[GPSCC-chat] Are US National Security Policies Counterproductive?

[Spencer Graves]

Hello, All:


       I believe that the current discussion of US government secrecy 
rules avoids some critical background -- things done in secret and 
largely covered up by our "lapdog press".  For example, Dilma Rousseff, 
current President of Brazil, was tortured for nonviolent political 
activities by a dictatorship that overthrew democracy in 1964 with 
secret encouragement by US President Johnson.  Similarly, the Reagan 
administration secretly gave weapons of mass destruction to Saddam 
Hussein in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, which he used against US 
troops in the 1990-91 Gulf War.  Journalists are fired or harassed for 
asking the wrong questions.  Green party activist Doug Stuber was 
prevented from flying to Europe to buy art to sell in his store in North 
Carolina apparently because he help organize one of Ralph Nader's 
presidential campaigns.


        For further discussion and documentation of these and related 
issues, see my blog re., "Are US National Security Policies 
Counterproductive?" at 
"http://sanjosepeace.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/are-us-national-security-policies-counterproductive/". 



       Below please find emails I sent to Boxer, Feinstein and Lofgren 
citing this blog asking for a more substantive review of US government 
secrecy policies.  If you'd like to do more but are uncertain how, 
please read the blog or contact me.


       Best Wishes,
       Spencer


p.s.  Might anyone be interested in helping convert this blog into a 
video?  It's 533 words that could be read leisurely in 4.5 minutes and 
illustrated with 150 - 200 slides and photos from Wikipedia and other 
free sources.  I could easily overestimate the value of this, but I 
think this blog contains a fairly unique and important message that I'm 
not hearing elsewhere.  If you agree, I could use help in improving the 
verbiage and converting into into a YouTube video that might stand a 
chance of going viral and changing the terms of the debate on these issues.


Dear Sen. Boxer:


       Thank you for your efforts to end the war in Iraq.  How do you 
stand on the secrecy rules that allowed administrations at least from 
Eisenhower to Obama to conspire in secret to destroy democracy in 
foreign countries?  You may know that Dilma Rousseff, current president 
of Brazil was tortured for her nonviolent opposition to a dictatorship 
that destroyed democracy there in 1964, with US President Johnson 
stationing a naval battle group off their coast in case Gen. Kruel, the 
coup leader, encountered unexpected difficulties.  Do you think US 
secrecy laws should support that?


       Similarly, do you think the secret "No fly" list should have been 
used to harass Sen. Kennedy or prevent a Green party organizer for Ralph 
Nader to be prevented from flying to Europe to purchase art to sell in 
his gallery?  Should "national security" be used to prevent the American 
people from participating in treaty discussions that enhance the power 
of international businesses at the expense of small businesses, 
consumers, and employees?


       For similar questions, see my blog asking "Are US National 
Security Policies Counterproductive?" at ...


Dear Sen. Feinstein:


       From your support for the Patriot and similar Acts, I wonder how 
you felt about the routine harassment Sen. Kennedy receive from Homeland 
Security?  Did you support the use of the "No fly" list to prevent an 
organizer for Ralph Nader from flying anywhere?  What would you say to 
Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil, who says she was tortured for 
nonviolent political activities by a dictatorship whose destruction of 
democracy in 1964 was secretly encouraged by US president Johnson?  I 
gather you also support the use of national security as an excuse to 
keep secret details of international trade negotiations that increase 
the power of multinational corporations at the expense of small 
businesses, consumers, and employees?  For details behind these and 
other similar cases with references to substantive documentation, please 
see my blog re. "Are US National Security Policies Counterproductive?" 
at ...


Dear Rep. Lofgren:


       Thanks for your concern about excessive secrecy in the US 
government.  How do you feel about the claims by Brazilian President 
Dilma Rousseff that she was tortured for nonviolent political activities 
by a dictatorship that destroyed democracy there with the secret 
encouragement of US President Johnson?  How do you feel about the rules 
that allowed the Reagan administration to supply chemical and biological 
warfare technology to Saddam Hussein to help him during the Iran-Iraq 
war?  A report by Senators Riegle and d'Amato documented how he used 
some of those weapons against US troops in the 1990-91 Gulf War.  How do 
you think these rules should be changed?


       For more on my thoughts on this with references to research 
citing more cases and substantive documentation, see my blog re. "Are US 
National Security Policies Counterproductive?" at ...


-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:  www.structuremonitoring.com