GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING

Red Flag On Biometrics: Iris Scanners Can Be Tricked
Syrians: NATO-backed Militants Seen Donning Gas Masks
War on Health - The FDA's Cult of Tyranny (Video)
Final UN Arms Trade Treaty Disarms America With Clinton’s Signature
TSA Checkpoints Exposed: Journalist Tracked, Targeted & Harassed for Filming
Breaking: Major Harvard Study Published in Federal Govt Journal Confirms Fluoride Lowers IQ
Hidden Human History Movie
Federal Protective Service orders 150 sets of riot gear to be delivered in 15 days
Did Mexican Official Blow Lid Off CIA-Managed Drug Trade?
10 Ways the War on Drugs is a Wild Success

Red Flag On Biometrics: Iris Scanners Can Be Tricked

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 04:05 PM PDT

Rebecca Bowe
EFF

At the Black Hat Security Conference in Las Vegas this week, Javier Galbally revealed that it's possible to spoof a biometric iris scanning system using synthetic images derived from real irises. The Madrid-based security researcher's talk is timely, coming on the heels of a July 23 Israeli Supreme Court hearing where the potential vulnerabilities of a proposed governmental biometric database drove the debate. Consider the week's events a reminder that if the adoption of biometric identification systems continues apace without serious contemplation of the pitfalls, we're headed for trouble.

When it comes to the collection and storage of individuals' digital fingerprints, iris scans, or facial photographs, system vulnerability is a chief concern. A social security number can always be cancelled and reissued if it's compromised, but it's impossible for someone to get a new eyeball if an attacker succeeds in seizing control of his or her digital biometric information.

Among all the various biometric traits that can be measured for machine identification -- such as fingerprints, face, voice, or keystroke dynamics -- the iris is generally regarded as being the most reliable. Yet Galbally's team of researchers has shown that even the method traditionally presumed to be foolproof is actually quite susceptible to being hacked.The project, unveiled for the first time at the security researchers' conference, made use of synthetic images that match digital iris codes linked to real irises. The codes, which are derived from the unique measurements of an individuals' iris and contain about 5,000 pieces of information, are stored in biometric databases and used to positively identify people when they position their eyes in front of the scanners. By printing out the replica images on commercial printers, the researchers found they could trick the iris-scanning systems into confirming a match.
The tests were carried out against a commercial system called VeriEye, made by Neurotechnology. The synthetic images were produced using a genetic algorithm. With the replicas, Galbally found that an imposter could spoof the system at a rate of 50 percent or higher. A Wired article hit on the significance of this discovery:

This is the first time anyone has essentially reverse-engineered iris codes to create iris images that closely match the eye images of real subjects, creating the possibility of stealing someone's identity through their iris.

This revelation not only exposes a security hole in a commercial iris-recognition system, but also proves that prominent tech firm and FBI contractor B12 Technologies -- which is building a database of iris scans for the Next Generation Identification System -- was wrong when it when it noted on its website that biometric templates "cannot be reconstructed, decrypted, reverse-engineered or otherwise manipulated to reveal a person's identity."

Any new detection of biometric system flaws is relevant in the context of the massive governmental identification programs moving forward at the global level. There's India's bid to create the world's largest database of irises, fingerprints and facial photos, for example, and Argentina's creation of a nationwide biometric database containing millions of digital fingerprints. Just this week in Israel, High Court justices criticized a planned biometric database as a "harmful" and "extreme" measure.

Lawmakers who approve such identification schemes should give serious consideration to any new information surfacing about biometric system vulnerabilities.

Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation for the latest in biometrics, privacy, and security.

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Syrians: NATO-backed Militants Seen Donning Gas Masks

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 04:02 PM PDT

Reports of Libyan chemical weapons brought in through Turkey, caches discovered in Damascus point to possible false flag.

Tony Cartalucci, Contributor
Activist Post

For a Western media so fond of reporting "activist" accounts, rumors, and even fabrications, and with all the talk of an impending "massacre" in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, reports of so-called "Free Syrian Army" militants seen trying on gas masks, along with reports of Libyan chemical weapon caches & equipment being discovered in Damascus is surely headline news.

