huge, colorful, state of the art productions”. In a Twitter message, Zacharias Phelps Roper confirmed that this still their view, stating: "Absolutely! (＾ｰ^)ノ".

The FBI informed on WBC to [redacted] of [redacted Canadian law enforcement or intelligence agency]. It also appears that the FBI did a “threat assessment” regarding the Westboro Baptist Church and the risk they they posed to then-Finnish President Tarja Halonen.

When contacted by the author for comment and follow up questions, Timothy Phelps replied:

That's great news! If there's anything in there that might remind you of your duty to serve your Creator, focus on that part. The rest can be used as you see fit (toilet paper, bird cages, kindling, or what not)

The Westboro Baptist Church's FBI File

(1) That was a poor choice of words. Thanks to Jesse Walker for pointing out my error.

Two Bigots in a Pod

2011-08-21T21:46:00.000-04:00

If you're so inclined, you can follow a Twitter account that spits out the shibboleths of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps. Twitter, in its infinite wisdom will make recommendations of similar people. If this case it shows how close the anti-gay mainstream and the "fringe" gay haters truly are.

Aimright Mrs. Bachmann?

Zero Hedge Has No FBI File

2011-08-15T19:08:00.000-04:00

Without a doubt, Zero Hedge is the baddest bad boy of all the bad boy financial websites. Others have described it far better than I have, (especially in light of how little time I have allotted to this post.) For example, according to a quote from Matt Taibi's Griftopia posted on Wikipedia:

Right around that same time, there were three media stories that helped focus a swirl of seriously negative attention on the bank. My piece was one, New York magazine's Joe Hagan wrote another, and the third was a series of stories by a heretofore little-known blogger who went by the nom de plume of "Tyler Durden" on a blog called Zero Hedge.

Durden's blog was written in an impenetrable Wall Street jargon, and the man himself – later outed by nosy reporters as an Eastern European trader who had been sanctioned by FINRA – was intimidating even to Wall Street insiders. "Zero Hedge, man, he makes my head hurt" was a typical comment from my Wall Street sources.

Beginning in early 2009 Durden had been on a jihad about Goldman, having sifted through trading data to make what he insisted was an airtight case proving that the bank's high-frequency or "flash" trading desk was engaged in some sort of large-scale manipulation of the New York Stock Exchange. Durden drew his conclusions by scrupulously analyzing trading data the NYSE released each week. So what happened? Naturally, the NYSE on June 24 changed its rules and stopped releasing the data, seemingly to protect Goldman from Zero Hedge's meddling.

However, for whatever reason, Zero Hedge has not garnered any attention from the FBI. Perhaps the SEC is watching it. Maybe the Treasury has it surveillance. However, the leading the American law enforcement agency has no interest it or the activities of its denizens.

NSA Releases Historical Acronym Guide

2011-08-12T12:22:00.000-04:00

In response to a recent FOIA request submitted on behalf of this publication, the National Security Agency has released in largely unredacted form its 47-page guide on historical SIGINT acronyms and abbreviations titled Guide to Cryptologic Acronyms & Abbreviations, 1940-1980, In its introduction by former NSA historian Robert Hanyok, the purpose of this guide is "to assist personnel in identifying acronyms, abbreviations, special markings, and certain covernames which may be found in historical cryptologic-related records such as memoranda, messages, reports, studies, and plans and who creation was necessitated by the "decreasing number of personnel performing records management, archives, history, and declassification functions who lack direct experience in cryptologic events prior to 1970".

Guide to Cryptologic Acronyms & Abbreviations, 1940-1980

You're a Swear Word

2011-08-09T23:11:00.000-04:00

An overhead exchange between children:

"You're a cuss word."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

Mudvayne

2011-08-05T01:27:00.002-04:00

Mudvayne was one of the unappreciated metal bands of the early 21st century. I could never get any of my friends into them, so I had to enjoy them on my own or at volumes loud enough to drown out my friends complaining.

Memoir Thursday #3 Dayna Baer on the Wars in the Former Yugoslavia

2011-08-04T22:05:00.000-04:00

I had previously read Bob Baer's See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism, so I knew that he spent at least some time in the former Yugoslavia. However, he does not supply any useful details about the CIA operations in the former Yugoslavia or the wars themselves, so I didn't find it all that useful for my research. But I made a mental note to pay attention to him.

Recently, I happened upon Robert Baer's newest book, The Company We Keep: A Husband-And-Wife True-Life Spy Story, which he co-authored with his wife Dayna Baer, who was also a CIA operative.

In the opening chapter of the book, Dayna Baer recounts her knowledge of the Bosnian War:

I wonder about the butter-yellow houses we are passing, with their red tiled roofs. How was it that an incredibly bloody war started in a place like this? These people are modern Europeans, and then one day, I don't know, sitting around watching a national football championship on Eurovision, they picked up axes and started killing each other, Croats slaughtering Serbs, Serbs slaughtering Bosnian Muslims. Aren't they all Slavs? And don't they look alike and speak the same language? It just doesn't make sense to me. But headquarters doesn't really care if I know next to nothing about Bosnia. My job is to surveil the Arab Mujahidin, who showed up here at the beginning of the war. Period.

I am not sure what is worse, the Dayna Baer's ignorance or the CIA's blaise attitude about it.

The CIA be Running Wild

2011-08-01T14:57:00.001-04:00

A while ago, I blogged about Joe Biden's claim that the American Intelligence Community was running amok, covering up crimes by its minions in the name of national security. Stansfield Turner was not a popular Director of Central Intelligence and his book on American intelligence reform, Burn Before Reading: Presidents, CIA Directors, and Secret Intelligence, he talks about his subordinates tried to dispose of him when he decided to move on a recommendation to downsize the Directorate of Operations:

The DO people seized on the reduction of 820 positions as an opportunity to attempt to get me fired. They launched a disinformation campaign (one of their basic skills). One morning I read in the Washington Post that President Carter had forced Frank Carlucci on me as my deputy. The theory was that Carter did not want to fire me, but that he was dissatisfied with me and was going to have Carlucci actually take over. It happened that it was I who came up with the idea of Carlucci as the deputy and had pleaded with the president to release him from being ambassador to Portugal.

Stansfield Turner survived the office coup attempt, but only after Carter dispatched former governor of Pennsylvania William Scantron to investigate and received a positive report back Turner's reign.

Bemusing Belated Outrage

2011-07-27T09:07:00.000-04:00

I shouldn't be too hard on Tom Socca, after all he's usually the editor of the sports blog Deadspin and not some variety of defense or intelligence correspondent. On the other hand, his article on Slate.com about the CIA's faux vaccine program designed to acquire the DNA of Osama Bin Laden irks me because much of its (and his) outrage originate in his ignorance of CIA behavior.

If Socca had more than a passing knowledge of the Central Intelligence Agency, he would know that the CIA has long exploited medical issues to further the goals of the Agency and the United States. In Blowing My Cover, Lindsay Moran discusses a training exercise in which she exploited a target's daughter's need for medical treatment to secure his cooperation in matters of espionage. She also noted that in situations such as this that if the target ceased to cooperate or perform as the Agency expected, they would withdraw assistance.

Not Exactly a Pick-up Artist

2011-07-26T18:55:00.000-04:00

When I was an undergraduate, I created an account on Yahoo Personals and attempted to meet Croatians to conduct oral histories for on my undergraduate independent study.

Not one person responded to my offers. It was the EPIC FAIL of that particular endeavor.

Abortion: An Editorial Comment

2011-07-25T13:43:00.000-04:00

Another I happened to realize and decide was blogworthy today was the anti-choice right's double-talk about children.

On one hand, anti-choice activist prattled endlessly about dire need of pregnant women who seek an abortion to "take personal responsibility" for their situation, to "accept the consequences of their actions," and so forth.

In short, pregnancy is the outcome of sexual activity that must be accepted. Depending upon the circumstances leading to the pregnancy, it might be viewed as punishment, a burden to be born due to irresponsible behavior.

On the other hand, when women seeking an abortion articulate the idea of "baby as burden," all most immediately, the anti-choice goes into faux horror and declares that "a baby is not a punishment."

Yeah, right.

A Little Bit About Me

2011-07-25T01:24:00.000-04:00

I am fairly liberal. Because of this I am frequently exposed to all manner of liberal thought and thought of fellow travelers of liberalism in American like feminism and multiculturalism.

However, I didn't really become liberal or all that politically aware until my time in the military. Because of that and my upbringing in a center-right, somewhat religious community, I often learn things long after they become "common wisdom."

One of these things has to do with the alleged culture of violence toward women. This post was inspired by some internet thing I recently happened upon which claimed that American men are socialized to engage in violence toward women and that society tolerates this.

