Jeff Carter

I don’t believe Biden, or Trump before him, have been briefed on any actual details of the redacted or unreleased documents, and rather are accepting an argument of grave “identifiable harm” at face value. Reading between the lines of the WH statement, it is easy to suppose that the agencies responsible for the remaining documents have essentially stonewalled the process and have not in fact conducted the reviews called for in 2017. They are being given another year to do what should have been completed at that time (2017). It appears the requirement of identifying or specifying the presumed grave harms to NARA has not yet begun let alone be completed. Blaming the pandemic is a version of “the dog ate my homework”. It is quite possible that the involved agencies - one might presume CIA foremost - do not in fact understand or realize what exactly in the withheld documents may serve as “smoking gun” information, as they have no one with the knowledge base of the research community (I.e. no Blount, Hancock, Simpich, or Newman). Otherwise they could have simply complied by redacting everything they wished to remain secret. I agree that any confirmation that Oswald had an official or even non-official relationship with US agencies will be devastating to the credibility of the government and the establishment in general - but this is the problem they are stuck with. At the time of the 50th anniversary, on the CBS “Face The Nation” program, Peggy Noonan and Bob Woodward first acknowledged a “deep state” and then praised the Warren Commission as the work of “patriots”. This seemed like the initiation of the fall-back justification for the cover-up, but obviously this thinking has not, yet, coalesced with confidence.

Jimmy Lai was arrested and jailed because he was using his newspaper - Apple Daily - to support what Chinese officials came to understand as a “color revolution” attempt in Hong Kong. Beyond directly supporting the protest movement through the reportorial and editorial functions of the paper, the employees and facilities were involved in direct participation with the relatively sophisticated infrastructure of social media supporting the protesters. Lai also had met with high level American officials - up the chain to Pence - to receive endorsement and encouragement for the protest events, as well as providing local support towards the US Congress’ legislation known as the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which represented direct meddling in China’s internal affairs by a foreign power. Should the issue of “commie dictators” or evil totalitarians arise, Lai’s travails could be usefully compared to those of Julian Assange, who continues incarceration in a maximum security prison on an extradition warrant which had previously been turned down and is on appeal. Lai’s legal problems are relatively obvious and in keeping with China’s laws, while Assange’s persecution has been opaque and unusual from the start, and marked by a high level of openly retributive motive from western intelligence and security operatives and leadership.

Kirk / David The Jesus/masturbation meme was, of course, just one of hundreds of dastardly Internet Research Agency graphics which the Senate Subcommittee on Intelligence resolutely declared to represent an attack on American democracy, designed to "sow chaos" and exacerbate (no pun intended) divisions. https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/ The Jesus graphic in fact may on its own have tipped the election in 2016, as most everyone knows that Hilary owned the self-pleasuring vote in Wisconsin (and much of it in Michigan too) - that is until the graphic in question showed up on certain Facebook groups, after Manafort handed Kliminik the polling data, and the evil Russians created chaos. (insert tasteless Facebook whistleblower joke here).

So who secedes first - Texas or California?

The “vaccine passport” is a form of social credit. Social credit, in our capitalist democracies, has in its contemporary form always been associated with authoritarian governing structures. The problem, as Neill Oliver infers, is the social credit passport system invariably inverts routine and common facets of daily life - such as having a drink with friends, going to the movies, or sharing a family dinner at a nice restaurant - into a privilege. Or, put more ominously, into a privilege granted by the State (i.e. the statements by the Australian premier) based on one’s behaviour. The unique difficulties posed by Covid - i.e. not an existential threat to the vast majority of peoples but capable of wreaking societal havoc by its contagious properties - should cut some slack for public figures and health authorities, but we are being steered down a rather perilous road without any firm assurance that mass vaccination programs will stem let alone eradicate the virus. Further, it is quite apparent that it is the reopening of the public school systems rather than lack of adherence to mass vaccination programs which is currently driving the continuing problems. In that, the actual priorities at play come somewhat clearer.