Images: FSA fighters, one on the left wearing a "Jihadist" headband, another on the right trying on a military-grade gas mask, were reportedly photographed in Aleppo, Syria.

Many Syrians and outside observers alike, fear that militants may deploy chemical weapons in one or more locations around Syria, creating a mass-casualty event to subsequently be blamed on the government by a coordinated Western media disinformation campaign.The so-called "Free Syrian Army" (FSA) has already been conducting strings of devastating, indiscriminate mass-casualty bombings across the country, as reported by Reuters', "Outgunned Syria rebels make shift to bombs."

Libyan weapons, cash, and fighters have also all been confirmed to have made it into Syria in an effort to undermine, divide and destroy Syria.
The London Telegraph reported in its article, "Libya's new rulers offer weapons to Syrian rebels:"

'There is something being planned to send weapons and even Libyan fighters to Syria,' said a Libyan source, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'There is a military intervention on the way. Within a few weeks you will see.'

The Telegraph has also learned that preliminary discussions about arms supplies took place when members of the Syrian National Council [SNC] – the country's main opposition movement – visited Libya earlier this month.

Albawaba reported in its article, "Libyan fighters join "free Syrian army" forces," that:

Libyan sources conveyed in recent days that 600 rebel fighters have already gone from Libya to Syria in order to support the Syrian opposition.

Albawaba's report would later be confirmed by multiple Western media representatives now on the ground in Aleppo, Syria, including CNN which reported:

Meanwhile, residents of the village where the Syrian Falcons were headquartered said there were fighters of several North African nationalities also serving with the brigade's ranks.

A volunteer Libyan fighter has also told CNN he intends to travel from Turkey to Syria within days to add a "platoon" of Libyan fighters to armed movement.

CNN also added:

On Wednesday, CNN's crew met a Libyan fighter who had crossed into Syria from Turkey with four other Libyans. The fighter wore full camouflage and was carrying a Kalashnikov rifle. He said more Libyan fighters were on the way.

The foreign fighters, some of them are clearly drawn because they see this as … a jihad. So this is a magnet for jihadists who see this as a fight for Sunni Muslims.Clearly Libyan terrorists and their weapons have made it into Syria with the explicit backing of NATO's recently installed client Libyan regime.

The London Guardian had reported that Libya possessed some "25 metric tonnes of bulk mustard agent and 1,400 metric tonnes of precursor chemical used to make chemical weapons."

The Guardian also reported:

The abandonment or disappearance of some Gaddafi-era weapons has prompted concerns that such firepower could erode regional security if it falls into the hands of Islamist militants or rebels active in north Africa.Clearly those "Islamist militants" as well as "rebels active in north Africa" are now on the ground in Syria. These militants bringing pilfered chemical weapons with them is entirely plausible, as is the possibility that these weapons were purposefully placed into their hands by either NATO or Libya's current ruling regime. This very scenario was warned against last month in an article published by Russia Today titled, "Syrian rebels aim to use chemical weapons, blame Damascus – report."

Why Isn't the Western Media Investigating These Claims?

It should be remembered a single "tweet" from BBC's Ian Pannell in Aleppo claiming "fighter jets have bombed eastern Aleppo," triggered media hysteria. Pannell would expand on his earlier, unconfirmed, unsubstantiated claim by declaring, "what appeared to be Russian-made MiG planes arced through the sky. We watched as they dropped in, bombing and strafing rebel positions."

It would later turn out that the planes Pannell observed were not "MiG planes," where not "Russian-made," and were not even "bombing" rebel positions. They were trainer planes carrying out reconnaissance and at most, deploying gun-fire on rebel trucks mounted with heavy weapons.

Image: A sole"tweet" from BBC's Ian Pannell, now a confirmed fabrication, immediately made headlines across the Western media.

If one "tweet" is worth 3 news cycles, even when the report was both difficult to believe at face-value, and quickly turned out to be a fabrication - why isn't the Western media covering pictures and witness accounts of FSA militants apparently preparing to deploy chemical weapons inside and around Syria's major cities?