Undoubtedly this is true in some subcultures. However, in my reasonably traditional upbringing and socialization, engaging in violence was a serious no-no. As a child, I knew that boys and men that hit on girls were losers, thugs, bullies, retards, and other such names. I also knew that if I beat down a girl, it be a race to see which one of my parents beat my ass. Upon my recovery, I would have found myself mocked and shunned.

This still true today, in my adulthood. If I ever lost my mind and whacked a woman in any case short of dire self-defense, I'd know better than to call anyone for bail. My friends would disown me. My family would never let me forget it. Hell, even in a case of self-defense, I'd experience full-on victim blaming.

Speaking with my friends, I have found that they feel or felt the same way. Granted, this might be a product of a white privilege, but I doubt it given the black guys I spoke to about feel the same way.Nor does my male privilege explain because the women I know outside of my liberal friends say the same thing. Perhaps it is a benefit of my law-abiding privilege. I suspect I'll never know.

So, it wasn't until my senior year in college that I learned that violence against women was okay. To this day, the only place where I am taught this is in left-learning circles like my graduate classes and among liberal ideologues with whom I associate. At home, at school, at work, I knew that any violence toward women is unacceptable, wrong, and to be severely punished.

I keep that fact to myself. I get enough flak for disliking Chomsky, sort of supporting the wars in Afghanistan and Libya, and thinking America is alright.

On Amy Winehouse

2011-07-23T21:13:00.000-04:00

Amy Winehouse died today. I have already written up a FOIA request and will have it submitted by tomorrow to the FBI.

On a more serious note, what is the difference between the junkie Winehouse and the crack-addled hobo who flung (what appeared to be) his own shit at me today? Why is her death more tragic, sad, and deserving of respect than his eventual demise?

Unpacking the Imaginary Knapsack

2011-07-22T22:46:00.000-04:00

As an allegedly privileged white man, I am endlessly amused by the number of idiot liberals and leftists who mindlessly and effortlessly attribute what success I have had in my life to "white" or "male" privilege conspiracy theorists but bitch endlessly when a women or POC is accused of benefiting from an affirmative action.

When Middle Easterners Are White

2011-07-21T15:40:00.001-04:00

I was reading Glen Greenwald's latest piece which is about the end of Cenk Uygur's stint at MSNBC when I was struck by this bit about why this occurred:

there are obvious factors that would cause MSNBC to make this move that have nothing to do with Uygur, including the growing criticisms the network faced over its blatant lack of diversity in its prime-time line-up

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Uyggur (Left) is a raised-as-a-Sunni-Muslim, Turkish-American immigrant who became an agnostic. I doubt there is another individual like him on any daytime or prime time news shows.

The truth is that Arab and Turkish Americans are white. They're considered white for affirmative action issues, for the white privilege issues, and for membership in African-American groups. If you disbelieve me about the last group conjure up a Libyan or Algerian American and attempt to have them join a college African-American group.

Because of this Cenk Uygur had to go. He was simply another white face in a sea of white on MSNBC prime time line-up. He has been replaced with a suitable African-American, and diversity has been created.

Now, had Cenk Uygur simply been fired and replaced with another white man, then it would represented discrimination and an attack on multiculturalism and diversity. Why?

Because Arab-Americans and Turkish-Americans are always people of color (POCs) when that can be used to demonize the establishment, Americans, America, or the West.

Let's Go Riot

2011-07-21T10:47:00.003-04:00

Given we're in the midst of the 134 anniversary of America's largest industrial revolt, I thought this was appropriate.

Moar Monuments Please: On the Neglected History of the 1877 B&O Riot

2011-07-17T09:52:00.001-04:00

Baltimore City is known as the "Monumental City." This moniker was affixed to the city by 6th president John Quincy Adams in the 1820s when he quipped that "Baltimore is truly the monumental city," after he gazed out on to the city and saw the recently completed Washington Monument and Battle Monument.

The "Monumental City" nickname has lasted because Baltimore City and its residents love to commemorate stuff. Seriously, the next time you feel adventurous wander through the more civilized portions of Baltimore City and look at the exterior building walls. You'll find a ton of plaques placed by the state or local government to honor and document some event. My personal favorite is a engraving on the ground along Pratt St. announcing that it was the 1,000 curb cut put in by the city.Private organizations are equally as profligate with their public commemorations. For example, Little Italy's St. Leo Catholic Church has a monument for each major conflict or war that its parishioners, fought in including the 1991 Gulf War. Very few aspects of Baltimore City history are not commemorated with some formal monument or plaque.

The most notable exception to this the 1877 Great Railroad Strike which began 134 years and two days ago today and which lasted for 45 days and extended from Baltimore to St. Louis. Dozens were killed nationwide as strikers battled National Guard and federal forces dispatched by state governors and President Hayes to restore order. Fighting last for about week in Baltimore as city police, National Guard units and the army combined to smash the workers but not before one National Guard regiment was defeated and extensive property damage occurred.

However, other than a brief blurb on an obscure sign in Riverside Park, there is no historical signage to this event. Other than Camden Station, which is now a sports museum, none of the structures associated with the riot still stand, while at the epic center (Camden Yards) there is a Babe Ruth Statue, several statues of the retired numbers of Baltimore Orioles, and four baseball plaques commemorating long home runs during Oriole Park's history.

This lack of acknowledge or a key event in American history is an appalling and I suspect not accidental slight. It is forgotten that the B&O railroad strike led to an increasing in union activity and forced companies such as the B&O to reduce their exploitation of workers by striking the fear of labor into them. It is a lesson that both the working class and the elite would do well to remember.

If only we could get a plaque to commemorate it.

The 134 Anniversary of the Great Railroad Strike

2011-07-17T00:41:00.000-04:00

134 years and 3 days ago, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad put out the notice to the left, announcing yet another round of wage cuts and layoffs. The president of the B&O expected the employees to take the news quietly. He was mistaken.

Three days after the announcement was made , B&O Railroad workers in Martinsburg West Virgina went on strike (right top), refusing to allow moving freight through. The militia was dispatched but refused to fire on the strikers. Eventually federal troops were deployed and eventually quelled the strike.

However, before federal forces smashed the strike it had already spread to Cumberland MD and eventually the home of the B&O headquarters Baltimore (right bottom) where fierce fighting would take place around what is now Oriole Park and the Phoenix Shot Tower before being quelled by city police, National Guard units, and the military. The rioters ransacked the train yard and dispatched the 6th Regiment before being crushed.

The rioting would continue throughout the United States until finally brought to an end about three weeks after it started.

The riot had profound impact on how the B&O railroad did business. Among other things were its creation of a pension plan for its workers, the first in American history and the establishment of a "relief association" that provided aid to sick and injured employees.

Capitalism Now on Tap at Red Emma's

2011-07-16T05:29:00.000-04:00

During my last pilgrimage to Red Emma's I realized that Red Emma's needs a liquor license. I know it can be hassle to get and keep one. I understand that the name sake of the place had issues with drinking. I also know that the place would be far more entertaining.

I also realized that Red Emma's Free School is conducting classes on how to run your own small business. If you're interested these classes will run on 7/16, 7/20, 7/23, and 7/28. Given its proclaimed anti-capitalist attitudes and beliefs, I think this more than a bit amusing. If I was capitalist inclined, I might attend one of this classes just to fashion an awesome origins story for my nascent business.

Rob Zombie and Me

2011-07-16T02:58:00.000-04:00

Back when I was young, foolish and had a car with properly working engine, Rob Zombie music formed the soundtrack to the adventures and ballyhoo of my friends and I. My favorite song was Dragula from the Matrix soundtrack.

Accreditation for Economists or: How You Can Become One of Paul Krugman's Colleague

2011-07-11T01:35:00.000-04:00

In light of the dire straits the American and global economies find themselves, I thought I would reproduce Sam Pocker's astute insight into the qualifications to be an economist in America. For those concerned with such things, I will also point that this blog title is a homage to book from which this tidbit originates:

First of all, I am an economist, and therefore an expert about my topic. Fair enough? Let's examine my credentials. How did I come to be an economist? Did I attend a university and get a degree in business? No. Did I work for a financial firm? No. Have I ever taken a class in economics? No. As I discovered, all one needs to do in order to become an economist is simply declare themselves to be one. [....] it is not actually necessary to do anything other than breathe in order to ~~claim to~~ be one.

The strike- out is small correction to Pocker's otherwise stellar insight. The same is true of historians as well. However, my much beloved readership, I had ~~the common decency to earn though hard labor and diligent study a university degree in history~~ a college degree given to me due to my white, male, and hetero-normative privileges with zero effort on my part.

On Typos and Toxicology: A Rant on Intellectual Disabilities

2011-07-10T09:34:00.000-04:00

If I hammer out a scholarly article that happens to contain a few learning- disability- induced- typographical errors, people view it as slapdash and unserious, while I am pegged as being "lazy," and "stupid."Any information or analysis in the article is suspect.

