One of the first eye-opening revelations from the massive WikiLeaks diplomatic logs release is the length to which the US State Department is being treated as just another of America’s many spying apparatus.
Among the leaks was something called the “National Humint Collection Directive,” a secret document signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last year. The document orders officials at the State Department to conduct mass surveillance and in some cases outright theft against high ranking UN officials.
Incredibly, beyond the simple collection of secret information about officials including UN chief Ban Ki-moon, the directive also calls for State Department officials to try to steal credit card data from a number of top officials, as well as passwords and personal encryption keys. They also sought to collect DNA samples from UN members.
The directive was sent to 33 US embassies across the world, and specified not just Ban, but his top advisers, the heads of all UN agencies, commanders of UN military missions and representatives of all the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The State Department was chiefly responsible for this attempt, but they were also to enlist the CIA, FBI, and the US Secret Service in the collection of data if necessary. The 1946 UN Convention prohibits most if not all of the attempts at theft and surveillance detailed in the operation.
Glad to see the criminal actions of the FedGov's foreign ministry brought to light. Can't say that I am surprised to any great degree. On the level of generalities, it merely confirms what everyone already suspected. Nonetheless, the details are certainly very interesting as a means of being enlightened on the ways in which the festering tyranny manifests itself.
from Simon Jenkins, The Guardian ("Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins rejects claims by the US and other governments that the stories threaten national security."):
"The revelations do not have the startling, coldblooded immediacy of the WikiLeaks war logs from Iraq and Afghanistan, with their astonishing insight into the minds of fighting men seemingly detached from the ethics of war. The disclosures are largely of analysis and high-grade gossip. Insofar as they are sensational, it is in showing the corruption and mendacity of those in power, and the mismatch between what they claim and what they do… Clearly, it is for governments, not journalists, to protect public secrets. Were there some overriding national jeopardy in revealing them, greater restraint might be in order. There is no such overriding jeopardy, except from the policies themselves as revealed. Where it is doing the right thing, a great power should be robust against embarrassment" [Jenkins, Guardian].
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/nov/28/w…
Senator Kerry condemns the Wikileaks release of information:
"This is not an academic exercise about freedom of information and it is not akin to the release of the Pentagon Papers, which involved an analysis aimed at saving American lives and exposing government deception. Instead, these sensitive cables contain candid assessments and analysis of ongoing matters and they should remain confidential to protect the ability of the government to conduct lawful business with the private candor that's vital to effective diplomacy" [Senator Kerry. on the Wikileaks release].
First, the Pentagon Papers great moral and ethical utility was in saving lives–full stop. That is, if we are to be considered a moral force in the world we ought to dispense with the idea of American exceptionalism , i.e., the Great Lie that it is only American lives which are worthy of consideration. This is precisely where we as a nation err! This exclusivity is at the heart of what Empire is all about–for 234 years, in fact!
Secondly, we engaged in unlawful activity–i.e., criminality–when we enjoined US intelligence "to steal credit card data from a number of top officials, as well as passwords and personal encryption keys. " Right, Senator Kerry?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/nov/28/w…
"they should remain confidential to protect the ability of the government to conduct lawful business "
The gouvernment should first start conducting lawful business – try something new for a change we can believe in!
Hillary sure is a piece of work, isn't she?
Like her boss, Hillary is an unindicted war criminal. To the best of my knowledge, she has never apologized for the slaughter of innocent civilians by the private armies she commands in the Middle East. She probably hasn't even acknowledged that they report to her department. Lots of power, no accountability. How convenient.
This woman needs to go to jail. The day I see her hauled off to prison in shackles is the day I'll have some hope for America.
So when is her highness going to resign?
I understand the occupants of a car with diplomatic plates deposited a bust of Laverna, ancient Roman goddess of thieves and impostors, off at Foggy Bottom this evening.
I'm betting that the mainstream media ignore this one too and no one in the US will really care.
It’s Time! The United States should be disarmed immediately by the United Nations and effective sanctions should be imposed.
CC numbers? Sounds like she wanted to find out what porno they were watching.
"DNA samples from UN members" – Now that's kind of weird,
Billy's wife behavior proves that State is the highest form of Organized Crime.
For me this is not a wonder as most of the super powers did mad things and damage their own country.
For me a simple question what Muslim did harm to US answer nothing but supported america in all the illegal acts like war against sowiet union in Afghanistan etc..
Bureaucrats always find an enemy for politicians as politicians know nothing about Govt, apparatus how it functions and in reality they rule the country as my br. said in Pakistan these politicians are duffer and we run the country.
History is if the state do these mad things then the state is in danger. Now a days to controll bureaucrats with such a huge number is not possible. Bureaucratic apparatus is too big and centralised system is biggest enemy of mankind
In the end of the day politicians i.e. bureaucrats need one weak and innocent enemy and at present are the Muslims.
West is forcing for revolt and awakening in the Muslim world but they are still sleeping and one day they will wake up, will change the whole world and this is the Will of God and necessity of the time.
God may help Muslims around the world as we victim of american hegomony.
If it looks like the mafia, and smells like the mafia, what on earth can it be?
Criminal sick mind
Hillary Clinton a thief? Now with documentable evidence that Hillary is actively engaged in identity theft, can we assume that she will be prosecuted or at least investigated for identy theft?
Credit cards? DNA? How on earth can one justify this? This is not spying. Everybody does spying. But how can one obtain and contemplate the use somebody else's credit card information without that being illegal? Or DNA? This is chilling. One can easily imagine use of DNA to incriminate someone for crime they have not committed. There is simply no possible legitimate means of using someone's DNA collected without their knowledge. What a mess!
She needs to resign. This is a disgrace.
Hillary and company have it wrong. The person who leaked the information, and the people who allowed the information to be leaked in the Department of Homeland Security, are eligible for prosecution. Media outlets who take the information and disseminate it are immune under US law.
Now, obviously, they are trying to change the law.
This is very ominous indeed. Wikileaks is providing a valuable service to the world. Governments always preach transparency but always hate when it actually comes to fruition.
You would not believe what kind of spying they are doing to thousands of innocent Americans. It involves satellite tracking, gangstalking, air stalking, non-forced home entry, theft, gaslighting, workplace mobbing, and torturing with Directed Energy Weapons. I know of four people in my neigborhood who are going through this. It is going on in every city and town in this country.
She is a man eater and shouldn't be trusted for the top job. She has serious health problems also. That makes her highly vulnerable to fitness which the US Prez post requires. Over all, Hillary Clinton perhaps makes a most unfit candidate both mentaly and physically for top job.