The answer is simple, reporting bombers that don't exist allowed the White House to claim, "the Syrian government's assault on the city of Aleppo with tanks and airplanes illustrates "the depth of depravity" by the regime of President Bashar Assad."

Similarly, by allowing claims of FSA militants preparing to deploy chemical weapons to go unreported, affords the West an opportunity to then blame the mass-casualty event that may follow on the Syrian government, thus providing an attractive opportunity for militarily intervene. That the media and governments of the West have not publicly looked into recent claims that the FSA is contemplating a false flag, weapons of mass destruction attack, makes them complicit should such an attack unfold. It will also make it all but impossible for the US to attempt to blame Libya and "Al Qaeda" alone if their dark deed is carried out, but subsequently exposed.

Image: Chemical weapons and equipment from Libya have been reportedly discovered as troops search areas of Damascus after quelling last week's militant attack.

Tony Cartalucci's articles have appeared on many alternative media websites, including his own atLand Destroyer Report. Read other contributed articles by Tony Cartalucci here.

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War on Health - The FDA's Cult of Tyranny (Video)

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 10:13 AM PDT

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Final UN Arms Trade Treaty Disarms America With Clinton’s Signature

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 10:05 AM PDT

Susanne Posel, Contributor
Activist Post

The UN International Arms Trade Treaty Conference (ATT) is wrapping up in New York, and their final draft is completed.

In 2009, Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, proudly announced that the Obama administration was in full support of the ATT. It was the intention of the US government to assist the UN in implementing and establishing "common international standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional arms to help prevent the acquisition of arms by terrorists, criminals, and those who violate human rights or are subject to UN arms embargoes."

Clinton stated that, "the United States is prepared to work hard for a strong international standard" concerning global gun control. "The United States is committed to actively pursuing a strong and robust treaty that contains the highest possible, legally binding standards for the international transfer of conventional weapons."

In 2010, the US began talks with the UN regarding the initial drafting of the ATT.

With perfect globalist rhetoric, the UN claims that it is "not pursuing a global treaty to ban gun ownership by civilians." But rather a "tightening controls over the international import, export and transfers of conventional arms, because without such controls it is easier for weapons to be diverted from the legal trade into the illegal market, and into the hands of terrorists, drug traffickers and criminal cartels."
However, with the confirmation of the Fast and Furious scandal, it became clear that new new gun regulations were coming to America.

Trent Franks, Arizona House Representative commented to a House Judiciary committee in 2011 that:

If the American people learn that the motivations for all of this was to make a case to deprive them of their Second Amendment rights or to make a case to further the (Justice) department's ability to further regulate gun rights within the United States, that would make them very angry. Clearly, an attempt to use Fast and Furious as a way to bolster the request for that long-gun regulation would have been foolhardy.

The Obama administration supports international regulation of all "advanced conventional weapons, including tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery systems, military aircraft, military helicopters, naval vessels, missiles, missile launchers, small arms and light weapons, and combat support equipment. It should also include parts, components, and/or technology to manufacture, modify, or repair the covered items" as stated in the ATT.

When talks concerning the global gun grab began in 2010, the US claimed to

want a treaty that will prevent, or at least significantly impede, illicit trade in conventional weapons by reinforcing national commitments and supplementing those obligations, thereby elevating the degree to which the worldwide trade in conventional arms is conducted in a lawful, transparent, and accountable manner.

Indeed it was through seemingly lawful procurement that the Department of Justice (DoJ), as stated in a demand letter, required border-state gun stores to report multiple gun purchases by an individual in a 7-day period could be used to confuse the actual issue. US Attorney Dennis Burke wanted to connect the guns shipped to Mexican drug cartels to Fast and Furious, and ultimately introduce the "enforcing gun sale laws at (gun stores) and gun shows."

Terry Gowdy, House Representative, said:

The federal government certainly aided and abetted gun trafficking, which then may very well have been the proximate cause of a border agent [Brian Terry's] death.

Fast forward to the Batman shooting where James Holmes entered a crowded theater in complete SWAT gear (which consisted of a tactical armored vest, throat protector, groin protector, a gas mask and a ballistic helmet) and threw two gas canisters into the crowd while opening fire with an assault rifle, shotgun and a .40 caliber Glock pistol. The result: 12 people dead and 59 injured.