However, if I submit a scholarly article and shortly after its publication get hammered and drive my car, two actions which then result in my having an accident causing the deaths or maiming of children, my action hardly dings my reputation as a scholar or my reputation for being intelligent. Nobody questions the contents of my scholarship despite having proven myself irresponsible and a drunkard a trait that without doubt can effect my research.

On the AfroCyberpunk

2011-07-09T21:51:00.000-04:00

Since William Gibson's Neuromancer and Bruce Sterling's Holy Fire have proven to be two of the few fictional works that I can not only muddle my way through but actually fully absorb and understand in a single reading, Cyberpunk literature is without a doubt my favorite genre. It is where the last half on my

However, the Matrix movies aside, the genre has largely fizzled and I frankly cannot summon (even when aided by prescription medication) the attention span necessary to consume the cyberpunk literature that is produced.

However, I happened the AfroCyberpunk and his website and while my attention holds firm, I have to say his essays are top-shelf, dense but written in an easy and engaging style that a mental defective like myself can handle. The same is true of his fiction which I enjoyed for much the same reason.

An Implicit Denial: The CIA Hints That It Is Not Monitoring Juan Cole

2011-07-06T18:45:00.001-04:00

When the story broke that a former, high-level CIA official was claiming that the second Bush administration was using the Central Intelligence Agency to acquire information on Juan Cole, I naturally became curious and had a FOIA request dispatched for the relevant records. Realizing that a direct request for Juan Cole's records would be met with a preemptive invocation of the b(6) FOIA exemption, I had the FOIA request crafted to seeking out records pertaining to Professor Cole's website Informed Comment.

It took the CIA just two weeks to decline to process the request claiming that because the mission of the Central Intelligence Agency is primarily concerned with foreign intelligence" and because the information [I] requested, insofar as we can discern has nothing to do with the primary mission of this Agency, and, therefore, we must decline to process your request.

There you have it. The CIA deals primarily with foreign intelligence. Informed Comment is not foreign intelligence, thus they cannot even process a request on the matter because there is nothing to be had.

In all honesty, only a Privacy Act request by Professor Cole or an investigation by the Senate Select Intelligence Committee will ever provide answers.

Even More Missives From the Opaque Boss

2011-07-05T12:17:00.000-04:00

Curious as to the NSA's role in the death of Bin Laden? Submit a FOIA request for the Director's Message on "NSA's Role in the Death of Osama Bin Laden." It is one of dozens of messages from Director of the NSA to his staff officially acknowledged by the NSA.

In response to a recent FOIA request submitted on behalf of the author, the National Security Agency has declassified a list of "Director's Messages," missives from Keith Alexander to his underlings and minions at NSA. This newly declassified and decontrolled list features messages dating from the last list which this author was able to procure (available here) . It should be noted that the Director's Messages replaced the "DIRgrams" sent out by General Michael Hayden during his reign as DIRNSA. The two lists of Hayden's DIRgrams can be found here and here

While all of the messages on this seven- page list appearing to be interesting, among the more notable are:

"NSA's Role in the Death of Osama Bin Laden"
"New NSA/CSS Strategy"
"Violence in the Workplace"
"NSA and the New Administration"
"Support to the President-elect's transition Team"
and many, many more.

Copies of these messages can be obtained through FOIA. Electronic FOIA requests can be submitted to the NSA through their website.

A 3rd Round of DIRNSA Messages

A Croatian, Culinary Clash

2011-07-05T02:03:00.000-04:00

During the opening week of 1980, Chicago was the scene of an aborted terrorist campaign directed against Croatian emigres supportive of Yugoslavia. On January 4^th 1980, a bomb was discovered in the parking lot used by customers of the Golden Shell restaurant, which was patronized by Yugoslavs and located within an ethnic Croatian neighborhood. Around noon, January 5^th 1980, a Chicago employee sanitation was killed when an improvised explosive device placed in the alley behind the Continental Club detonated. Like the Golden Shell, the Continental Club was patronized largely by Yugoslavs.¹

The investigation made little progress. One of the biggest impediments appears to the fact that no claims of credit were received for the bombings and no communiques were issued. Upon, however, consultation with other FBI field offices and the initial examination of the crime scenes, Croatian National Resistance members were immediately suspected.² This initial impression was bolstered by a source who had “furnished reliable information,” the owner of the Golden Shell was disliked by Otpor members who disapproved of her decision to advertise on pro-Yugoslav radio shows. The source also informed the FBI that the Continental Club had occurred Otpor's disfavor because its ownership was pro-Yugoslav and Yugoslav diplomatic personnel were a common presence in the restaurant.³ Another “confidential source who has furnished reliable information in the past” alerted the FBI that spoke with a [redacted] individual who told the Otpor member that the FBI had questioned her about Otpor and the [redacted] individual's relationship with it.

While the [redacted] (probably the owner or the manager of the Golden Shell) stated she had no problems with any Yugoslav groups prior to the bombing attempt⁴ [Redacted] reported that the [redacted] of the Golden Shell had been previously condemned over her decision to advertise the restaurant as “Yugoslav” as opposed to “Croatian” and she had been approached with demands to display pro-Croatian posters in the windows.⁵

The Continental Club had recently had a Yugoslav entertainer at the club, something that angered members of the Serbian and Croatian communities.⁶ On January 6^th, the Kragujevic Lounge received a threatening phone call from a male “Serbian” voice who shouted profanity over the loyalty to Tito at the [redacted] recipient of the phone call.⁷Based on the prior two attacks, it appears an accurate, but not totally safe to bet this was a follow-up to the prior two attacks.

Ultimately, even a plan to employ hypnotism failed to produce any results in this investigation and judging from the file the investigation ended in 1981. Below is almost all of the FBI file on the matter. Feel free to explore and possibly solve this mystery yourself.

NEWBOMB FBI File

11/6/1980 Memorandum from Chicago (field office) to Director Subject: ATTEMPTED BOMBING AT THE PARKING LOT OF THE GOLDEN SHELL RESTAURANT 1-3

2Chicago Field Office FD-263 for the period between 1/5-2/5/1980 Case” NEWBOM cover page B.

31/9/1980 FBI transcription of notes on witness interview

41/14/1980 transcript of witness interview notes Description of witness based on description of establishment as [hers]

5Transcribed notes from 1/14/1980 investigation by [redacted] SA

6Transcribed notes from 1/8/1980 investigation by [redacted] SA

71/8/1980 transcribed notes from interview with [redacted]

THe DHS' FOIA Fail

2011-07-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

The Department of Homeland Security is not known for its quality FOIA service, but this response letter I received from them is about as subtle as an epic fail can get.

A long time ago, I had a FOIA request dispatched to the FBI for records. Some of this records were found to have originated in components of the DHS. As required the FBI forwarded those records to the DHS for review. DHS decided to send them to ICE which is annoying but it does happen and is required by law and policy.

The fail comes in the second and third paragraphs. In the second paragraph, the letter states:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation referred your request and responsive documents to this office for processing under the FOIA. This request was received in the Privacy Office on

Nothing unusual here. The idiocy shows itself in the next sentence:

Upon review of your request, I have determined that, if such records exist, they may be under the purview of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

A mere sentence after have informing they have received the records in question, the DHS tries to Glomar me by hedging on whether or not the records exist. Classy.

What Did the CIA Tell George Bush About the Slovenian War for Independence?

2011-07-04T02:55:00.005-04:00

Over two decades have passed since Croatia and Slovenia declared independence and brought to the conclusion the "agony" of Tito's Yugoslavia. In the intervening years many of the protagonists of that nation's demise- Franjo Tudjman, Slobodan Milosevic, Arkan- have passed from the scene. Others await their turn at trial at the Hague.

Despite these facts, the CIA has declined to release their PDBs or any other form of daily briefings of the president to the public, citing national security and the "Deliberative Process Privilege" in denying this records in full.

Maybe we will see them in another twenty years?

How Do CIA authors influence American Discourse? They Won't Say

2011-07-03T23:54:00.000-04:00

Every year at current and former employees of the Central Intelligence Agency publish books, academic articles, newspaper op-eds, a variety of journalism, and memoirs. Employment at the CIA requires that all former and current CIA employees submit their work to the Company so that it can be reviewed to prevent the disclosure of classified material. According to a Studies for Intelligence article, the CIA reviews approximately 300 pieces of writing each year.

Curious as to how this stream of publications influence American media, academia, and discourse I submitted a FOIA request for any "log, index, list, or catalog of writings submitted to the CIA's Prepublication Review Board during the 2010 calendar year." As the final response letter to the right shows, the CIA has denied that information on b(3) and b(4) grounds.

While the need to protect the identities current, recently-discharged, and even some long- retired employees is undoubted, there seems to be little need to protect the identities of long-established CIA employees like Robert Baer or Michael Scheuer both of whom published in 2010 and both of whose relationships with the CIA are well-established.

