Cliff Varnell

You couldn’t possibly more narrow minded, could you? I hate Hamas for what they’ve done to the Israeli and Palestinian people — and I hate Netanyahu for the same reason. It’s YOU who cannot condemn Netanyahu’s atrocities in Gaza.

It is impossible for you to process anything that doesn’t conform to your pre-existing notions. I hate Netanyahu and Hamas, and have said so for the third time now.

There you go, find some extreme position and claim that goes for tens of millions. Citation please. I find your characterizations unreliable. After WW2 they called people who refused to oppose Hitler “Good Germans.” What part of “I hate the people who govern them” eludes you?

So all the Jews protesting IDF atrocities want the extinction of Israel? You have people of all political stripe saying stupid things. How lazy to paint everyone with the same brush! No, you’re making things up. How Trump of you to take a tiny minority view and attribute it to all. I expressed my view. You confuse criticism of Netanyahu with a call for genocide. How about a buck tooth Charlie Chan routine at your local university? I believe in personal freedom. I guess you don’t.

Excuse me? WTF are you talking about? I support the people of Israel and the people of Palestine. I hate the people who govern them.

You are perhaps unaware that Trump is running openly to be dictatorial. Insurrection act Day One — using the military against protests. No, my response is that he’s MAGA and seeks to make everyone at CIA et al sign personal loyalty oaths to Dear Leader Trump. MAGA wants to make the JFKA advantageous to their agenda. Irrelevant. Trump promises “dictatorship on Day One”. There have always been authoritarians among the left. That’s a matter of character and personality. The policies espoused on the left are usually anti-authoritarian. “We will root out the vermin who live among us.” Donald Trump

I think Larry Hancock may have it.

Same as Cicci.

Northwestern vs Utah? That’d be great but I won’t be in town.

Patel and Bannon promise “the biggest infrastructure project in American history.” Concentration camps for undocumented immigrants, the homeless, and left wing “vermin.”

Ron Johnson is MAGA. I don’t put all Republicans under that umbrella. Merry Christmas, Cory.

How do we keep politics out of it? MAGA seeks to place Trump loyalists in every civil service position, and they’re using JFK Conspiracy as a rationale. Kash Patel as head of the CIA?

Reminds me of the old line — “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” The Trojan horse in this case is the embrace of JFKA Conspiracy by MAGA types like Ron Johnson and Tucker Carlson who hope to see every American institution brought to heel by Dictator Don.

Hoover memo to senior staff, 12/12/63: <quote> I said I personally believe Oswald was the assassin; that the second aspect as to whether he was the only man gives me great concern; that we have several letters, not in the report because we were not able to prove it, written to him from Cuba referring to the job he was going to do, his good marksmanship, and stating when it was all over he would be brought back to Cuba and presented to the chief; but we do not know if the chief was Castro and cannot make an investigation because we have no intelligence operation in Cuba; that I did not put this into the report because we did not have proof of it and didn't want to put speculation in the report; that this was the reason I urged strongly that we not reach conclusion Oswald was the only man. <quote off>

From Hank Albarelli’s A Secret Order: <quote on, emphasis added> [D]uring WWII George Hunter White and a number of other [Federal Bureau of Narcotics] agents assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the CIA, worked very closely in New York City with Port Security and the Office of Naval Intelligence on what is now commonly called Operation Underworld. This was the top-secret project that involved freeing infamous gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano from prison in return for his, and the Mafia's, assistance with security at America's ports and the Allied invasion of Italy. All the FBN agents assigned to work on Operation Underworld went on to become covert operatives of the CIA, and would become involved with Projects MK/ULTRA and MK/NAOMI. <quote off> From Douglas Valentine's The Strength of the Wolf: <quote on> [William] Harvey was so dependent on the FBN and its underworld contacts that he scribbled the words “the Magic Button” beside a reference to the Bureau in his notes. <quote off>

Vid battle!

That’s my understanding as well. It all depends on how hard the user suffers The Mores —the craving for more after the effect wears off. I think the percentage of coffee drinkers who suffer The Mores is higher than users of psychedelics. Crack and heroin are the worst for The Mores.

See and raise

I bailed at half-time. I have a sick NBA team who need my attention.