Immediately, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decried to the public:

I mean, there's so many murders with guns every day. It's just gotta stop. . . No matter where you stand on the Second Amendment, no matter where you stand on guns, we have a right to hear from both of them, concretely, not just in generalities, specifically, what are they going to do about guns?

The Batman shooting prompted a nationwide dialogue about gun control, while the UN was putting the finishing touches on an international treaty that would eradicate the 2nd Amendment and disarm Americans, all in one fell swoop.

The cover story is that guns in the hands of violent criminals are dangerous. And potential criminals lurk around every corner. The claims that legal procurement of firearms is not part of the discussion are distracting from the truth of the matter.

The ATT clearly states that the UN, after Congressional ratification, will force the US government to:

Enact internationally agreed licensing requirements for Americans.
Confiscate and destroy unauthorized firearms of Americans while allowing the US government to keep theirs.
Ban trade, sale and private ownership of semi-automatic guns.
Create and mandate an international registry to organize an encompassing gun confiscation in America.

The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), which was ratified by the US Senate in 1969 may be the loophole to allow Obama and Clinton to destroy the 2nd Amendment and enact international mandates on gun control in America after the treaty is signed by a member of the Obama administration (i.e. Clinton herself). That signature alone will implement the ATT within the domestic US regardless of a formal rejection by the current Senate.The VCLT views international treaties above the laws of sovereign nations wherein disputes are directed to an international tribunal as defined by the Charter of the United Nations. Essentially, the UN will have the legal backing to force any nation that has signed a treaty to do their bidding; or face international mandates as recognized by the international community and not the individual laws or constitutions of independent countries.

In the final draft of the ATT, the establishment of a UN sanctioned "national control system" will regulate:

Import and export of guns.
Sale of small and light arms as based on relevance defined by the UN.
Transfers of arms based on international agreements and obligations under the guise of protecting human rights, war crimes and breaches of the Geneva Convention of 1949, Article 3.
Governmental permission prior to exportation of arms.
Governmental record keeping of all arms transferred, imported, exported, and sold which is turned over to the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) annually.

The ISU will be an internationally appointed supervision department that controls all records concerning arms trade who also can force governments to implement international amendments and mandates as is or could be decided at a UN General Assembly meeting regarding the ATT.

A national enforcement department would be installed to prevent diversion from the ATT. However, this department would also readily assist individual implementation of the ATT should a country have trouble allocating their existing laws or regulations to the ATT.

The UN, under the ATT demands that all nations

offer or receive assistance, inter alia, through the United Nations international, regional, subregional or national organizations, non-governmental organizations or on a bi-lateral basis. Such assistance may include technical, financial, material and other forms of assistance as needed, upon request.

To join the ATT, world leaders need only accept or sign the treaty. Once signed or accepted, the ATT must be implemented within 30 days to ensure "transfer competence" with regard to changes in governmental structure that may occur due to the ATT. After the 30 day allotment, the UN expects the ATT to be in full control of all matters regarding arms control.

Nations, under the ATT, may take each other to a UN tribunal court to facilitate legal matters of dispute. That tribunal will interpret the ATT and negotiate between the parties.

In the end, the UN will govern the right of arms control, legal matters concerning arms control and the methods and means by which arms are allocated to individual nations.

Within the ATT, there is not one mention of the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans or even how the ATT may affect those rights. In fact, the provisions of the ATT are in contrary to existing laws and, if signed, would simply supersede laws in existence to conform to the international mandates proposed in the ATT. The ultimate goal of disarming Americans in clearly noted in its silence and ambiguous tone toward the sovereignty of nations that allow by Constitutional right that their citizens bear protective arms.

The UN's complete disarmament of the entire world begins with the simple stroke of a pen.

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Susanne Posel is the Chief Editor of Occupy Corporatism. Our alternative news site is dedicated to reporting the news as it actually happens; not as it is spun by the corporately funded mainstream media. You can find us on our Facebook page.

