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Sibel Edmonds

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  • #31
    Part 4

    The MIC Factor

    In part 1 we discussed the MIC as 'agents by default;' marriages and loyalties based on 'mutual benefit;' our previous example was Saudi Arabia, top customer of U.S. weaponry. Well, Turkey only trails the Saudis slightly in that category; between 1992 and 1996, Turkey was the second largest importer of weaponry, spending more than $7 billion in four years. A report by the World Policy Institute shows that Turkey is the third largest recipient of U.S. military aid, behind Israel and Egypt. Between 1994 and 2003, Turkey took delivery of more than $6.8 billion in U.S. weaponry and services.

    In fiscal year 1989, U.S. aid to Turkey was $563,500,000. According to a Multi National Monitor Report, in 1991, Turkey received more than $800 million in U.S. aid, "an exceptional return" on its $3.8 million investment in Washington lobbyists. At the time, International Advisors, INC. (Douglas Feith & Richard Perle lobbying firm as registered agents for Turkey) was paid more than $1 million for representing Turkey in the U.S. for the purpose of securing these types of deals. In 2003, Turkey received a $1 billion aid package. During this period their registered and known lobbyists were the Livingston Group, headed by the former Speaker of the House Bob Livingston, and Solarz Associates, headed by a formerly powerful Representative, Stephen Solarz. Turkey, from 2000 to 2004, for only four years, paid Livingston $9 million for his lobbying services. What did the Republic of Turkey get for its $2 million per year investment in Ex-Congressman Livingston's services?

    A Joint Report by the Federation of American Scientists and the World Policy Institute found that the vast majority of U.S. arms transfers to Turkey were subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. In many cases, these taxpayer funds are supporting military production and employment in Turkey, not in the United States. Of the $10.5 billion in U.S. weaponry delivered to Turkey since 1984, $8 billion in all has been directly or indirectly financed by grants and subsidized loans provided by the U.S. government. Many of the largest deals--such as Lockheed Martin's sale of 240 F-16s to the Turkish air force and the FMC Corporation's provision of 1,698 armored vehicles to the Turkish army--involve co-production and offset provisions which steer investments, jobs, and production to Turkey as a condition of the sale. For example, Turkey's F-16 assembly plant in Ankara--a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)--employs 2,000 production workers, almost entirely paid for with U.S. tax dollars.

    Let's recap the above data: Not only does our government, actually, our taxpayers, subsidize $8 billion of Turkey's $10 billion weapons purchases; the production of this weaponry and the associated employment occurs not in the U.S., but overseas, in Turkey. We, the taxpayers, are subsidizing these purchases; our nation readily transfers its technology to a country that ranks high in global narcotics, terrorist and WMD related activities; while a select few MIC related firms such as Lockheed and the pimping middlemen, the lobbyists, get fatter and richer.



    One Stop Shop: The Cohen Group

    Like many other former statesmen, William Cohen, former Secretary of Defense, dived into the business of lobbying and consulting, and created his own Washington firm, The Cohen Group, which works for some of the largest companies in the defense industry, such as Lockheed Martin, and serves numerous foreign players. The Cohen Group is one of the primary and most active members of the American Turkish Council (ATC). Cohen's client, Lockheed Martin, happens to be on the board of ATC, in addition to being listed as ATC's top paying client.

    The group claims on its Website that its principals have "a century and a half of combined experience in the Congress, the Defense Department, the State Department, the White House, and state and local governments" and that they "have developed extensive expertise and relationships with key international political, economic, and business leaders and acquired invaluable experiences with the individuals and institutions that affect our clients' success abroad." Abroad indeed. With a few 'dime a dozen generals' and former statesmen, the firm owes its phenomenal speedy success to interests 'abroad' and of course, the MIC! Let's look, with great amazement, I hope, at how this ingenious lobby venture serves as foreign agent for several influences without having to register as such; with complete immunity against any scrutiny.

    According to Intelligence Online, in its March 27, 2006 issue, Cohen accompanied Bush on his trip to India and Pakistan in March 2006. The Cohen Group is very active in India; Joseph Ralston, Cohen's Vice Chairman, led two delegations of U.S. Defense Chiefs to India the previous year. The trips were organized in conjunction with the U.S. India Business Council; among the participants were Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing.

    On June 9, 2006, Intelligence Online reports 'already operating in India, the Cohen Group headed by William Cohen, has just opened an office in Beijing... Since 2003 the Cohen Group has equally been employing Christine Vick. She is a former Vice President of Kissinger Associates; the consultancy founded by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and had been in charge of the firm's Chinese business.'

