Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

KingCharlemagne

KingCharlemagne's Journal
KingCharlemagne's Journal
December 10, 2014

Question for Vietnam Veterans and American Historians: To what extent

was the CIA's torture program of the Bush years pre-figured by the CIA's Phoenix Program in Vietnam?

The Program was designed to identify and "neutralize" (via infiltration, capture, terrorism, torture, and assassination) the infrastructure of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF or Viet Cong). The CIA described it as "a set of programs that sought to attack and destroy the political infrastructure of the Viet Cong". The major two components of the program were Provincial Reconnaissance Units (PRUs) and regional interrogation centers. PRUs would kill or capture suspected NLF members, as well as civilians who were thought to have information on NLF activities. Many of these people were then taken to interrogation centers where many were tortured in an attempt to gain intelligence on VC activities in the area. The information extracted at the centers was then given to military commanders, who would use it to task the PRU with further capture and assassination missions.

The program was in operation between 1965 and 1972, and similar efforts existed both before and after that period. By 1972, Phoenix operatives had "neutralized" 81,740 suspected NLF operatives, informants and supporters, of whom between 26,000 and 41,000 were killed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Program (Emphasis Added)


Has anyone done any work on this apparent continuity or am I simply imagining the connection(s) between Vietnam\Southeast Asia and Afghanistan\Central Asia?



December 8, 2014

Riverside protesters struck in hit-and-run

Source: ABC News (Los Angeles affiliate)

A Riverside protest over recent police killings in Ferguson, Missouri and New York spun out of control, when a BMW pushed through the crowd and struck a handful of protesters Saturday evening, Riverside police said.

About 50 people were blocking Mission Inn Avenue at about 7 p.m. during the city's Festival of Lights, an annual five-week attraction on Main Street Riverside that includes holiday decorations, lights, an ice skating rink and other entertainment, when the driver plowed through and drove off.

~snip~

"A guy was just honking at us and honking," protester Mariah McCoy said. "We wouldn't move because we were chanting, and he just sped over and hit me on my leg, but I was able to move before he hit my whole body."

Riverside police were searching for a dark-colored BMW involved in the hit-and-run. A report filed by the victims claimed they had their toes run over, officials said. None of the protesters had any major injuries.

~Continues at link.

Read more: http://abc7.com/news/riverside-protesters-struck-in-hit-and-run/425438/



Other broadcast reports say that protesters got the license plate info of the Nazi-mobile. I hope the Riverside, CA County DA throws the book at the driver for felony assault with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of an accident.

Readers are advised to peruse the comments with caution, as you will see some really puerile right-wing sentiments there.

December 3, 2014

If you still think the decision of the Michael Brown grand jury was fair or just, you really owe it

to yourself to read the FBI witness statement, grand jury testimony and purported 'journal entry' of Witness #40 -- or maybe I should say "so-called Witness #40" -- in volume 15 of the transcript (starting at page 84 with the FBI statement and proceeding to the GJ testimony about 100 pages further on). Supposedly Witness #40 made a 'wrong turn' and ended up on Canfield just in time to see the events go down pretty much exactly as Wilson described them. Only problem is that the FBI got Witness #40 to admit he had lied, made racist statements and gone online to 'refresh' his memories of what he claimed he had witnessed. Oh yeah, and there was no way he could have gotten on to Canfield the way he claimed, probably because MapQuest didn't show that the road he claimed he used was physically blocked to vehicular traffic.

http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1370504-grand-jury-volume-15.html

As you read it, remember that this testimony and journal were submitted to the Grand Jury as having some sort of official imprimatur, as having standing as evidence and eyewitness testimony. You cannot make this stuff up. I've referred to this Grand Jury as a 'kangaroo court' before and reading this utter tripe validates my initial assessment and amplifies it.

Here's how the journal entry, purportedly written on August 9 (the day Michael Brown was killed) but only brought to the attention of the Grand Jury the day the witness testified, begins:

Well I’m gonna take my random drive to Florissant. Need to understand the Black race better so I stop calling Blacks Niggers and start calling them People. Like dad always said you cant fear or hate an entire race cause of what one man did 40 yrs ago.


DA McCulloch and his staff of little Eichmanns allowed this obvious hoax to be submitted to the Grand Jury as evidence and eyewitness testimony. They allowed what they knew or should have known to be perjured testimony to be given to the GJ. So I want to know why the U.S. Dept. of Justice hasn't already indicted McCulloch and his staff for conspiracy to obstruct justice and for conspiracy to violate Michael Brown's civil rights.
December 1, 2014

All NFL players should declare a General Strike until Jeff Roorda steps down

from his position as Executive Director of the St. Louis Police Officers Association and until St. Louis County DA Bob McCulloch recuses himself so that Governor Nixon can appoint a Special Prosecutor with no ties to local law enforcement.

No Justice, No NFL.

It's really that simple.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025892751

Profile Information

Member since: Thu Oct 9, 2014, 01:38 PM
Number of posts: 7,908
Latest Discussions»KingCharlemagne's Journal