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TSA Checkpoints Exposed: Journalist Tracked, Targeted & Harassed for Filming

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 09:43 AM PDT

Youtube

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Breaking: Major Harvard Study Published in Federal Govt Journal Confirms Fluoride Lowers IQ

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 09:25 AM PDT

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

If the scientific link between fluoride exposure and a noted decreased in IQ is a conspiracy theory, then perhaps the Harvard researchers who just confirmed such a link should be tarred and feathered by the 'evidence-based' medical media.

In a telling review of a variety of studies that have demonstrated just how significantly fluoride can damage the brain and subsequently your IQ, Harvard University scientists stated "our results support the possibility of adverse effects of fluoride exposures on children's neurodevelopment."

The most outstanding component to the study is where it was published. Authors published their conclusion online in the July 20th edition of the prominent journal Environmental Health Perspectives, a federal government medical journal stemming from the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The very same government that has continually asserted that water fluoridation is both perfectly safe and 'effective' at aiding the In the past, the US government has actually been forced to call for lower fluoridation levels as previous research had also drawn a link between fluoride exposure and a host of neurotoxic effects. In the latest research by Harvard, it is made even more explicitly clear just how toxic fluoride can be to the body. In a written statement, researchers state:

"The children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ than those who lived in low fluoride areas."

Fluoride Lowers IQ, Sparks Tumor Growth

This should come as no surprise to those who have followed fluoride research over the past several years. As far back as 1977, for instance, epidemiological studies performed by the head of the Cytochemistry Section at the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Dean Burk, revealed that fluoride exposure led to increased tumor growth – even at levels as low as 1 ppm (the standard for United States drinking water). Beyond revealing an accelerated tumor growth rate of 25% in his research, fluoride was found to produce melanotic tumors, transform normal cells into cancer cells and increases the carcinogenesis of other chemicals.

In 1977, Dr. Burk estimated that fluoridation has actually caused about 10,000 deaths according to his research.

It will come as no surprise, then, that even the EPA — an agency charged with protecting the people — has classified fluoride as a substance with "with substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity." Perhaps the EPA is also run by blubbering conspiracy theorists. In another entry by study authors, it is explained how fluoride actually attacks the brain in unborn children and essentially launches a direct assault on their neurological development:

"Fluoride readily crosses the placenta. Fluoride exposure to the developing brain, which is much more susceptible to injury caused by toxicants than is the mature brain, may possibly lead to damage of a permanent nature."

But will the United States government answer to the study? As mentioned, many studies have exposed the same correlation of IQ-crushing fluoride intake. Paul Connett, Ph.D. and director of the Fluoride Action Network was one of the many activists to speak out regarding the last study to highlight the association. At the time, there were 23 former studies on the matter, and Connett felt that this 24th study was by far the strongest. And what was done? Unfortunately, it was brushed under the rug by mainstream health organizations who continue to assert that fluoride is perfectly safe. Some even recommend supplementing with fluoride pills.

In regards to the last breaking study, Connett stated:

"In this study we found a significant dose-response relation between fluoride level in serum and children's IQ…This is the 24th study that has found this association, but this study is stronger than the rest."

Will the latest Harvard-backed study be ignored by major public health organizations, or will serious change be initiated?

Additional sources:
Reuters

Explore More:

This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.

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Hidden Human History Movie

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 08:20 AM PDT

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Federal Protective Service orders 150 sets of riot gear to be delivered in 15 days

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 08:16 AM PDT

Madison Ruppert, Contributor
Activist Post

The Federal Protective Service a child agency of the behemoth Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is tasked with protecting property owned, occupied or secured by the federal government, seems to be getting ready for a riot or riots in the very near future.

This is the same Federal Protective Service which reportedly "drafted plans to send armed agents into downtown Chicago to patrol the city and prepare for protests" during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit earlier this year.

This quite sizeable procurement of 150 sets of riot gear is especially noteworthy since it is being filled on a highly accelerated timetable.