The NSA Public History Reader

2011-07-01T00:50:00.001-04:00

Its initials mocked as standing for No Such Agency” and “Never Say Anything” and an established history of employing almost any means - technological, legal, and monetary- necessary to secure its anonymity and mission from hostile scrutiny, it seems both ironic and laughable that one of the United States government’s most robust and publicly assessable public history programs is operated by the National Security Agency. Staffed at the time of this writing with , the National Security Agency’s public history program, operated under the auspices of the Center for Cryptologic History and the NSA’s Public Affairs Office has produced over a thousand oral histories, dozens of classified and unclassified monographs, and operates the only museum maintained by a member of the American Intelligence Community opened to the public. It has even produced a three part history of history at the National Security Agency, essentially an autobiography of the history program at the Internally, the Center for Cryptologic History is tasked with providing support for and does so by providing history classes for the National Cryptologic School, educating “new hires” at NSA, and to create camaraderie within NSA ranks through the use of history.

Below are seven documents relating to the public history programs with some links to follow-up resources.

National Security Agency/ Central Security Service- NSA/CSS POLICY I-55 was issued on 9/I9/ 2007 and the last revised on 6/10/201. This fifteen page document governs all aspects of the Center for Cryptologic History's activities including its oral history program, its publication of books and the Cryptologic Quarterly, and its the NSA's Memoralization programs.

National Security Agency/ Central Security Service- NSA/CSS POLICY I-55

Founded at the command of the first director of the National Security Agency Ralph Canine, the Technical Journal was a print publication designed to allow NSA staff to discuss technical problems, issues, and solutions amongst themselves. The Technical Journal was supplemented in 1968 with the creation of the Cryptologic Spectrum, a publication whose focus was to be less on technical issues and more the history and social science aspects of cryptography. As shown by articles posted by the National Security on its website, this separation of technical and social was more a fuzzy guideline and then a firm, enforced policy.

To the left, is the last publication guideline for the Technical Journal. According to the final response letter, they could not locate the publication guidelines for the Cryptologic Spectrum.

In 1981, the Cryptologic Quarterly was created and both the Technical Journal and the Cryptologic Spectrum were subsumed into this publication which is still produced by the NSA. It is occasionally supplemented by the Cryptologic Almanac, which is a specially produced publication that focuses on a specific topic.

Contributor Guidelines for the NSA's Crypytologic Quarterly

Currently, (according to their organizational chart) the Center for Cryptologic History produces all of this with a staff of just five people. Heading the effort is Dr. William Williams who heads the Center for Cryptologic History and is described by Matthew Aid as, "

The first page is a copy of the most recent (at the time of post) customer satisfaction survey. The next four are a compilation of statistics from the last review of complete customer surveys. From the available date, it seems that the visitors who completed the survey were generally civilian or prior-service and enjoyed their visit to the NCM.

NSA Museum Survey Results

The first two pages of the next document are a memo on the presentation of a proposal for a National Security Agency museum. The current museum has its origins in this proposal despite the significant differences between it and the National Cryptologic Museum as it now exists.

The Initial NSA Museum Proposal

This five page document is NSA/CSS Regulation No. 10-63 NSA/CSS Prepublication Review Procedure. Dated 12/15/1992, this is the regulation that governs the procedures and policies that allow NSA employees to publish while protecting American national security.

NSA Prepublication Review Regulation

Further Reading- The Center for Cryptologic History has produced a wonderful three part series on the History of History at the NSA

A Peek Behind the Scenes: The History of History at NSA (Part 1 of 3)

A Peek Behind the Scenes: Special Functions In the CCH (Part 2 of 3)

A Peek Behind the Scenes: Founding of the National Cryptologic Museum (Part 3 of 3)

The Central Intelligence Agency's Center for the Study of Intelligence has produced two articles on the National Cryptologic Museum:

Jack E. Ingram's The Story of the National Cryptologic Museum: Ensuring the Legacy

Eugene Becker's The National Cryptologic Museum Library

Intelligence Reports on the Croatian Fraternal Union

2011-06-30T16:08:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, I posted a recently declassified and released document detailing how the United States State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the Croatian Fraternal Union, a Croatian-American mutual-benefit society, for over three decades.

Working my way through my thesis material collection, I happened upon this Office of Strategic Services (OSS) report on the Croatian Fraternal Union. Officially undated, textual clues hint that it was created some time after March 1942. The report is on an internal power struggle between factions of the CFU over issues of leadership.

This surveillance of the Croatian Fraternal Union is less surprising given the alliance between the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) and Nazi Germany.

Heartbreaking

2011-06-30T13:07:00.000-04:00

The worse response a FOIA request can receive is notification that the records they had the requested submitted for have been destroyed. Even worse is when the FOIA you had submitted is just a few weeks too late. In this case I was seeking the records of the Croatian National Movement.

CIA FOIA Shenanigans

2011-06-29T23:45:00.000-04:00

As anyone who has ever FOIAed the Central Intelligence Agency for information knows, the CIA rarely complies with the spirit or even the letter of the law. Having submitted dozens of requests over the years, I am well acquainted with their delays, denials, and generally poor customer service. Here are four of my favorite examples:

A while back, I sought the oral histories conducted by the CIA staff of former DCIs Richard Helms and William Colby.

Invoking the usual b(1), b(3), and b(5) exceptions, the CIA ruled that the oral histories were “properly classified and must be denied in their entirety.”

The truth is that three years prior to my FOIA request, portions of both oral histories had been previously published on the CIA's website. As part of a Center for the Study of Intelligence's publication, the parts of the both oral histories dealing with the CIA’s “Time of Troubles” had been posted on the CIA's public website on September 10, 2007 and last reviewed on Jun 26, 2008. So either the agency refused to properly process this request or the Agency is improperly disclosing classified material.

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol51no3/reflections-of-dci-colby-and-helms-on-the-cia2019s-201ctime-of-troubles201d.html

A few months prior to my seeking the Colby and Helms oral histories, I sought documents on the Croatian Liberation Movement, an offshoot of the Ustasha movement for research I was conducting. Despite conducting “thorough and diligent” searches, the CIA failed to locate any records. Apparently, their “through and diligent searches did not include their electronic reading room because here is a link to CROATIA: TOMISLAV MERCEP'S ROLE IN ATROCITIES, which discusses Tomislav Mercep's relationship with the organization.

Nor is this maleficence limited to the CIA processing of FOIA requests. The CIA appears to be equally poor at handling Mandatory Declassification Review requests. To your right is a response to a recent MDR request submitted by the author for a copy of SANITIZED BOSNIA: SERB ETHNIC CLEANSING and what appears to be another document discussed with in it. In response came a letter claiming that the rest was not searchable. This is clearly not true because I was able to locate the document in question in the CIA's Electronic Reading Room.

Finally, here is an interim response to a FOIA request seeking a specific CIA report. Notice the date of the response is November 2009. As of the day of this post, I have not yet received a final response.

Does Anyone Know Anything About the NSA's Crisis Action Cell- Balkans?

2011-06-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

A while back, I happened upon this CIA document which mentioned sending a copy of the document to which I just linked to the National Security Agency's Crisis Action Cell- Balkans. Curious, I had several FOIA requests submitted and I have received "Glomar Responses."

This is a shot in the dark, but does anyone out there know anything about this NSA component? If you do, drop a line in the comments or send me an email. Naturally, any assistance will be greatly appearance.

NSA Article on the Tito-Stalin Split

2011-06-29T09:06:00.000-04:00

Recently declassified NSA Cryptologic Quarterly article on the 1948 Tito- Stalin Split reveals that American signals intelligence was largely flying blind during the event due to the treachery of William Weisband who had revealed American successes against the Soviet Union to the USSR. Also revealed that still-classified SIGINT hints at new revelations regarding the decades old, Tito-Stalin Split to come.

NSA Article on TIto-Stalin Split

Has Anyone Seen Milovan Djilas' FBI File?

2011-06-29T00:02:00.000-04:00

After pulping most of their file on Edvard Kardelj, it turns out the FBI has misplaced its records on Milovan Djilas, Kardelj's war- time colleague, world-renowned anti-Communist dissident Milovan Djilas. Given Djilas' role in Cold War history, the history of Yugoslavia, and prominence as a dissident, this is a real loss.

Document of the Week #19 FBI, State Department Tracked the Croatian Fraternal Union for Decades

2011-06-26T21:58:00.000-04:00

When the first lodge of what would become the Croatian Fraternal Union of America was founded on January 14, 1894, it marked the beginning of a mutual support group and cultural association that would last well into the 21^st century.