A.J. Weberman Nodule: ***************** CHARLES SIRAGUSA: THE CIA'S HITMAN The CIA's initial efforts to form an assassination section involved Charles Siragusa. Siragusa (born October 28, 1913; died April 17, 1982, Office of Security # 41 82) was raised amid mob violence in New York City's Little Italy. He worked under ANGLETON in the OSS (March 1944 to December 1945), and then was an official of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. [Winks Cloak and Gown p363] He was sent to Italy in 1951 to neutralize "Lucky" Luciano, who was sending heroin shipments to New York. [sterling, C. Octopus p79] Charles Siragusa was attached to the U.S. Embassy, Rome, where he worked with the CIA Station. A CIA document revealed: "Siragusa was of liaison interest to various components of this Agency from 1961 to 1967, including the Behavioral Activities Branch of the Technical Services Division." [HSCA Gambino/Carpenter 2.28.78] In May 1967 Charles Siragusa supplied the CIA with biographic data that stated he had been employed by the Illinois Crime Commission since 1963. As head of the Commission, Siragusa was instrumental in solving the $4.3 million Purolator theft in 1974 by planting a snitch in the suspected burglary gang. In 1974 the name of Charles Siragusa was given to the Central Cover Staff in response to a request from an individual who might work for a pharmaceutical firm as an investigator. In October 1977, Charles Siragusa told Senator Edward Kennedy "that he was approached by a CIA employee in 1960 or 1961 who he recalls was Mr. Vincent Thill, who sought Mr. Siragusa's assistance to recruit underworld figures for assassination purposes. Mr. Thill is alleged to have said that one million dollars would be paid for a successful assassination. Mr. Siragusa also stated that in addition to Mr. Thill, he had contact with the following former CIA employees: Sheffield Edwards, JAMES ANGLETON, John Mertz and Robert Bannerman. As related to the CIA, the context of their relationship with Mr. Siragusa was not given. The SSCIA was informed of Mr. Siragusa's allegation. Mr. William Miller, SSCIA, suggested to Commander Bernard McMahon, Executive Assistant to the Director of the CIA, and Mr. John Waller, Inspector General, that CIA investigate the allegation. The Agency has initiated an investigation; following are the results to date: (Deleted)." CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND VINCENT THILL Charles Siragusa told journalist Jack Anderson: "After a few minutes of chitchat, the CIA man [Vincent Thill] made this startling suggestion: that Siragusa, drawing on his underworld knowledge and contacts, recruit a crew of mafia torpedoes for standby assassination duty. They would be paid $1 million in fees and expenses for each kill. The CIA would assign the missions and underwrite the payoffs from secret funds." Siragusa, who had underworld and mafia connections because of his position with the Bureau of Narcotics, said that he refused to cooperate. Some evidence, however, indicated Charles Siragusa proposed that narcotics traffickers be utilized as assassins. On December 19, 1960, Harold Meltzer was considered as a possible CIA assassin. Meltzer was an associate of Meyer Lansky. The CIA: "Attached is a rather comprehensive six page biographical history which supplies not only all the information you requested, but many additional facts which will facilitate your evaluation of his potential. Meltzer owns and operates Fried Sportswear Company, Los Angeles, California. On August 3, 1959 he was convicted at Federal Court at Los Angeles for failure to register as a previously convicted narcotics law violator at the time of his travel abroad. He was fined $1,000 and placed on three years probation. Meltzer appeared before a Federal Grand Jury at Los Angeles on March 24, 1960, under subpoena, but invoked the Firth Amendment throughout questioning. Although he was threatened with contempt proceedings, this action never materialized. In the Spring of 1959 he furnished information to our California Office, but has not since cooperated with us. He has the background and talent for the matter we discussed but it is not known whether he would be receptive. Also attached is a copy of his FBI criminal record and an old Wanted Notice which bears a good likeness of him. I have never met Meltzer." [Los Angeles Times 5.3.78; CIA Enc. 12.1960 JAMES ANGLETON AND CHARLES SIRAGUSA JAMES ANGLETON was interviewed on October 13, 1977, regarding his relationship with Charles Siragusa: "He knows Siragusa from World War II days. Following the war, during the 1950's, Mr. Siragusa was assigned to Rome as the U.S. representative on narcotics matters for Western Europe. ANGLETON had several official contacts with him but none since. Mr. ANGLETON states he was never associated with assassination plotting." CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND JOHN MERTZ When CI Director JAMES ANGLETON wanted his own Counter-Intelligence shop in Vietnam he ordered former Pretoria Chief of Station, John Mertz, to set one up. John Mertz told this researcher: "During World War II when ANGLETON was in Italy working for Allen Dulles he made an arrangement where he ran a Counter-Intelligence Unit in Italy. These men were in uniform, and did not report to the military. That was a peculiar situation in Italy for a short period of time. In July 1965 ANGLETON got the idea that he could do the same in Vietnam. They knew at that time that the American forces were thoroughly penetrated by the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. He sent me over to talk to General Joseph A. McChristian. He was top intelligence officer in Vietnam. [McChristian was General Westmoreland's intelligence chief from 1965 to 1967.] He later became DIA Chief, when he came back to the States. McChristian sent me over to confer with him to see if it would be possible for the Agency to set up a Counter-intelligence Unit in uniform, not reporting to the military. McChristian kicked me out the country. He said, 'No way, get the hell out of here. Tell ANGLETON, no.' Our Chief of Station was Gordon L. Jorgensen. I came back and made a report to ANGLETON. He sent a couple a guys over there and they got kicked out. [Gordon Jorgensen was succeeded as Chief of Station of Saigon by John Limond Hart.] That's as far as that went. I went to Africa a year and a half after that." Mr. John Mertz was interviewed at his retirement home in Florida on October 6, 1977 in regard to Charles Siragusa's allegations. "Mr. Mertz related the following regarding his contacts with Mr. Siragusa. In 1960 or 1961, three CIA employees were arrested in Havana, Cuba, while engaged in an intelligence audio operation directed at a third country. They were tried, convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. Their CIA affiliation was not revealed. Mr. Mertz was tasked with devising a means to free the prisoners. Mr. ANGLETON was Siragusa's OSS Supervisor in Italy during World War II, and suggested to Mr. Mertz that he contact Siragusa...Mr. Mertz states he was never associated with assassination plotting nor did he deal with Mr. Siragusa on any matters other than those discussed above...Mertz says he was never associated with assassination plotting." CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND ROBERT BANNERMAN Robert Bannerman, who was Deputy Director, Office of Security, during the early 1960's, and later the Director of the Office of Security "remembers Siragusa as a Office of Security covert contact/informer. He says that when an Office of Security investigation turned up information related to narcotics, Siragusa might be contacted to see if he could provide assistance. Bannerman says he is not aware of any other contacts with Siragusa nor was he involved in any assassination plotting. He says he now knows that Sheffield Edwards was involved in Castro assassination plotting, but was not aware of it at the time." [CIA OGC 77-6457 10.11.77Robert S. Young] The Office of the Inspector General of the CIA determined that there was no basis for Siragusa's allegations. William K. Harvey took over the assassination project from Charles Siragusa. Notes on ZR/RIFLE stated: "Maximum security. Kubark [CIA Station] only. e.g. What does Siragusa now know?"