    Prior to the October 2005 release of Paul Volcker's report on violations of the United Nations' Iraq oil-for-food program, the Australian wheat exporter AWB Limited hired Cohen's firm. AWB paid approximately $A300 million in trucking fees on its wheat contracts to a Jordanian company, Alia, which owns no trucks! The funds were funnelled to Saddam's regime. AWB hired Cohen Group as part of its 'strategy, ' code-named 'Project Rose', to deal with the UN inquiry headed by Paul Volcker and corruption allegations made against it by U.S. wheat farmers and 'hostile US politicians.' Cohen Group is not a law firm; what kind of services and representation is it providing for this criminal case?

    So who are the key players at Cohen's lobby firm, giving it its value? Well of course, a handful of powerful formers; in addition to Cohen as the top principal we have former Undersecretary of State Mark Grossman, and two formerly high-level 'dime a dozen generals:' General Joseph Ralston and General Paul Kern; let's briefly look at them; shall we?

    Ret. General Paul Kern

    Cohen Group senior counselor is retired general Paul J. Kern, a former head of the Army Materiel Command, who recently served on a panel convened by the Defense Department to recommend improvements in how it acquires weapons systems; of course, a topic of great interest to Cohen clients.

    Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Performance Assessment Panel , DAPAP, was created to recommend changes in the awarding of military contracts. Over half of this panel is executives of large defense corporations. Among the Committee's six members are Frank Cappuccio, VP of Lockheed Martin, and retired General Kern, who is the Senior Counselor of the Cohen Group!

    When the Pentagon is informed of wasteful practices, it commonly ignores them. Congressman Walter Jones, (R-N.C.) is quoted as understating, "We've got an agency that is not doing its job of being a watchdog for the taxpayers." Retired Army Reserve officer Paul Fellencer Sr. complained to the Pentagon's fraud hot line last year about $200-million worth of outrageous overpayments for ordinary supplies. Pentagon investigators never bothered to call him and dismissed his tip as "unsubstantiated," the news service said.

    One wonders how many American citizens are aware of the fact that a 'dime a dozen general' such as Kern, who happens to be a Senior Counsel of a lobby firm with foreign interests and MIC representation, who happens to sit on the board of Lockheed Martin, gets to sit on a panel that monitors and advises on awarding military contracts to the private MIC companies by the Pentagon. Would it take an absolute genius to figure out that this is 'putting a fox in charge of the hen house'? If not, then how could this get past the decision makers at the Pentagon? How come our lawmakers, those in charge of ensuring the checks and balances in our government, those we consider our representatives, sit there either unaware or unbothered by this red flag visible from a hundred miles away? What happened to 'investigative journalists with good noses;' were they all inflicted by congested sinuses at the same time?
    General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

    Comment


    • #32
      Part 5

      Fmr. Gen. Joseph Ralston

      General Joseph Ralston, one of Cohen Group's Vice Chairmen, is on the board of Lockheed Martin, which paid the Cohen Group $550,000 in 2005, according to a Lockheed filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ralston is also a member of the 2006 Advisory Board of the American Turkish Council (ATC), and one of Turkey's top advocates. If you think this 'dime a dozen general' ended one career and removed himself from the U.S. government by becoming 'the foreign agent man,' think again after reading the following.

      On August 28, 2006, the U.S. State Department appointed the former U.S. Air Force General, current Vice Chairman of the Cohen Group, board member of American Turkish Council, registered lobbyist for Lockheed Martin, Joseph Ralston, as a "Special Envoy" for countering the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK)! Lo and behold, Ralston's appointment came as Turkey was finalizing the purchase of 30 new Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft valued at $3 billion, and as Turkey was due to make its decision on the $10 billion purchase of the new Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF aircraft. Coincidentally, the U.S. Congress approved the sale of the F-16s to Turkey in October 2006, shortly after Ralston's return from Turkey.

      While the implications of Ralston's appointment caused a major stir within the Kurdish community and organizations, mainly pointing to Ralston's position with the Turkish lobby in the U.S. (he is on the board of ATC), and within Turkey's own communities, pointing to Ralston's position with Lockheed Martin (he is on the board of Lockheed Martin), our own media, watchdog organizations, and congress let this gargantuan conflict of interest pass under the radar.

      Our government sent this man, Ralston, as a special envoy to help resolve the highly critical Northern Iraq situation with possible dire consequences in the near future. Considering Ralston's livelihood and his loyalties, as a member of the board of the directors of Lockheed Martin, as the vice chairman of a lobbying firm with foreign interests, as an advisor and board member for the most powerful Turkish Lobby group, ATC, who did this man represent while in Turkey as the special envoy? What interests did he really represent; Iraq's situation, Lockheed's livelihood, which depends on further conflicts and bloodshed; the corrupt and criminal government of Turkey and its representation via ATC; or, the furthering of the Cohen Group's future pimping opportunities?