It would also mark the creation of an organization that would spend much of the 20^th century under the gaze of American law enforcement. As the 8/30/1976 FBI telex to the State Department reveals, the FBI and the State Department were monitoring the Croatian Fraternal Union of America for decades, starting according to this record, in 1942. According to other records I saw in the FBI’s IWG files on the Ustashi, the Croatian Fraternal Union of America was investigated as early as 1940. Why would the Croatian Fraternal Union warrant decades of apparently intense FBI and State Department scrutiny?

The answer, which is based off of documents that I have seen but did not copy, is that the Croatian Fraternal Union of America was investigated as part of a broader investigation into organization that had ethnic, religious, cultural, or political ties to the Tripartite Pact powers. After the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia, this meant that Croatians were a suspect group in the United States. From surviving records, it appears that the Ustasha movement was the most intently investigated, but many Croatian groups were examined including the Croatian Peasant Party, the Croatian Catholic Union, and the Croatian Fraternal Union.

Once the war ended, much of this surveillance was stopped. For example, the FBI files on the Croatian Peasant Party and Croatian Catholic Church largely stop in 1945. I suspect, but cannot prove until I receive the documentation, is that the FBI continued monitoring the Croatian Fraternal Union due to allegations that the organization was “Communist” and had ties to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the easing of the Red Scare, I suspect that the Croatian Fraternal Union was subjected to continued investigation for three reasons. During the late 1960s, Croatian militants became more strident in their calls for Croatian independence, even taking actions here in the United States. Judging from the FBI files of Croatian organizations that I have received via FOIA submitted on my behalf, the Croatian agitation reach a point that the FBI could no longer ignore in the 1967-1968 time frame and many of the large Croatian oriented groups were investigated. I suspect it then-ongoing relationship with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia led to a continued FBI interest in the Croatian Fraternal Union of America. Finally, the Croatian Fraternal Union would come under attack from some of the Croatian organizations actively seeking Yugoslavia’s destruction. Bernard Luketich received death threats that provided to be anything less than idle in the summer of 1977 when he was attacked by men with lead pipes. (2)

However, this is just semi-informed speculation until I receive the documentation

(1) An example of this is Dinko Šuljak's The Communist conspiracy in the Croatian Fraternal Union

(2) http://www.jasenovac-info.com/cd/biblioteka/pavelicpapers/ljubas/al0004.html

George W. Bush's Ignorance of American Intervention in the Balkans

2011-06-25T22:47:00.000-04:00

I was leafing through former president George W. Bush's memoir, Decision Points, when I happened across this rather startling misinterpretation of contemporary American history:

“From a legal standpoint, a resolution was unnecessary. Three years earlier, President Clinton and our NATO allies had removed the dictator Slobodan Milosevic from power in Serbia without an explicit UN resolution. Dick and Don argued we didn't need one for Iraq, either. “

According to Bush, this conversation occurred in August 2002. Given this happened a mere two years after the fall of Milosevic regime, it is rather appalling to think that Bush operated with such a mangled view of history. First, Milosevic was the president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, not just Serbia when “Bulldozer Revolution” pushed him from the scene. Second, and far more importantly, Clinton and NATO liberated Kosovo in the summer of 1999, but they did not remove Milosevic from power. The people of Yugoslavia did that, albeit with some American assistance. Finally, it should be noted that the NATO intervention in Kosovo had implicit United Nations approval. During the conflict the Russian Federation put forward a United Nations Security Council resolution against the NATO effort and it was voted down.

Lacking access to Bush's papers, it is hard to gauge how much of an impact this rather stunning display of historical ignorance had on his decision making process. Honestly, I think it was just more bit of information driving his desire for war in Iraq.

Signs and Portents of Things to Come

2011-06-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

Does anyone else remember when Baltimore was "The City That Reads?" Neither do I, but I do recall all the snark about how Baltimore was "The City That Bleeds," "The City That Breeds (or 'Breads for the lazy or illiterate),'" and the most amusing "The City That Reads at the ...3rd Grade Level."

I have a house sitting gig in Baltimore, so expect more Baltimore stuff.

Senior NSA Official Has No FBI File

2011-06-22T22:49:00.000-04:00

In response to a recent FOIA inquiry, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed, through a “No Records” response, that beloved, senior NSA official William D. Wray has never been a target of a FBI investigation. According to an NSA biography, Wray, an Ivy- League educated scientist, was well- respected and beloved by many within the Agency.

No FBI Records on Leading Croatian-American Scholar

2011-06-20T01:32:00.000-04:00

While many Croatian-Americans and Croatian émigrés were investigated due to FBI interest in stopping Croatian terrorism in the 1960s-1980s period, Croatian-American scholar George J. Prpic was not one of them. According to the FBI, while they declined to confirm or deny having Prpic on any watch lists, they were willing to officially state that had no records on Prpic.

An Average Day in the Life of a Non-party Member of the Professional Class in Yugoslavia

2011-06-19T23:44:00.003-04:00

I have missed the last two Sundays. My attempt to install structure and organization into my blog appears to be succumbing to my ADHD.

This Document of the Week is a 4/15/1966 State Department cable by Adolph Dubs, Embassy Belgrade’s Counselor for Political Affairs. I selected it because I was more than slightly amused by its fictive narrative of “An Average Day in the Life of a Non-party Member of the Professional Class in Yugoslavia.” With a length of five pages, it details the problems facing members of Yugoslavia’s intelligentsia that declined to become members of the League of Yugoslav Communists. According to Dubs, his narrative was based of “incidents, relating to the reporting officer by one Yugoslav of intellectual of bourgeois parentage and professional training in economics” which according to Dubs, was “rather typical of the current Yugoslav scene”. For readability, Dubs merged the incidents together into a single day.

From the poor public transportation system, to the barriers to renting out one's property, to dealing with the burden of party politics and hacks, the story is an interesting look into the average intellectual's day in the former Yugoslavia.

An Average Day in the Life of a Non-party Member of the Professional Class in Yugoslavia

Still Too Soon To Know Who Tried to Kill John Paul II

2011-06-19T22:27:00.001-04:00

With the Soviet Union long confined to the rubbish bin of history, and Pope John Paul II long dead, one might believe it safe to begin disclosures on one of the Late Cold War’s most controversial incidents- May 13, 1981 assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca.

However, in response to a FOIA request submitted on behalf of the author, the Central Intelligence Agency, citing the b(1) and b(3) exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act declined to release one of its more prominent reports on the matter. The May 1985 report in question, titled “Agca’s Attempt to Kill the Pope: The Case For Soviet Involvement*”, was described by former Director of Central Intelligence Robert Gates as being,

"a compelling study, though clearly identifying the tenuous nature of our sources, gaps in information, and the circumstantial nature of much of the information." It was, according to Gates,"the CIA's last major analytical assessment of that awful event."

Release of the report could have marked a large step forward in our understanding of how the near assassination of John Paul went down. In light of the the CIA’s reaction, the assassination will remain as Robert Gates described in his memoir, “one of the great remaining secrets of the Cold War.” (1)

(1) Robert M. Gates, From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War, (New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks 2006) 355-6

(*) Rest assured that the Central Intelligence Agency has made me fully aware of the typo in the letter

Bristol Palin's Rape Claim

2011-06-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

It has been revealed that Bristol Palin will accuse former paramour Levi Johnson of rape in her forthcoming memoir. Specifically, Bristol Palin claims that she lost her virginity to Johnston during some binge drinking which resulted in her being too drunk to remember what occurred.

Given too-drunk-to-remember sex has long been considered rape by the Left and feminist communities, it will be interesting to see how these groups react. Will they treat Bristol Palin with new found respect as a rape survivor? Will there be cries for the prosecution of Levi Johnson? Or will this entire sordid affair be swept aside, ignored, and addressed with snark and derision?

FBI Says It Has "No Records" on Senior Yugoslav Official

2011-06-18T22:00:00.000-04:00

In response to a recent FOIA request, the FBI has announced that it possessed no records on leading Marxist theorist and senior Yugoslav partisan and government official Mosa Pijade. Given Pijade's lack of travel to the United States, this is not a surprising revelation, though a disappointing one nonetheless. A request to the Central Intelligence Agency has yet to be fulfilled.

Tracking the Croatian Revolutionary Council

2011-06-18T21:44:00.000-04:00

Recently released and partially declassified Federal Bureau of Investigation files reveal that for approximately eighteen months, the FBI monitored and collected intelligence on the Croatian Revolutionary Council, a Croatian émigré group which sought the independence for Croatia from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

According to documents in the slender, sixteen-page dossier, FBI surveillance began in January when “confidential sources who have furnished reliable info in the past” informed the FBI that Branimir Jelic had fled to Canada in order to escape from Yugoslav intelligence agents attempting to assassinate him. While in Canada, these sources reported that Jelic had begun to for a new organization, “the Croatian Revolutionary Council” whose purpose was to “support the defense of Croatian goals in Croatia and to commit acts of terrorism in Yugoslavia against the Tito regime.” These sources informed the FBI that the Croatian Revolutionary Council “intend[ed] to recruit young Canadian Croats to travel to Europe for the purposes of committing hostiles activities against Yugoslavs.”