The solicitation was posted on July 25, 2012 with a response date of July 26, 2012 and delivery a mere 15 days later.The items required are: 147 "Upper Body and Shoulder Protection" which are brand name or equal to "Centurion Soft Shell Riot Control System (CPX2500)," along with 152 "Thigh-Groin Protector" brand name or equivalent to "Centurion TPX200," 156 "Forearm Protectors" brand name or equivalent to "Centurion (FP100)," and 147 units of "Hard Shell Shin Guards" brand name or equivalent to "Centurion (TS70)," 147 carry bags brand name or equivalent to Exotech (E4), 147 tactical gloves brand name or equivalent to "Damascus (DMZ333)," and 147 riot helmets brand name or equivalent to "MaxPro (TR1000)."

This considerable procurement is for "the 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the 2012 Presidential Inauguration and other future similar activities," according to the solicitation.
While that is general to the point of absurdity, the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida slated for August 27-30 seems like the likely reason.

Seeing as the other events are in the even more distant future, I see no reason to justify the abnormally narrow window of time for this solicitation to be filled.

According to projections, there will be a significant amount of protesters attending the Republican National Convention and local police have reportedly planned to close certain roads in the area in order to stifle the demonstrations.

The chief procurement officer with the DHS, on behalf of the Federal Protective Service, gave some details about the equipment they are looking for which makes it quite clear they are preparing for the worst.

The upper body and shoulder protection must "effectively protect the torso and shoulders from blunt force trauma" and "safely absorb blows delivered from blunt objects," while the riot helmets must have an "adjustable tactical face shield with liquid seal" and be compatible with the "3M Full Face Respirator FR-M40B masks."

The hard shell shin guards must give officers "substantial protection from flying debris, non-ballistic weapons, and blows to the leg" and have an "optimized protective design for severe riot control or tactical situations."

Even the gloves that they are looking for are quite heavy duty, with "Kevlar on back of hands [that] is flame/flash retardant as well as cut protective" and a "rolled finger tip design for excellent trigger sensitivity and fit."

Clearly, they have a quite violent encounter in mind here. The question is: what exactly are they planning for and why?

Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store. This article first appeared at End the Lie.

Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis databaseEnd The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on Orion Talk Radio from 8 pm -- 10 pm Pacific, which you can find HERE. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at admin@EndtheLie.com

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Did Mexican Official Blow Lid Off CIA-Managed Drug Trade?

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 08:11 AM PDT

Eric Blair
Activist Post

For the last three decades several leaks have come out indicating that the CIA is directly involved in illegal drug trafficking.

From planes registered to the CIA caught with tons of cocaine, whistleblowers exposing the the phony police war on drugs or that cartels worked directly with US agencies, to the CIA/Pentagon protecting the poppy crop in Afghanistan whose opium trade exploded after the 2001 invasion; the evidence is mounting that the CIA is clearly involved in some manner.

Although the idea that the CIA is involved in illegal drug trafficking is still relegated to conspiracy theory, this week a Mexican official openly accused the CIA of "managing" the drug trade.According to Al Jazeera:

The US Central Intelligence Agency and other international security forces 'don't fight drug traffickers', a spokesman for the Chihuahua state government in northern Mexico has told Al Jazeera, instead 'they try to manage the drug trade'.

Allegations about official complicity in the drug business are nothing new when they come from activists, professors, campaigners or even former officials. However, an official spokesman for the authorities in one of Mexico's most violent states - one which directly borders Texas - going on the record with such accusations is unique.

'It's like pest control companies, they only control,' Guillermo Terrazas Villanueva, the Chihuahua spokesman, told Al Jazeera last month at his office in Juarez. 'If you finish off the pests, you are out of a job. If they finish the drug business, they finish their jobs.'

These statements are the first of this type from an elected official in Mexico. Of course, the Mexican government and other local officials said Villanueva's claim is ridiculous and repeatedly used the term "conspiracy theory" to shut everyone up about it.
However, what is controversial about what Villanueva said? That the CIA tries to manage the drug trade? Putting aside the conspiracy theory that they run the whole show, there is nothing incorrect or even politically offensive about that statement. It is indeed what they're doing by letting some cartels function and others not, right?

Is he not correct that if drug war ended tomorrow, the CIA and the drug soldiers they fund would be out of jobs? In what way is that statement controversial? Sensitive much?