      Why in the world did no one within the U.S. mainstream media give even the slightest coverage of this conflict of interest? Why did no one, Democrat or Republican, in our congress make a peep? Why haven't we heard anyone asking Ralston the most important question, in dire need of an answer: 'Who's your daddy Ralston; boy?' Ralston's position is no different than what is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as: "A person conceived and born out of wedlock." With the possibility of any one of four daddies, and without the benefit of a DNA test, how do we go about determining Ralston's real daddy?

      Fmr. Undersecretary Marc Grossman

      The second Vice Chairman of Cohen's firm is Marc Grossman, who was the U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the State Department from 2001 until 2005. From November 1994 to June 1997, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. In January 2005 Grossman resigned from his position and joined the Cohen Group. In late December 2005, Grossman joined Ihlas Holding, a large and alleged shady Turkish company which is also active in several Central Asian countries. Grossman is reported to receive $100,000 per month for his advisory position with Ihlas.' Most and foremost, Grossman is known for his extraordinarily cozy relationship with Turkey and Israel; followed by Pakistan.

      Here is Grossman as the key speaker at an ATC conference in March 2002; while Undersecretary of State; and here it is followed by Grossman's visit to Turkey in December 2002, to approve the $3 billion U.S. aid to Turkey for the Iraq Cooperation deal. There he goes again, Grossman back to Turkey in December 2003 re: approval of Turkey's eligibility to participate in tenders for Iraq's reconstruction! Here is Grossman as the key speaker at an ATC Conference held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in December 2004, while Undersecretary. Here is Grossman as the guest of honor and key speaker at the American Turkish Society dinner in New York in February 2005, while Undersecretary. Here he is again, at the lavish Turkish Ottoman Dinner Gala in November 2005. Here is Grossman at the award dinner gala by the Turkish lobby group, the Assembly of American Turkish Association (ATAA), in Chicago, receiving his award in November 2005. Here is Grossman as the key speaker at the ATC annual conference in March 2006, and later, in June 2006, at the MERIA Conference to discuss Turkey's importance to the U.S. & Israel. This list can go on for pages and pages; but I believe you all get it; right?

      Here is a comment by Wolfowitz during his visit to Turkey:"I'm delighted to be back in Turkey and so is my colleague Marc Grossman, who feels like Turkey is a second home." Second home indeed, Mr. Grossman!

      Please do not make the grave and naive mistake of assuming that Grossman found and obtained his highly lucrative and questionable positions after his resignation in January 2005. Within two months after his confident resignation, this boy got the vice chairmanship of the Cohen Group. Only six months later, Grossman ended up securing a 'special advisory' position for a foreign company that reported his monthly fee at $100,000 a month. The industrious Grossman seems to be juggling so many balls simultaneously: numerous foreign sponsored dinner speeches, the demanding pimping activities of Cohen's firm, the very 'special advising' of a shady foreign company

      We all have a pretty good idea how long and how much work it takes to secure that level of income and those positions. Did Grossman beat the odds and get lucky as soon as he got out of the State Department? Did he hit the jackpot? Or, did he diligently and industriously work at it, while in his position as the ambassador to Turkey and as Deputy Secretary of State? Did he sell his soul while under his oath of office? Did he sell our government's soul? Did he sell our nation and its interests? If so; for what and how much?


      * * * *

      Long gone are the days when generals were content to retire and go back home where they held their heads high as honorable patriots and heroes who had served their nation; where they marched in their towns' parades as proud distinguished men and women who had fulfilled their duty to the people. Today, as we clearly see, they perceive themselves and their authority as a commodity; they go about marketing their worth (nationally and internationally; foreign and domestic) long before they leave their positions as public servants.

      The same goes for many of our statesmen. While in office, Grossman and others like him appear to have one objective in mind and in action: to make sure that their future employer who is waiting for them on the other side of the revolving door will receive special and lucrative arrangements so that they can be compensated handsomely later.

      In Part1, we briefly described the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), established to insure that the American public and its lawmakers know the source of propaganda intended to sway public opinion, policy, and laws; and the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995, which was passed to make the regulation and disclosure of lobbying the federal government more effective. The article emphasized that both of these cosmetic laws are filled with exemptions and loopholes that allow minimization of, and in some cases complete escape from, warranted scrutiny, and have serious loopholes and limitations.