The ever schizophrenic CounterPunch site (at least re: conspiracy theories) has published an interview with Oliver Stone on his film career,Vietnam, and the new JFK doc. Stone says the doc will be released in US in November. https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/09/24/the-camera-is-the-rifle-an-interview-with-oliver-stone/

The author has followed up, and the original article was not “true”, rather it was written to punk 9-11 “truthers”. The author has been a long time contributor to CounterPunch, so the article initially appeared as an outlier or some sort of satire. The author’s explanation is here: https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/09/10/belief-truth-science-religion-and-9-11/ The author believes NIST has it right. I personally don’t know enough of the science involved to hold an opinion, and therefore consider the building demolition concepts the wrong rabbit hole for skeptics when there are other more robust shelters to dwell while doubting the official findings. That said, the author’s endorsement of Occam’s Razor as a reliable guide to the truth fails to account for the subjectivity at play determining what is in fact the simplest explanation. Both sides of the JFK debate, for example, have invoked the formula although only one side can be right - i.e. the simplest explanation can only be determined when all the facts are “on the table”.

The hysterical media reports from Afghanistan suggesting a quarter million persons in hiding for fear of being massacred are fairly reminiscent of hysterical media reports from the end of the Vietnam occupation. Or hysterical media reports from 1950s Vietnam - now understood as a deliberated psy-op - which saw a mass exodus of Catholic peasants to Diem’s newly declared police state. Part of the messaging here is that the absence of US/NATO occupying forces results in widespread chaos and human rights violations, when, objectively, it has instead been the presence of these occupying forces responsible for the chaos and human suffering. The Afghanis in real, rather than speculative, danger are those who were directly involved in the Phoenix-like programs run by the occupiers, but they are likely long gone. Outside of the western media bubble, the hysteria and fear-mongering is notably absent - for instance the Indian diplomat Bhadrakumar who I linked several weeks ago has now posted eleven sober non-speculative reports on Afghanistan without inflated numbers or emotive language. re: Taiwan - it has long been recognized at the UN as Chinese territory and not an independent nation. While recent years have seen an uptick in promoting Taiwanese independence, in concert with the US “pivot to China”, most if not all concerns of an imminent PLA invasion of the island are imagined by politicians in Taiwan and their supporters in US and Australia. The PRC seem content to play the long game, but any effort to station American missiles or radars on the island will likely trigger a swift and decisive countermove. It seems the world has enough problems without new and dangerous brinksmanship.

Highly doubt the reporters for the NY Times, Vanity Fair, Slate, Salon, etc hold, independently, strong opinions about Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth, let alone have ever thought deeply about the official explanations of the events. So this has the look of a coordinated effort to assert the primacy of the Official Story ahead of the 20th anniversary with the promise that all disbelievers - whether merely asking questions or not - will face the wrath of the Establishment in the form of public debasement by the MSM.

Yes, very similar to the attacks on Stone's "JFK" well before the film was even released. Dual purpose of getting out ahead with the preferred narrative, and perhaps influencing changes to the film itself. Seems like Spike Lee is revising the segment in question in response to the attacks. Like the JFKA, forensic certainty about how the buildings collapsed will never be satisfactorily achieved because the debris was removed before it could be analyzed (while JFK suffered poor and confusing autopsy). Regardless, there is plenty of less-publicized incriminating activity to support the notion of an inside job. A passive cover-up continues today with the frequent description of the 2001 Afghanistan invasion as necessary because the Taliban were hosting the responsible terrorists.

The Americans intended to redeploy to regional bases, from which air assets could continue to support the (now-departed) Afghan government. The big surprise over the past two months was that no one in the region was willing to accept US bases, which led to the haphazard events we see now as the actual fall of the government was not anticipated. Further, regional cooperation now and into the future, in concert with the Taliban, is far more advanced than US analysts ever foresaw. The Russians apparently were in discussion with Taliban seven years ago anticipating this day, and both Russia and China have been lending advice on managing world perception. Political rapprochement within the country, to be followed by regional investments in rebuilding, are already in motion reflecting planning which goes back some time. I recommend a discussion with Pepe Escobar and the Grayzone fellows - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiF3TQZSxhs And the four-part analysis “Reflections on Events in Afghanistan” by the Indian scholar MK Bhadrakumar - https://www.indianpunchline.com/reflections-on-events-in-afghanistan/ It’s a different picture than Reuters/AP. Right now, the US has no footprint or influence or prospects in the Eurasian landmass from Beijing to Tehran, and that may be the biggest game-changer since 9/11.