I suppose just saying out loud what is becoming more obvious by the day; that there is no real desire to end the war on drugs, is now somehow a conspiracy theory. Of course when you look at who benefits from the drug war, it does indeed begin to look conspiratorial.

The article by Al Jazeera points out some disturbing facts:

Under the Merida Initiative, the US Congress has approved more than $1.4bn in drug war aid for Mexico, providing attack helicopters, weapons and training for police and judges.

More than 55,000 people have died in drug related violence in Mexico since December 2006. Privately, residents and officials across Mexico's political spectrum often blame the lethal cocktail of US drug consumption and the flow of high-powered weapons smuggled south of the border for causing much of the carnage.

The number of casualties is astonishing considering the Vietnam War claimed a tragic 58,000 American lives killed in action over a ten-year period. That level of drug war casualties seems foolish since an increased supply of drugs enters America every year anyway.

Clearly the war on drugs is a complete failure based strictly on its own stated objectives of reducing the supply of drugs. It's also a failure in that it results in a shocking number of murders and a massive expense to the American taxpayer. Yet, it continues for whose benefit?

Well, besides the obvious answer of weapons manufacturers and the bloated budgets of drug-fighting agencies, big banks are another intricate part of the conspiracy theory.

Another Mexican official said authorities want "El Chapo on the loose, as his cartel is easier to manage and his drug money is recycled back into the broader economy."

Several large banks like Wachovia and HSBC have been caught laundering money for major drug cartels. The media acts as if it's a revelation when this gets exposed, or they don't even cover it at all, but politicians continue to allow it because they know how important drug money is to the economy. The U.N. says the illegal drug trade represents at least 5% of the entire global economy.

So there appears to be a huge incentive and trillions of reasons for being the "central agency" that controls it. And what better way to do that than to claim that nobody else is allowed to sell these products, then crack down on the cartels that don't play ball?

Even Senator John Kerry is on record stating "There is no question in my mind that people affiliated with, or on the payroll of, the CIA were involved in drug trafficking," in his response to a damning series of investigative reports by San Jose Mercury News in 1996.

Ultimately, it really doesn't matter who really controls the illegal drug trade, because their days are numbered. The drug war is so obviously a bad policy and an utter failure that it won't last much longer.

Already, major powers in Latin America are taking steps to decriminalize drugs, marijuana in particular. Leaders are beginning to demand regional summits about changing drug policy to help end the violence, using Portugal as a shining example of an improved society once they began treating drug addiction as a medical problem instead of a crime.

Yet, Mexico's new president opposes legalization because his government has too much to lose from its sugar daddy to the north, led by the CIA and DEA. The $1.4 billion in drug war aid from the U.S. by itself proves who controls the drug war and drug trafficking by consequence or intention.

Read other articles by Eric Blair HERE

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10 Ways the War on Drugs is a Wild Success

Posted: 27 Jul 2012 08:07 AM PDT

Dees Illustration

Eric Blair
Activist Post

For all the evidence of how the War on Drugs has failed society, there's equally as much evidence of how it is a great success to those who continue to support it. The drug war has many advantages if you wish to control society and expand your empire. It also enriches several industries that would otherwise have a very difficult time staying solvent without it.

Here are ten ways the War on Drugs is a wild success:

Military-Industrial Profits: As the Vietnam War came to an end, it struck fear into the military-industrial machine that enjoyed great profits from that conflict. In a world where contrived enemies were needed to keep a constant funding of weapons, Richard Nixon declared drugs "Public Enemy Number 1". Thus, domestic armies were erected to combat the illegal drug trade, delivering consistent cash flow to weapons manufacturers. These companies make money, not just from the needs of the DEA, border patrol, and local police forces, but also from drug traffickers. Win-win and profits all around.

Huge Boon to Private Prisons: The private prison industry thrives off long sentences for drug offenders. At least 25% of their profits come from these nonviolent criminals. A great number more are held on "drug related" charges that may have resulted in drug violence. However, the current trend shows that three-quarters of new inmates admitted to state prisons are nonviolent offenders. Private prisons clearly depend on arresting pot smokers and addicts of more severe drugs.
Prevents Higher Unemployment Rates: Imagine if the millions of American currently jailed on drug charges were released into a job market already suffering from real unemployment numbers over 20%. Additionally, if it wasn't for drugs being illegal, countless people like DEA agents, court staff, prison guards, parole officers, drug dealers, etc would otherwise be unemployed. Thank goodness for the war on drugs, or the U.S. economy would look even worse.

