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108 Comments

  1. Catherine,
    Dr. Roberts brings up some interesting arguments. Trump must know at least some of the “narrow interests” behind the CIA. Maybe I’m naive, but it seems to me that striking at the CIA is just striking at a very big branch of the tree. He would be better off going after some of these interests, provided he has a strong FBI and DOJ. I know that it is way easier said than done. I’m in the same camp as the Saker as far as what Trump must do very quickly.

    Do you think Mr. Global is a who or a what? Maybe Mr. Global is a consciousness that infects certain types of people. This consciousness lies to people all of the time, even to its most loyal servants. And these higher ups lie to their suboordinates to get them to go along with things that they otherwise wouldn’t do. And so it goes down the line. I remember an article on how a memo was sent out from CIA management that was a lie in order to deceive its own employees. How many people in the CIA are good Americans who are being lead astray? I have to believe that most of the people in these various agencies are working under false beliefs. These beliefs were probably instilled in them when they were in college when they were first recruited.

    On another note, it bothers me when writers and media figures say the FBI, the CIA, etc. did this, that, or the other thing. No, it was certain people who worked for that organization and I would bet that there were a number of other people in the organization that were against those particular actions about which the media figure was talking. When writers say the FBI without qualifying it, it gives people who don’t know better the impression that the whole organization is corrupt. That’s not good for anyone and it’s simply not true.

    As a corollary, people need to understand that government is not one giant monolith. There are many working parts. The clinton investigations are a good example. If the reports are accurate, the FBI is battling the DOJ on doing these investigations. My money is on the FBI and the hacks in the DOJ are just running cover operations. I know you understand this, but I think this point needs emphasizing. I hope Trump cleans out the DOJ for his own sake….and ours. I can’t remember the last good AG that we have had. I’ve said this before, but the AG needs to be elected, not appointed.

    Be well.

    Chad

    http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2017/01/17/trump-vs-cia-paul-craig-roberts/

    1. Chad:

      If you listen to the audio we published this evening, I talk about how the US government or any intelligence agency is no a monolith but millions of factions.

      I don’t agree with much in Robert’s article because I think it is important to get into the issues at the deepest level. At the root is a policy question of what we make secret and what we make transparent. That has to be decided first, which I why I am much more interested in what Trump says a week from now than what he says today.

      While the process this week was messy, the infusion of some honesty is having an enormously positive effect. All solutions require a much more honest map and conversation.

      Better mess than fake news.

  2. Catherine:

    In case you didn’t know it, there will be a total solar eclipse visible in Tennessee on August 21st. The eclipse will be visible on a path from Oregon to South Carolina, and here is a map of where it will be visible within Tennessee. This will be the first total solar eclipse that’s been visible in the United States since 1979.

    https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/tennessee/

    1. Yes. We posted a link last week or the week before about it. THANKS! Perhaps terrible timing, I will probably be in Europe that day.

  3. FYI, Catherine. We’re past “beyond a reasonable doubt” in showing that marijuana has medical value. The DEA’s policy toward it is a travesty of a mockery of a sham. There should be no doubt in peoples’ minds that the DEA, in part, is being used to protect certain industries, namely big pharma, tobacco, and alcohol. I am continuing to support LEAP’s efforts in changing police officers’ minds on the issue. While there may be a case keeping some drugs illegal, there is absolutely no excuse when it comes to marijuana. Regulated yes, prohibited no.

    Chad

    http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=24625

    1. Chad:

      For purposes of understanding what is happening, it is useful to put yourself in Mr. Global’s chair and then view the general population as livestock. Determine how you would optimize harvesting the livestock, including constantly prototyping new ways of harvesting and evolving what you are doing. Don’t think of humans as humans. Think of them as natural resources to be mined.

      Catherine

      1. Understood. Once their lies have been dispelled and people awake from their slumber, the mining operations will stop, provided the police and the military wake up, also. I hope you can get one of the LEAP reps on for an interview. I think I lot of people will appreciate it. The prestige of the police has been greatly harmed by the drug war. Having a LEAP representative on may help your subscribers understand that many officers are not for the current legal scheme regarding drugs and help to restore some of that prestige.

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