W - I appreciate your insights on these issues, but the review in question has two authors, appeared in a peer-reviewed academically focussed journal (not an advocacy website), and is very careful to iterate that it is addressing potential risk factors. It was published in May, so further studies may have already refuted these concerns (but I am not aware of such). Point being that our western societies are on the verge of mandating an inoculation which may potentially carry yet to be understood risk factors, but also does not provide the immunity from either contracting or transmitting the virus which was implicitly promised. (i.e. every single person I knew who received the jabs back in the spring were certain they were then immune from a covid infection). The gradually developing “vaccine passport” system in Canada, for access to public spaces, will be requiring proof of full (two dose) vaccination or a recent (last three days) negative covid test. The obvious logical flaw is that the vaccination is not the same as a negative test, and that a vaccinated individual could be both infected and spreading the virus. Also, attitudes may change after it sinks in that a booster shot could be required every six months or so. In California, as I understand it, the onus for keeping unvaccinated individuals out of venues such as restaurants and movie theatres will be on the business itself, enforced by large fines on the business if such individuals are discovered. This could easily lead to heavy-handed security practices becoming routine just to have lunch, all to enforce a logically-flawed mandate. Further - and I truly hope it does not occur - but if negative side-effects are later revealed with the mRNA products, after they had been effectively mandated by the state, then the consequences of the inevitable trust deficit could be very serious. There is a rather large control group in Israel, with the Pfizer product, and fortunately so far the deleterious effects predicted by some of the doom-sayers have not come to pass. There are indications that some of the above has been gamed out at senior levels, and this is why the reporting on these issues in mainstream institutions such as NYT has lately become far more nuanced.

Here is an academic review of the mRNA vaccines: https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/23/51 Israel, which vaccinated most of its population some months ago with the Pfizer product, is now facing a big spike in serious covid cases. Also the New York Times is reporting this week that high covid case growth rates are being seen in “high vaccination states”: “Over just the last two weeks ending August 12, high vaccination states with higher covid case growth rates than Texas and Florida include not only Vermont (263% growth in the last two weeks) but also Hawaii (176% growth over the last two weeks), Oregon (144%), Washington state (146%), New York (108%), and Washington DC (158%), versus Texas with 72% growth in covid cases over the two weeks ending August 12, and Florida with only 50% growth. California is slightly behind Florida with 48% growth.” The unfortunate over-selling of the efficacy of at least the mRNA covid vaccines is facing a bit of a reality check at the same time that “vaccine passports” and mandatory inoculation are being seriously proposed. The caution urged by the above academic paper doesn’t square with public health measures which have already been committed to. It’s quite possible there will be a graduated climb-down from the current mandates.

Since this thread is concerned with issues of truth and propaganda, expert opinion and popular misconceptions, I suppose I’ll have to play the spoiler here and recognize that the main progenitor of “Chinese organ harvesting” atrocity information is the right-wing Trump-loving Falun Gong cult. This extends to the work by “Nobel Peace Prize nominees” Matas and Kilgour, as reported in Grayzone. None of these accusations, in their contemporary form, have been substantiated and rely almost entirely on sources who are not actually in a position to know. https://thegrayzone.com/2019/09/30/reports-china-organ-harvesting-cult-falun-gong/

Dylan is one of the more scrutinized individuals of modern times, so any accusation of “grooming” let alone alleged Chelsea Hotel assaults will quickly flounder against the documented record. Still, as a civil suit, the publicizing is unavoidable and the strategy may have been to extort a settlement in return for this to go away. Highly likely to be highly unsuccessful. A new book from one of his better biographers, Clinton Heylin, sees BD at 22 in 1963 as one of the original JFKA conspiracy theorists. Heylin had access to reams of notes and drafts now housed at the University of Tulsa and writes: “(Dylan) seems to have quickly rejected the ‘lone assassin’ theory, even before Jack Ruby gunned down the appointed patsy, typing out the line, ‘it had t be done with more guns than one’, while also telling (radio host) Bob Fass that weekend, ‘They are trying to tell you, don’t even hope to change things. If you try to put yourself up against the forces of death… you’re done for.” Excerpt From: Clinton Heylin. “The Double Life of Bob Dylan.” Apple Books.