Were you there?

Johnson meets with ‘The Wise Men,’ March 25, 1968 https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/johnson-meets-with-the-wise-men-march-25-1968-034945 <quote on> On this day in 1968, as pessimism over U.S. prospects in Vietnam deepened, President Lyndon B. Johnson met with 14 informal advisers. In 1945, some of them had forged a bipartisan foreign policy based on containing the Soviet Union. They went on to craft key institutions like NATO, the World Bank and the Marshall Plan. They were known, collectively, as “The Wise Men.” They met with LBJ after being briefed by officials at the State Department, the Pentagon and the CIA. They had been informed of a request from Gen. William Westmoreland, the top U.S. commander in Vietnam, for additional troops in the wake of perceived U.S. setbacks in the Tet Offensive. Present at the White House meeting were Dean Acheson, George Ball, McGeorge Bundy, Clark Clifford, Arthur Dean, Douglas Dillon, Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas, Averell Harriman, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Robert Murphy, Cyrus Vance and Gens. Omar Bradley, Matthew Ridgway and Maxwell Taylor. In the words of Acheson, who summed up the recommendations from 11 of the men, “we can no longer do the job we set out to do in the time we have left, and we must begin to take steps to disengage.” Murphy, Taylor and Fortas dissented. That was a change from Johnson’s first series of such meetings, on Nov. 1-2, 1967. Then, the Wise Men had unanimously opposed leaving Vietnam. “Public discontent with the war is now wide and deep,” Bundy had said, but he told Johnson to “stay the course.” </q> In early November, 1967 the Wise Men told LBJ to “stay the course.” He followed their orders. On March 25, ‘68 they told him he needed to find a way out of Vietnam. 6 days later he announced he wasn’t running for re-election. On May 10 the US began negotiations with No. Vietnam. Who led these talks? Averell Harriman.

