Manns Medium

What do you call it when those hired to protect and defend our rights are the ones who violate them?  Some called it Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, some called it justified and others called it torture.  Whichever name you use, the fact that it is no longer executed on foreign soil but right here in our back yard should put all of us to shame and compel us to make that change. In an article titled “ The disappeared: Chicago police detain Americans at abuse-laden 'black site' Exclusive: Secret interrogation facility reveals aspects of war on terror in US” compiled by Phil Batta for The Guardian; editing: Mae Ryan and Spencer Ackerman in Chicago, it is reported that “The Chicago police department operates an off-the-books interrogation compound, rendering Americans unable to be found by family or attorneys while locked inside what lawyers say is the domestic equivalent of a CIA black site.  The facility, a nondescript warehouse on Chicago’s west side known as Homa...

It’s not often you see anyone on Fox News and in Newsmax that is really an expert in the subject that they are often interviewed about but this story is one where they did talk to an expert in that field.  I’m talking about an article written by Sean Piccoli for Newsmax titled “ Ex-CIA Agent: Yemen Shows Obama's 'Shocking Incompetence ' Now before many of you blow a gasket, check out the story because you will find that Mr. Gary Berntsen is unquestionable and expert in incompetence.  The article reads “The fall of Yemen's pro-U.S. government to Muslim rebels reportedly backed by Iran lays bare the strategic folly of a president who just months ago hailed Yemen as a "model" Arab democracy and an "ideal" partner against jihadist terrorism, a former CIA station chief told Newsmax TV on Friday.  "Unbelievable," Gary Berntsen, who led the CIA team hunting Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, told "MidPoint" host Ed Berliner, shaking hi...

Many of those who follow politics for a living has been caught by surprise of the most prominent defender of the CIA, Diane Feinstein has now taken to the floor of the Senate to openly blast this same agency.  Many cannot seem to understand how it happened even though it is being said to have something to do with the Senate Committee investigating torture being bullied by the CIA.  They may be right but I have a different take. I say that this is more about the weary Democrats being so very tired of those who block this president at every turn and cannot seem to let go of the Benghazi and IRS bone.  These Democrats see this as a way Republicans are using to gain control of empty seats and are looking for a way to counter that.  What better than tying them to torture and George W. Bush.  Since President Obama made the decision not to pursue criminal charges against those who may have had something to do with this, Democrats felt that Republicans should have ...

Nothing demises a spirit more than having those who were not actively involved micro-managing the results of success.   One does not question those who have questions and often times revel in the fact that there is interest in what they did but when it comes to arm-chair quarterbacking and back seat driving, it gets quite annoying. In an article written by Jim Kuhnhenn of the Associated Press titled Raid poses narrative challenge for White House , the clear answer to why this narrative may not be happening fast enough for media were close to the very top of his own article.   "We review this information and make these decisions with the same calculation as we do with so many things — what we're trying to accomplish and does it serve or in any way harm our interests, not just domestically but globally," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.”   Toward the lower half of the article even more reasoning for patience was expressed "A graphic image such as that has the...

America and much of the world celebrates the news of the demise of Osama bin Laden and yet there will still be many who may never trust the guy in the White House, it should be abundantly clear that he really can walk and chew gum at the same time. According to the article by Kimberly Dozier and David Espo of the Associated Press titled US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacks , “By mid-February, intelligence from multiple sources was clear enough that Obama wanted to "pursue an aggressive course of action," a senior administration official said. Over the next two and a half months, the president led five meetings of the National Security Council focused solely on whether bin Laden was in that compound and, if so, how to get him, the official said.   Obama made a decision to launch the operation on Friday, shortly before flying to Alabama to inspect tornado damage, and aides set to work on the details.   The president spent part of his Sunday on the golf course...

Lately I have found myself quite bothered by the cable news group and those who are depended on to give us the full story giving us only speculation or flat out lies.   Then this article crossed my path.   It was written by the CNN Wire Staff titled Source CIA operating in Libya, in consultation with opposition. In it they reported that “CIA operatives are providing intelligence from Libya, where opposition forces are on the run and the defiant government suffered the embarrassing defection of its foreign minister Wednesday.   According to the Reuters report, Obama signed the covert aid order, or "finding," within the past few weeks. Such findings are required for the CIA to conduct secret operations, the report said.”   My most trusted information source, MSNBC, made it sound like breaking news and even called it such.   For some who may read this, I am sure you question would be why this is not breaking news?   Simply, it is not breaking news because it ...