In 1979, Afghanistan was a secular nation which at least in the large population centres enjoyed equality for all persons under a relatively popular socialist government.This arrangement was deliberately destroyed by the United States, which directed money, armaments and encouragement to a conservative fundamentalist religious cult as a means to geopolitical advantage. Later, even before the events of 9-11, US leaders decided to overthrow these same fundamentalists and militarily occupy the country. Afghanistan, under US and NATO occupation, duly became one of the most corrupt entities on the planet, a sinkhole where over $2 trillion literally disappeared in plain sight. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the responsibility does not extend much beyond D.C.

It is a common practice for MSM outlets to reserve film reviews and related coverage until the domestic release of the project, often at the request of the production. It is at that stage that the often symbiotic relationship between the distribution/publicists and the media kicks into gear. The eyebrow-raiser in this instance is there does not yet seem to be a US distribution deal in place. If accurate, the notion that Netflix, for example, refused the film on advice of its “fact-checkers” does not create confidence that there in fact will be a US domestic release. Netflix previously not only screened “Untold History”, but also Errol Morris’ “Wormwood” which contained content highly critical of the national security apparatus. Morris’ film was set in the 1950s, so maybe another 5-6 years must pass before it is deemed safe to deal with the 1960s. Along that line, perhaps Warren’s contention that most persons living in 1963 would need to have passed on before a full accounting would be permitted wasn’t just a conjecture.

The towers WTC1 and WTC2 had unusual support column/core design, which has “buttressed” the supposition the airliners alone were sufficient to cause the observed damage (but doesn’t explain the pulverization of the building materials). WTC7, in contrast, cannot really be explained by the presumed damage, and in fact hasn’t been adequately explained despite reference to “expert” support for official findings (many of the larger grouping of supportive experts are agreeing with generalized principles and have not looked very far into the valid questions or pondered the slippery logic of the official theory). And, much like the destroyed wing of the Pentagon, WTC7 was the repository of damaging investigative work into elite-driven corrupt practices, a problem which magically disappeared that day. There were numerous reports in the wake of 9-11 of living individuals with the same names and vital stats as the designated hijackers. In some instances it was the doubling of a common name, and in some instances it could have been the result of identification theft. It is a fact that the official investigations never published hard evidence that the identified culprits actually boarded the planes (i.e. they should have had photographic evidence from security cameras from multiple checkpoints). Here is a rundown on the “living hijackers” from a 9-11 debunking site: http://www.911myths.com/html/still_alive.html

Legal attacks on independent publishers and bloggers continue in the UK, with former diplomat and prominent Assange supporter Craig Murray jailed for violating an entirely new judicial concept which specifically does not apply to members of the mainstream media. Jonathan Cook’s recap of the absurd Alice-In-Wonderland style proceedings is highly recommended: https://consortiumnews.com/2021/07/31/murray-jailing-latest-move-to-stop-journalism/

9/11 was the official kickoff for America's position as the sole hegemonic global superpower, a project which is steadily diminishing twenty years on. The intent to regime-change the Mid-East ("7 countries in 5 years") stalled half way through, and the indifference and carelessness which characterized the associated collateral damage severely damaged USA's global reputation. It was the (seemingly related) anthrax attacks which were responsible for the domestic restructuring into a full-fledged national security regime, which included the Patriot Act and Homeland Security Department. These attacks were eventually pinned on a "lone nut", but the consequences were profound.