R.O.: As if Johnson needed to be told by Harriman that the State Dept opposed linking Oswald to the Soviets before he would reject the idea. It's clear Johnson himself wanted no part of a confrontation with the Soviets that would blow up the presidency he had long sought. </q> Whether Johnson needed to be told or not, he was told. Max Holland's The Assassination Tapes, pg 57: <quote on> At 6:55 p.m. Johnson has a ten minute meeting with Senator J. William Fulbright and diplomat W. Averell Harriman to discuss possible foreign involvement in the assassination, especially in light of the two-and-a-half-year sojourn of Lee Harvey Oswald [in Russia]...Harriman, a U.S. ambassador to Moscow during WWII, is an experienced interpreter of Soviet machinations and offers the president the unanimous view of the U.S. government's top Kremlinologists. None of them believe the Soviets have a hand in the assassination, despite the Oswald association. </q> The plot I’m looking at was designed to put the Soviets on the defensive while the USA, in the words of Richard Helms, “bombed Cuba back to the Stone Age.”

A patrician trying to be a regular guy. A little light in the loafers, right? Let’s go back 25 years, to the late ‘20s. Banker Harriman helped the Soviet Union resuscitate it’s oil and manganese industries. In the 30’s the Union Banking Corporation — a subsidiary of Brown Brothers Harriman — financed 45% of all raw material purchases by the 3rd Reich. Soviet manganese went to Germany to make the steel Hitler used to build a war machine he hoped would seize Soviet oil fields. In the lead up to WW2 Harriman was the #1 war hawk in the Roosevelt administration. He was put in charge of the Lend-Lease program providing aid to Britain and the Soviet Union. He was Churchill’s favorite Yank. Averell Harriman was arguably the one individual most responsible for WW2. After the war Truman instituted the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. Who was tapped to administer the Marshall Plan? That lightweight, Averell Harriman. On September 15, 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev landed in Washington DC on the first stop of a two week tour of the States. The next day he showed up at W. Averell Harriman's pad in Manhattan. From Spanning the Century The Life of W. Averell Harriman, by Rudy Abramson, pg. 575 <quote on> In his second-floor drawing room, Harriman gathered leaders from mining, manufacturing, oil, chemicals, banking, and insurance industries, including John D. Rockefeller III; General David Sarnoff, chairman of RCA; Frank Pace, chairman of General Dynamics Corporation; W. Alton Jones, chairman of Cities Service Corporation; and John J. McCloy, chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank. By his estimate, scribbled on a yellow legal pad before Khrushchev arrived, they represented assets of some $38 billion. Among them, as witnesses to history, were a few men of ordinary means, former ambassadors, educators, and, notably, Rockefeller Foundation president Dean Rusk, and Harvard economist John Kenneth Galbraith, the latter having invited himself as a "representative of the proletariat." Surround by Picassos and Derains, their voices muffled by Persian carpets, the capitalist Titans greeted the Communist chieftain one by one, then sat in a semi-circle savoring caviar and sipping champagne and New York wine as Averell conducted his exposition of capitalism, war profits, and American politics. No one present, nor any of their friends, he and the others assured the guest of honor, favored world tensions. The assembled war profiteers, said the host, were men who'd champion disarmament the moment it became safe for the United States. There was not a hint, however, that mingling with the millionaires did anything except reinforce Khrushchev's belief that he was then in the presence of the men who controlled America far more than Eisenhower and the members of Congress he had met in Washington. One testimonial to free enterprise followed another. And when the Soviet leader reasserted his stubborn belief that the men present composed the country's ruling circle, Galbraith later tattled, "Somebody demurred, but in perfunctory fashion." After it was over, Harriman insisted that the Soviet leader had gained insights of "real importance." <quote off>