Suppresses Minority Populations: It's often said that the drug war is a war on minorities: "According to the ACLU, African Americans make up an estimated 15% of drug users, but they account for 37% of those arrested on drug charges, 59% of those convicted and 74% of all drug offenders sentenced to prison. Or consider this: The U.S. has 260,000 people in state prisons on nonviolent drug charges; 183,200 (more than 70%) of them are black or Latino." So it is a huge success for those who wish to suppress minority populations.

Drives Up Prices: Making any substance illegal will result in much higher prices than a free market would dictate. Especially when there's a high demand for that substance. In the case of the cannabis plant, which grows like a weed and requires very little value added, the dried flower would virtually be free if it wasn't for the harsh restrictions and dangers involved in producing and distributing it. These high prices are terrific for drug dealers and even medical marijuana growers opposed legalization in California because it threatened their profits.

Drug Violence Justifies Tough Gun Laws: The violence generated from the prohibition of drugs is reminiscent of the extreme mob violence during the prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition of anything will always create black markets which require firearms to protect banned products. Recently, the U.S. government itself was caught red-handed supplying guns to Mexican drug cartels in their "Fast and Furious" scandal. It's now proven that the ATF plotted to use Fast and Furious to push for new gun control regulations. Indeed, most street violence is due to turf wars over the drug trade, and tougher gun laws are proposed as the war escalates. It's wonderful for those who blame violence on guns and wish to restrict them from law-abiding citizens.

Protects Big Pharma Monopolies: No one is happier about the war on drugs than Big Pharma. Their control over the FDA and monopoly of "controlled substances" would be threatened if all drugs were legalized. They want you addicted to their FDA-approved versions of heroin and cocaine, not something you can get on the black market. In turn, they also benefit greatly when the prices of street drugs increase, as they can then inflate the cost of their products. They love the drug war so much they've lobbied to extend it to vitamins and supplements.

Allows Proxy Armies: If you want to create an empire by force, but it's politically disadvantageous to base your army in certain countries, then the global war on drugs is your ticket to supplying troops or creating proxy armies. One of the most recent examples is Costa Rica, a peaceful country in Central America without an army, where the U.S. bribed the government to allow the Navy and Marines to be stationed off the Caribbean coast to fight the war on drugs. In other nations where even this won't be allowed, the CIA funds and arms one of the drug cartels who then act as their hired enforcers, or they're used as an excuse for governments to accept U.S. help to combat the enemy they created. In either case, the U.S. sells more arms and trains soldiers to be used upon command.
Keeps Big Banks Flush with Cash: It has long been known that big banks happily launder money for the big drug cartels. According to The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), "Up to 1.5 trillion dollars in drug money are laundered through legal enterprises, accounting for 5% of global GDP." Take just this year and one bank, Wachovia; who had to pay a slap-on-the-wrist fine for laundering more than $420 billion for Mexican drug cartels. Imagine where the big banks would be without this money, given that they also needed a bailout of over $23 trillion for lack of sufficient deposits to pay for their gambling habits.

Funds CIA Black Ops: Do you ever wonder where the U.S. government gets all that money for their secret "Black Ops" like underground bases, secret wars, corporate takeovers and seed money, etc? It's been proven over and over that the CIA (and Pentagon) controls a large majority of the illicit drug trade either directly or indirectly through proxies mentioned above. They've been caught in the act of shipping in massive amounts of cocaine, while the CIA now openly admits to protecting and facilitating the opium trade in Afghanistan. If it wasn't for this tremendous profit, the CIA would not be able to build their secret shadow government.

So, as you can see, there are great benefits to the War on Drugs depending what side of the coin you're on. If you're a poor pot smoker, well, you're out of luck. But if you're the biggest heroin and cocaine dealer in the world and desire a monopoly . . . well, you've got the world right where you want it.