      The Cohen Group is an excellent case, illustrating the futility of FARA, since the firm does not have to be registered. They can claim that Turkey is not their 'direct' client; they can argue that they are not getting paid 'directly' by the government of Turkey or any other foreign entity or government. They certainly can; no matter that Grossman receives hundreds of thousands of dollars from a dubious Turkish company. Does Cohen discount Grossman's Vice Chairmanship salary accordingly? No matter that half a million dollars per year from their client Lockheed Martin is mainly for services provided to Turkey, and having the group's second chairman serve on Lockheed's board is another way to get around all restrictions. The incestuous relationship twists and turns: The Cohen Group on the board of ATC, The Cohen Group a paying member client of ATC, The Cohen Group as Lockheed's lobbyist, Cohen's men on the board of Lockheed, Lockheed on the board of ATC, Lockheed also a paying client of ATCHow is your head; spinning yet?

      We are proud of the large turnout at the ballot box for the midterm elections a few weeks ago; a sign of participatory citizenship. Perhaps we'll be repeating this phenomenon, if not increasing it, for the presidential elections in two years; another means to demonstrate our 'democratic government process in action' for badly needed change. But who really runs our country? Who really shapes our public policies and determines the flow of our hard-earned tax money entrusted to our government? If you had the patience to go through this article, which sheds light on only a fragment of what really takes place behind our backs, within the halls of our government, in all three branches, you would start questioning your significance as a voter and taxpayer, and you would begin wondering whether you are governed by who you think you are.

      The foreign influence, the lobbyists, the current highly positioned civil servants who are determined future 'wanna be' lobbyists, and the fat cats of the Military Industrial Complex, operate successfully under the radar, with unlimited reach and power, with no scrutiny, while selling your interests, benefiting from your tax money, and serving the highest bidders regardless of what or who they may be. This deep state seems to operate at all levels of our government; from the President's office to Congress, from the military quarters to the civil servants' offices. Let's let Marcus Cicero's timeless warning from over two thousand years ago put the finishing touch on this article:

      "A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murder[er] is less to fear."

      Sibel Edmonds is the founder and director of National Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC). Ms. Edmonds worked as a language specialist for the FBI. During her work with the bureau, she discovered and reported serious acts of security breaches, cover-ups, and intentional blocking of intelligence that had national security implications. After she reported these acts to FBI management, she was retaliated against by the FBI and ultimately fired in March 2002. Since that time, court proceedings on her case have been blocked by the assertion of "State Secret Privilege"; the Congress of the United States has been gagged and prevented from any discussion of her case through retroactive re-classification by the Department of Justice. Ms. Edmonds is fluent in Turkish, Farsi and Azerbaijani; and has a MA in Public Policy and International Commerce from George Mason University, and a BA in Criminal Justice and Psychology from George Washington University. PEN American Center awarded Ms. Edmonds the 2006 PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award. She can be reached at: [email protected]



      © Copyright 2006, National Security Whistleblowers Coalition. Information in this release may be freely distributed and published provided that all such distributions make appropriate attribution to the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition.
      General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

      Comment


      • #33
        Joseph,

        I don't know what we can do about all of these thieves, but I do know what we can do about at least one of them: Robert Wexler. You may have noticed that he was on the roll call of the Board members for the ATC. Again, please let's get the word out to support his opponent Ben Graber, and get this Wexler guy out of office.

        Comment


        • #34
          Originally posted by phantom View Post
          Joseph,

          I don't know what we can do about all of these thieves, but I do know what we can do about at least one of them: Robert Wexler. You may have noticed that he was on the roll call of the Board members for the ATC. Again, please let's get the word out to support his opponent Ben Graber, and get this Wexler guy out of office.
          Phantom,

          Your advice is well taken. I will donate to Graber's campaign.
          General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

          Comment


          • #35
            Sibel Edmonds defense

            Sibel Edmonds is the most gagged person in US history. The government has repeatedly invoked the State Secrets Privilege in her case - not for reasons of 'national security' but to hide ongoing criminal activity. Please call Waxman and Conyers' offices and demand public open hearings into Edmonds' case and the State Secrets Privilege. Links to their contact pages on the right of the blog.
            General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

            Comment


            • #36
              Originally posted by Joseph
              American Turkish Council (ATC)
              The ATC is a mini-AIPAC - a lobbying group where Turkey's business and military leaders interface with America's finest; current politicians from both parties, CEOs from the Military Industrial Complex (MIC), and former high-level officials acting as lobbyists. The ATC was being monitored by FBI counterintelligence (as well as CIA counterintelligence (Brewster Jennings)) and much of the information that Sibel learned is believed to have come from the surveillance of the ATC. Sibel says that the ATC is essentially a front organization for various criminal activity - ranging from nuclear black market, heroin trafficking and illegal arms sales - and was being "monitored in a 9/11 investigation."