Despite being informed by their sources that there were no connections between Canadian Croatian émigrés and Croatian émigrés in the United States, and that “most of the émigrés in the US are not sympathic (SIC) with Jelics (SIC) policies because of his alleged dealings with the Soviets during the summer of seventy one,” the FBI opened a new “105” file on Croatian Revolutionary Council.

Over the next eighteen months, the FBI appears to have completed information on the “Croatian Revolutionary Council.” A few days after opening the new 105, the FBI that Jelic was a feature speaker at a massive rally at a Croatian Catholic Church in Toronto which was attended approximately 2,000 people. FBI sources within the Croatian Republican Society, reported that “Croatian exiles in the US do not trust Jelic and consequently will not have anything to with him or any organization he is behind.” They also reported that Jelic favored fighting Yugoslavia in Europe as opposed to the United States or Canada.

Two final FBI records are a letterhead memorandum (LHM) and an attached report that were classified “Secret” meaning that information in them is believed to have the potential to cause “grave damage” if improperly disclosed, have been heavily redacted. Much of the material in the LHM is on Serbian émigré activity, but one page has information on Croatian émigré activities. It mentions an effort by the Chicago chapter of the United American Croats to promote among Croatian émigré groups, a fund raising effort by the Croatian Republican Party on behalf of the Croatian hijackers of a Swedish plane in Spain, and a exortation by Ivica Penavic to remember the first anniversary of the Bogojno raid into Yugoslavia. So either this report was created in error, or whatever the Croatian Revolutionary Council was doing is still, decades later, too sensitive to disclose.

A final paper indicated possible renewed interest in the CRC some time in the first quarter of 1980. However, no information is provided and it appears that the FBI might have been looking into the Croatian National Resistant the Croatian National Council.

Croatian Revolutionary Council's FBI File

Quarashi- Stick 'em up

2011-06-18T21:20:00.000-04:00

As I have just now found my long (like almost a decade) lost Quarashi CD, I thought it was time to introduce you all to one of my favorite music bands, and the greatest thing ever to emerge from Iceland. This is their hit single "Stick 'em up" from their American debut album"Jinx."

On the Faux Lesbian Blogger Gate

2011-06-17T11:11:00.004-04:00

I have been busy hence the decline in the quantity and quality of my postings. However, the school year has ended and I am gearing up for my primary summer work. Also, I am probably going to lose my job, so I have to begin preparations for that inevitability.

However, I did pay some attention to the saga surrounding the faux lesbian blog "Gay Girl in Damascus" and have been entertained by two things.

One, I like how Syrians and Arabs in general became People of Color again. For purposes of affirmative action goodies such as preferential treatment in hiring and school acceptance, Arabs have long been branded white and despite efforts to change their status, have largely remained so. If you disbelieve me, round up some Algerian-Americans and have them attempt to join African or African-American organizations. Despite being born in Africa, they really aren't going to be accepted.

Arabs are only endowed with “People of Color Status” when they become useful clubs to attack either the United States or white people generally.

More amusing is all the caterwauling about how the hoaxer “appropriating the authentic voice of People of Color” and other such muddle-minded gibberish. If a middle-aged, white American ex-pat can convincing fake being an educated, Syrian lesbian from halfway around the world, what does this mean for the leftist academic claims regarding the superiority of “marginalized” voices such as foreigners. Nor should we forget Jonah Goldberg's fairly accurate description of Amina Abdallah Arraf's appeal to liberals:

People desperately wanted to believe in this "hero": a saucy, sage, left-wing member of the LGBT community who likes to wear the hijab, can't stand Israel or George W. Bush and who parrots every cliche about the romantic authenticity of the Arab people and their poetic yearning for democracy, peace and love. Whereas no one cared about McMaster's "Anglo" arguments, Amina's assertions succeeded with little effort. For instance, "she" writes of the Palestinians' need to return to their homes in Israel: "It's simple but, maybe, you have to be a Levantine Arab to get this. It makes perfect sense to me." Of course it does!

[…]

McMaster's fake-but-accurate lesbian was perfectly pitched to Western liberals desperate to alleviate the pain of cognitive dissonance. No longer must you think too hard or make tough choices if you're, say, anti-Israel and pro-democracy or pro-gay rights and in favor of the self-determination of Muslim fanatics. Heck, you can even stop worrying and love a lesbian feminist who sees no big deal in wearing a religiously required sack over her head.

Pray Away the Gay: US Navy Edition

2011-06-17T07:39:00.000-04:00

In response to a long-ago FOIA request for

Information regarding Navy policy toward sailors who have participated “in converstion [sic], therapy, reorientation therapy, reparative theory, or other programs designed to 'cure' homosexuality.”

the United States Navy, like the United States Air Force, has confirmed that it does not recognize the primary methodologies evangelicals and others in the homophobe community promote to handle the gay community.

It seems that if Ted Haggard had been a US sailor, his claims that he had prayed away the gay would fall on death ears.

I am So Screwed

2011-06-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

For a variety of reasons, I am fucked. The first reason is that I drink at least a 2-liter of Mountain Dew and Pepsi Max every day. According to this study, I am going to die from complications of diabetes and heart disease.

While I'm Busy, Enjoy My Favorite Marilyn Manson Tune

2011-06-15T17:38:00.000-04:00

A Dark Thought on Down Syndrome

2011-06-15T04:21:00.003-04:00

With the creation of pre-natal testing, it has become possible to detect which children will have crippling abnormalities and, where the right to choose has been recognized by the law, terminate the pregnancy. The most prominent example of this phenomenon is Down Syndrome. Due to advances in pre-natal testing and the right to choose, 90% of pregnancies in which the child would have Down Syndrome are now aborted.

This has not gone unnoticed or unchallenged. Religious groups and parents of children with Down Syndrome have fought back, claiming that their lives are not wastes despite the burden of raising a child with Down Syndrome, that children with Down Syndrome are "God's gifts" of some variety, and that pre-natal testing amounts to genocide.

What the pro-Down Syndrome advocates forget is that their lifestyle choices and opportunities are funded by the American tax payer. The cost of educating Down Syndrome children falls almost exclusively on the American taxpayer due to strict admission policies of Catholic and Christian schools which preclude children with Down Syndrome from attending because despite children with Down Syndrome being "gifts from God," most Catholic and Christian schools refuse to even make the attempt to educate them.

My dark thought is: "What would these people think if a modification to FAPE was made and the parents who willingly had a child with Down Syndrome were billed the excess cost of educating their child?" Would they view their decision as positively as they do now? Would the Catholic Church step up and accept these children into their schools? Would Christians at least raise the necessary funds to keep these children in public schools? I think we all know the answer. Christians have made clear through consistent and ongoing refusal to create special education programs that, for them, special needs children are not important, not their equals, and not fit to be around their children in anything but the smallest doses.

Gaming the System with the "Extra Time Cheat"

2011-06-14T16:43:00.002-04:00

It's the end of the year and that means final exams. As part of my occasional commentary on the American education system, I would like to recall a method of IEP-enabled cheating that I never used myself, but witnessed employed many times during my student days to great effect.

Many children with special needs are accommodated with “extra time”. Extra time means additional time to complete assignments or take tests. Details of this accommodation vary but generally students are given what is called “time and a half” to complete tests and major assignments. Occasionally, if a school has a large number of students at the same basic ability level needing “extra time,” they will all be assigned to the same classes and the “extra time” built into the course.

Major tests such as final exams, midterm exams, and unit tests frequently take most of a class period, even in schools I attended which had the then new- fangled, 90 minute periods. Because of this, teachers generally gave students the entire period to complete them. For students with extra time, this means they had an extra ½ period worth of time to complete the test.

Since schedules are tightly-packed and each class given equal importance, it is rarely allowed (in my experience) for a student to miss a class to partake of their “extra time”. So in the case of tests taking an entire period, the student leaves and continues on with their day. They return to take the test during their next scheduled class period.

This is where the cheating occurs. If you've failed to study for a test and you have the extra time accommodation, you simply run out the clock on the test and demand your accommodation. This gives you an entire night to study, this time knowing the questions you'll be asked. Technically, you have to “work diligently” on the test, but this can be accomplished through furious displays of actions that accomplish nothing like writing down answers, erasing them, and then puzzling over them while occasionally asking for clarification. A long bathroom break followed up with a nurse's visit also helps, particularly if you self-harm yourself by biting your lip until it bleeds, “I am just so stressed out, I didn't realize what I was doing,” can also eat up time. There are plenty of ways to accomplish the wasting of time.