That’s not the case. In fact, the first effective doubts were raised within a day or two based on the failure of the Air Force to respond promptly to a hijacking situation. That led to an extraordinary revision of the Pentagon’s timeline, presented on national television, on September 14. Later, after the 9/11 Commission’s work, researchers were able to finely trace a paper trail which revealed the deliberate obfuscation of the presence in the US of two alleged future hijackers, a process generated and carried out by the CIA. This involved controlling information to the FBI, but also to other agencies in the lead-up to the event when supposedly there was a “high alert” of a possible attack. The officials responsible could be named, as were other officials who controlled the dissemination of the information to investigating bodies. (See, for example, Kevin Fenton’s “Disconnecting The Dots” Trine Day 2011) I agree that the fate of the WTC buildings cannot be absolutely established (although WTC 7 is seriously suspicious) and, just like photo and body manipulation in JFKA, the powers-that-be are therefore content that the focus remains there. In both instances there are other evidentiary issues which are much stronger.

Censorship invariably promotes and supports orthodoxies - I.e. the sun and planets revolve around the Earth - and should, in my opinion, be resisted short of a prevailing short-term limited necessity (although even that should face skepticism). Critical thinking skills - a life skill - should be part of a public education system, as finely tuned BS detecting assists greatly in deflating preposterous notions. Critical thinking skills resist either/or paradigms - into which contemporary public debates over vaccination mandates or climate change are often charged. With covid, the western capitalist countries have been unable to establish public heath regimes based on eradication, and have instead adopted mitigation strategies based on inoculation. The products being injected into the public have not been fully tested and cannot be, at least yet, labelled “safe” or verified.That is a fact, and the urge to deny or downplay the fact does not contribute to the public good. Outright censorship and “cancelling” individuals over this issue for expressing an opinion should therefore be resisted, but it is fully prevalent - not a good read on our society. (Personally, I get my second jab next week, with reservations but in acknowledgement that this is the public heath measure we have and our best interests are served by getting back to “normal” - but the campaign to inoculate teenagers and children with the unproven product is rather irrational mob-rush policy.) With global warming, variations in the Earth’s climate over time is established while the causation effect of carbon emissions less so. These emissions may be exacerbating natural trends without being solely responsible for al the heating (I think this is true), but there are also severe public health issues associated with these pollutions to consider as well (i.e. lives shortened due to particulates in the air). So its in our interests to do better, but an entire dismantling of industrial civilization - which is in part promoted by elite interests - seems a step too far. When I hear advocates demand the cessation of international travel while never referring to the greenhouse gases emitted by the world’s militaries - by far the worst polluters - then I wonder what agenda is being followed. Further complicating is the prevalence of fear discourses in discussions of covid and global warming. The role of pubic relations industries have to also factor into all this talk. Remember, the cigarette peddlers managed to keep their products on the shelves for decades after science established a direct causal link between the product and fatal or debilitating diseases by controlling or overwhelming the information. It seems right now the public discussions we should be having are not yet happening because they are being diverted - or censored.

I would say the "secret veto" of your last paragraph already took place just ahead of Super Tuesday last year. Kirk - you seem more interested in Justin T than most Canadians are. I wonder if it's a California thing - I was on a road trip through your neck of woods several years ago and invariably once our nationality came up the subject immediately turned - fawningly - to Trudeau. Maybe he should relocate and run for governor.

Stone appeared last week on the RT program "Going Underground". Informed questions, informed answers - cannot imagine such an interview conducted on American mainstream media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVso_wpata4

Kirk: “…all the instruments of government you've listed can change if an informed electorate elected the right people.” Is that an operative construct anymore? Was it ever? Our countries may appear relatively stable, but many examples in Latin America show an entrenched conservative minority of private interests overwhelming or dulling democratic impulses time and again. And successful reforms under constant pressure. Does it not seem, correspondingly, in the stable democracies there is secret veto power against the will of the people, should it be necessary? Many have argued the JFKA was a form of that - ugly and extreme as that may have been. Today in USA there are checks on reformist impulses through legislated gerrymandering and unlimited campaign contributions, neither of which were grassroots initiatives. In the Commonwealth countries - like UK and Canada - the written constitutions have language which allows the Queen’s representatives to dissolve a sitting government, and this actually happened in Australia in 1975. Lacking countervailing power blocs prepared to create a new system if necessary, an informed electorate can only achieve limited results (lesson from New Deal era).