You go home. You study with full awareness of what is on the exam. You ace it. If someone questions why your answers changed or how you were able to finish it so quickly, you just blame the teacher, “It's not so loud in here today” or “I had better focus.”

And now that colleges are providing more and more “extra time” accommodation, this method gets used at secondary schools across America, particularly those with weak control of testing materials or informal accommodations. I repeatedly witnessed one student at my community college invoke his extra time, get sent to the student center to take the test, and proceed to use the internet, friends, and even staff members apparently unaware of his duplicity to complete assignments. I said something once after he confessed, but their reaction was pathetic and I was implicitly informed that it was none of my business. So I declined to become further involved. He earned the same degree I did.

Take Your Meds or Take a Hike

2011-06-12T08:24:00.004-04:00

Working in special education, nothing aggravates me more then when children use their disabilities to dodge work, personal responsibility, or consequences. It annoys me the most when children employ their disabilities to escape punishment for misbehavior or failure to complete work, despite making zero effort to control their disabilities such as taking medication, attending therapy, or, in the case of work issues, making use of school provided laptops, software, or other mechanical devices.

I wouldn’t mind it so much if the consequences were affixed solely or even mostly to the child, but the children and their enablers rarely take responsibility or assign responsibility to the child. Inevitably, after a sad, sob story about how the “medication made him feel bad, or the laptop is heavy and she’s always worried about it losing it,” they launch into spiel that conveniently absolves the perpetrator of the misbehavior of responsibility and shifts it to the student’s teachers, the associated support staff, the school, society, or some nebulously entity like “racism.”

For example, if a student with an IEP assaults another student, inevitably the perpetrator or his enablers/parents/adults with whom he resides will blame his disability for his actions. They do so because they know that the American special education regime makes it difficult to discipline children who have been given IEPs. Administrators are given a mere 10 suspension days with which to punish a misbehaving a child and by the time special education students reach high school, they know this and plan accordingly. Often, felony acts, even federal crimes, are lightly punished and thus repeatedly committed, disrupting the learning environment for everyone. Not only are those who refuse to learn, falling behind, but the students who actually want to learn, through no fault or failing of their own, fall behind as well.

In an effort to bring order to the chaos created by special needs misfits (as opposed to the allegedly vast majority of special- needs students who create no problems and try to do the best academically and behavior-wise that their abilities circumstances allow), I propose that from here on out, a child with behavior issues or academic problems should be stripped of all behavior-related, special education protections unless they make a reasonable, faithful effort to make use of necessary supports. If you have ADHD and refuse to take medication, you get punished like regular students. Fail a class because you have difficulty writing and refuse to use the school provide laptop? Take the "F" and try again next year.

On Weinergate

2011-06-12T06:46:00.006-04:00

All I have to say on Weinergate is this:

Had Anthony Weiner been a poor,black guy who flashed his underwear covered penis at a large crowd, however accidentally, white privilege babies like Amanda Marcotte would have posted his picture on Hollaback so fast as to make his head spin. However, since he's a Democrat with whom they agree, she (and others) pardon his behavior.

A Note On My Grammar

2011-06-11T20:56:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was asked by someone if I objected to their emailing me whenever I make a typographical, grammar, or spelling mistake on this blog.

No.

Due to multiple learning disabilities, my command of the finer points of the English language is clearly lacking. Any assistance in covering up these credibility- killing flaws is greatly appreciated.

Memoir Thursday #2 Zlatko Dizarevic's War Journal

2011-06-09T23:48:00.000-04:00

Zlatko Dizdarevic's Sarajevo: A War Journal is a tragically under appreciated war memoir despite having a preface penned by Russian dissident poet Joseph Brodsky and an introduction inked by famed scholar Robert Jay Lifton. Dizdarevic writes in a brutal, unflinching style. Most importantly, he just nails the origins of the conflict in the opening paragraph of War Journal:

The simple fact is that a conglomerate of fanatical nationalists, political careerists, and malcontents - for the most part, people who never felt comfortable with law, order, and democracy - realized they could launch violent aggression without fear of reprisal from the outside world, since that outside world's "priorities" would keep it from intervening. They were not mistaken. By violence, by crimes, by open military aggression, genocide, and ethnic purification of entire territories, they managed to change the geographical and ethnic map of Bosnia- Herzegovina. They have violated fundamental principles concerning human rights, international borders, military intervention, the occupation of sovereign states, and so forth. In Sarajevo, a city under siege for more than fifteen months, old people, women, and children continue to be killed by long-range artillery fire. A six-hundred-year-old city has been destroyed. The outside world watches without reacting beyond issuing cynical statements to the effect that this is a "civil war" whose "combatants cannot be given any aid."

I Spy With My Little Eye, a Private Contractor's Spy

2011-06-09T19:52:00.000-04:00

It seems that even private contractors have to track their brands on social media. Shortly posting on the NSA's decision to confirm that MPRI was working for them between 1/1/1994- 12/31/1995, I received a visit from someone at MPRI who found my post about them from a Google Blogs search.

t.A.T.u Did It

2011-06-08T21:35:00.000-04:00

Rihanna's latest single "Man Down" is making waves for showing her shooting an implied rapist. Honestly, I thought it weak and poorly done, especially compared to t.A.T.u's All About Us. The kill shot at 2:56 does not disappoint.

The NSA Calls for "People's History," Provides a Primer

2011-06-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

A recently responded to FOIA request netted this call for/primer on "People's History," from the NSA in which a historian with the Center for Cryptologic History calls on NSA staffers to document their work and thoughts on major events, so that "History From Below" can be written.

Howard Zinn must be spinning in his grave

You're Not Overworked-- You're Incompetent

2011-06-01T22:27:00.000-04:00

The recent trend of Hysterical Slagging on Government Workers appears to have reached the cloistered, rareified heights of the American Intelligence Community. According to Leonard Arthur Young, a poster on the NSA's History Rocks! blog:

Hmm.... I wonder if that would be considered in the same way today. Sure you could take it as meaning that the person is so dedicated to the org and the mission that they don't want to take time off but these days there is so much discussion about managing the work/life balance and family battle rhythms, etc .. if you have a large balance today would it reflect poor time management since you can't do your job in time to allow you to take leave and that you aren't managing your work/ life balance properly?

For all national- security related staffers, military members, and others who believe that their government work is qualitatively different than that of DMV employees and they are thus immune to anti-government demagoguery, this demonstrates to everyone that no matter how important your work to the prosperity and safety of America, no matter how much less they make than their private sector counterparts, and no matter how much your agency's leadership whines about a lack of resources including personnel with which you could share the work burden, anti-government types will slag on your work and demonize you as the devil.

This attitude might why the CIA outranked the NSA on the Most Desired Employers for Young Professionals survey.

Document of the Week: State Deparment Cable on Ante Gotovina's Capture

2011-05-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Again, I was late with the Document of the Week. This week's Document of the Week is a 12/08/05 cable from the US embassy in Zagreb to Foggy Bottom providing the details of how Ante Gotovina was captured. Citing sources within Croatian intelligence and (probably) the ICTY, (1) the US Embassy writes that Spanish intelligence, the Croatian Intelligence Agency (IA) and the Croatian Counter Intelligence Agency (POA), and select ICTY officials tracked him for months.The cable also noted that Gotovina's arrest "marked a major step forward for Croatian law enforcement, as no word of this effort had leaked to the public during the multi-month operation."

(1) Given the cable redacts the name of the informant, there is no way to know for sure at this time. Given the cable is not sent to the American embassy in Madrid, this leads to me to believe that the cable's named source is not from the Spanish government. Nothing more than a hunch leads me to conclude that the source if from the ICTY instead of Croatian.

(2) This cable was photocopied in an effort to cover up some food stains. It failed. Even worse the photocopy of the cable was shrunk. To make it more readable and to reduce its size, I axed a lot of white space.

On FAS Mothers

2011-05-30T23:56:00.001-04:00

I have received some feedback on my proposal to sterilize mothers who produce children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and it has been most entertaining.

Friends, colleagues, and others who actually have to deal with and attempt to ameliorate the consequences faced by children with FAS are generally supportive of my proposal. They recognize the horror that continual pre-natal drunken debauchery inflicts on children and thus think it is appropriate for the state to take action to prevent FAS, which again is 100% preventable and is the product of a decision to engage in constant, long-term bad behavior while in a state that is almost always produced by voluntarily engaging in an extremely fun and exciting activity.

In contrast, people lacking in this terrible experience openly view me as a monster. Charges of "misogyny" were branded about by those who claim that my proposal is just "a plan to control women" and ignored the fact that FAS destroys the lives of female children just as easily as it does male children. Non- biology majors branded me such because my proposal was limited to women and ignored men who produced FAS-crippled children. A libertarian slammed my plan because it expanded government power and interfered with home life. I guess children aren't entitled to state protection from being mutilated by the idiotic and malignant mothers. Others expressed vague and ultimately unfounded fears of "eugenics". I am not seeking to improve society through "proper breeding," I am attempting to prevent the physiological and mental impairment of children by preventing them from being exposed to chemical pollutants by the ignorant, the malicious, and those who just don't care.The sole difference between myself and other groups is my proposal is low-cost and effective means in taking care of this problem.

Here's the thing that most amuses me. If I was to go berserk and beat a child until he manifested the signs of FAS such as physical handicaps and deformity, intellectual impairment, and poor emotional control, the public would call for swift and merciless punishment of me. Nobody would worry about my background or wonder whether or not my being held account for my bad behavior was a form of "privilege". Nobody would consider anything other than my crimes.

Nazi Collaborator Gregorij Rožman Has No FBI File

2011-05-30T20:39:00.000-04:00

Gregorij Rožman was the bishop of Ljubljana during the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia. In this role, he collaborated with the Nazi occupiers until the conclusion of the war. After the Second World War, he escaped justice and managed to make it to the United States where he resided until his death in 1959.

Does this sound like an individual that the FBI should have kept tabs on? You would be wrong. In response to a FOIA request I had submitted, the FBI declared that they had no records. Then again, Rožman was religious right winger in a time when godless Communism was the boogieman.

Towards a Blog Soundtrack

2011-05-27T02:01:00.000-04:00

In order to jazz my blog up, I have decided to add music. Since rich, attractive Russians rarely go out style, I present t.A.T.u

Ante Markovic's Throat Surgery and Its Greater Significance

2011-05-24T19:11:00.000-04:00

Despite the concern over the political impact of his absence shown in this cable, I doubt the absence of Ante Markovic, the last prime minister of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, due to surgery for an unknown throat concern had much impact on the course of Yugoslav history.

However, one should consider this cable in the broader FOIA context. This document discusses the personal medical history of a still living individual and was released intact with no redactions. In contrast, the FBI will not even considering releasing the FBI files of living individuals who have been tried and convicted within the federal court system. Nor will they release the FBI files of prominent

American leaders such as Joe Biden or Barack Obama despite the fact an argument can be made that their prominence and positions of authority overrule their b(6) privacy rights under FOIA.

Finally, does anyone know what Markovic's condition was? I cannot find any information on it in the secondary literature, any other declassified and released State Department cable, or memoir of a participant.

Tito's Monster FBI File

2011-05-24T04:25:00.000-04:00

While his Slovenian sidekick's FBI file was largely destroyed, Tito's FBI appears to have survived into the modern age and it is, according to a FBI estimate is huge- approximately 9,770 pages.

Given his repeated visits to the United States, his communist beliefs, the threat posed to his life by disgruntled exile groups (Chetniks, Ustashi, Cominformists), and his international prominence this should not be a surprise to anyone.

Document(s) of the Week# 16 The Renatta Predmore Case

2011-05-22T23:17:00.000-04:00

In the mid 1970s, Renatta Predmore filed a lawsuit against the NSA after she discovered she was denied a promotion due to her gender. She prevailed. The 1976 settlement of her case forced the NSA to include a woman on every promotion board. In 1980, a codicil amending this settlement compelled the NSA to to publish the male/female composition of their promotion boards each year. (1) Below are copies of those documents

Women in NSA Documents

A NSA history concedes that lawsuit did not totally end discrimination, but giving "a fair hearing for women at promotion time." (2) However as James Bamford documented in Body of Secret, the NSA still had serious deficiencies in this regard. (3)

(1) Jill Frahm, From Librarians to Leadership: Women at NSA, Cryptologic Almanac 50th Anniversary Series http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/crypto_almanac_50th/From_Librarians_to_Leadership.pdf
(2) Jill Frahm, From Librarians to Leadership: Women at NSA, Cryptologic Almanac 50th Anniversary Series http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/crypto_almanac_50th/From_Librarians_to_Leadership.pdf
(3) James Bamford, Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency, (New York: Anchor Books: 2002) 559-60

Glomar: The NSA and the Wau Holland Foundation

2011-05-22T20:45:00.000-04:00

A while back, I had submitted a number of FOIA requests pertaining to Wau Holland Foundation, which is a source of income for Wikileaks. The FBI responded with a no records response.

The National Security Agency has responded and it has invoked Glomar, refusing to confirm or deny the existence of such records.

They Didn't Work For Us: The NSA, MPRI, and Operation Storm

2011-05-21T22:23:00.001-04:00

Getting any information out of the American government on its involvement in Operation Storm, the August 1995 Croatian military offensive that ended the Homeland War, resulted in the exodus of most of the Krajina Serb population, and saved the Bosnian city of Bihac, is near impossible. So it was with low expectations, that I had a FOIA request submitted to the National Security Agency for records pertaining to MPRI's activities in Croatia from early 1994 to the end of 1995.

To my mild shock, the NSA conceded to having no contractual records pertaining to my request. This means that MPRI was not working on the NSA's behalf in Croatia. I never thought they were, but it was interesting to see the NSA deny it.

This was the sole bit of disclosure; the NSA invoked Glomar and refused to confirm or deny possessing "intelligence" records on the topic.

Amanda Knox and Me: A Reflection

2011-05-20T22:53:00.001-04:00

Recently, I was checking out my Sitemeter stats when I noticed my almost-year-old article on Amanda Knox was getting some heavy traffic. Curious, I decided to investigate and discovered that Andrea Vogt a freelancer journalist covering the Amanda Knox had published an article on the SeattlePI.com about the State Department's response to the Amanda Knox case. I then noticed that another reader had taunted her about being scooped in a comment on the article's website and then wrote his own article mocking Vogt on his website. This exchange went around the Knox blog sphere resulting in a nice bump up from my usual visitation.

First, for the record, I have no opinion on the guilt or innocence of Amanda Knox. My knowledge of her case is limited to the knowledge that she is extremely attractive, that lots of people have strong opinions about the case, and that my mother thinks she is innocent.

I had the FOIA request submitted on a lark hoping to find something interesting to show my mother and for a possible article. It was one of probably a dozen I had submitted that day. It took 30 seconds and was forgotten until the cables arrived in the mail. I read them and realized there was nothing there to impress my mother with nor, in my opinion, for an article, so I scanned and posted them on this site. I enjoyed a brief bump in traffic and then forgot about my post until a few days ago.

Second, I'd like to response to specific remarks that have irked me. The first thing that irked me was nobody had the decency to ask my opinion when taunting each other over my work. The second thing that irked me was this bit of snark from "Fast Pete"

"Bruce Fisher" idiotic mistake # 13871: Andrea Vogt got more cables out of the State Department than the history buff who got a mere seven.

Seattle PI posted a new one in pdf.

The history buff was disappointed at the time by the cable content, as he thought he would turn up something that showed the Rome Embassy or State were concerned.

They weren't. Not in the slightest. As of yesterday, he had made the cables unavailable, presumably to hide that. We still have the cables on TJMK.

I only got seven cables because there were only eight cables when I made my request. Vogt got more than me because she made her request later. Second, the records are still available on my site and on my Scribd account (and I have left up the post in question) so it seems unlikely I would engage in a barely coherent cover-up. Moron. (*)

Finally, for the record, Andrea Vogt did her own research and got her own documents. She was neither scooped by me nor owes me anything. Even if she did her article after being inspired by my post, that's fine because the more people who use FOIA, the better.

(*) This paragraph was added after the original paragraph vanished after I made some corrections to the spelling and grammar. It is true to the spirit if not the text of the original.

How to End Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

2011-05-15T20:53:00.000-04:00

Upon reflection on my time in special education, I come to an unalterable truth- women who produced even a single child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are so far outside of bounds of a bare-minimum decent behavior that their forced sterilization is the only punishment fit for them.

There's no excuse for it. FAS is not genetic; it is caused by the constant, deliberate ingestion of massive quantities of alcohol over a long period of time during pregnancy, a state which almost always is produced by the optional, consensual, voluntary behavior of those who get pregnant. If abstaining from constant binge drinking for a mere nine months proves too much, abortion is legal.

In addition to their inability- to- observe- a- modest- modicum of self-control with regard to booze inflicting severe and incurable learning disabilities and life-ruining damage upon their own children, women who have FAS babies saddle the American taxpayer with a six billion dollar a year tab as FAS children and FAS adults have substantially higher education costs and are more dependent on welfare, disability, and other forms of state support. Children inflicted with FAS are also more prone to be arrested and imprisoned. Because of laws like the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) Act, which guarantee disabled children the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education, the state is not allowed to shift or recoup the cost of educating a FAS child to the woman whose lack of self-control and basic decency brought about the situation. Nor under current law are states allowed to compel women to support their children after the age of 18, even if the parents' totally optional, well-established- as- malignant- and- harmful behavior makes it impossible for their child to ever support themselves.

All of this makes it a moral imperative to end Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.