              Despite the ATC's role in all of this criminal activity, it is demonstrably untouchable and is alive and well today. In fact, Sibel goes as far as to say that the ATC is basically a representative arm of the U.S. government, lobbyists, foreign agents, and the MIC. It's not a surprise, therefore, that the ATC has some type of informal 'protected' status, and that the FBI can't act on any of the information uncovered in any of the counter-intelligence operations.


              Melek Can xxxxerson
              xxxxerson joined the FBI in October 2001 as a Turkish translator. She had previously worked at the ATC and two other organizations that were the targets of FBI counterintelligence. Almost immediately, xxxxerson began engaging in various espionage activities including attempting to recruit Sibel and other translators into the espionage ring, intentionally covering up FBI evidence which implicated her friends at the ATC and elsewhere, stealing documents and leaking them to her friends, and falsifying "top-secret documents related to 9/11 detainees" in an attempt to falsely exonerate her guilty associates.

              Sibel's claims regarding xxxxerson were investigated and validated by the FBI. Remarkably, xxxxerson was allowed to keep her Top Secret clearance, and was allowed to continue translating Top Secret information regarding her friends and associates, including 911 investigations, for another 6 months until she fled the US.

              Top Targets of 911 Investigation
              Melek Can xxxxerson and her husband, USAF Major Doug xxxxerson, offered to introduce Sibel to some of their friends, including two Turkish guys who belonged to the ATC and worked out of the Turkish embassy in DC. According to Sibel, "These two people were the top targets of our investigation!"
              General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

              Comment


              • #37
                Originally posted by Joseph View Post
                American Turkish Council (ATC)
                The ATC is a mini-AIPAC - a lobbying group where Turkey's business and military leaders interface with America's finest; current politicians from both parties, CEOs from the Military Industrial Complex (MIC), and former high-level officials acting as lobbyists. The ATC was being monitored by FBI counterintelligence (as well as CIA counterintelligence (Brewster Jennings)) and much of the information that Sibel learned is believed to have come from the surveillance of the ATC. Sibel says that the ATC is essentially a front organization for various criminal activity - ranging from nuclear black market, heroin trafficking and illegal arms sales - and was being "monitored in a 9/11 investigation."

                Despite the ATC's role in all of this criminal activity, it is demonstrably untouchable and is alive and well today. In fact, Sibel goes as far as to say that the ATC is basically a representative arm of the U.S. government, lobbyists, foreign agents, and the MIC. It's not a surprise, therefore, that the ATC has some type of informal 'protected' status, and that the FBI can't act on any of the information uncovered in any of the counter-intelligence operations.


                Melek Can xxxxerson
                xxxxerson joined the FBI in October 2001 as a Turkish translator. She had previously worked at the ATC and two other organizations that were the targets of FBI counterintelligence. Almost immediately, xxxxerson began engaging in various espionage activities including attempting to recruit Sibel and other translators into the espionage ring, intentionally covering up FBI evidence which implicated her friends at the ATC and elsewhere, stealing documents and leaking them to her friends, and falsifying "top-secret documents related to 9/11 detainees" in an attempt to falsely exonerate her guilty associates.

                Sibel's claims regarding xxxxerson were investigated and validated by the FBI. Remarkably, xxxxerson was allowed to keep her Top Secret clearance, and was allowed to continue translating Top Secret information regarding her friends and associates, including 911 investigations, for another 6 months until she fled the US.

                Top Targets of 911 Investigation
                Melek Can xxxxerson and her husband, USAF Major Doug xxxxerson, offered to introduce Sibel to some of their friends, including two Turkish guys who belonged to the ATC and worked out of the Turkish embassy in DC. According to Sibel, "These two people were the top targets of our investigation!"


                Maj Doug xxxxerson was actually given a promotion!
                General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

                Comment


                • #38
                  Originally posted by Joseph View Post
                  http://sibeledmonds.blogspot.com/200...rst-scalp.html

                  Maj Doug xxxxerson was actually given a promotion!
                  Sibel's case involves a whole bunch of criminality from the nuclear black market, illegal weapons trafficking, heroin-trafficking, 911-related cover-ups and the bribery of congresscritters. For various reasons, these issues are rarely discussed, but one part of her story that everybody, including the corporate media, can agree on is that there were serious problems within the FBI translation unit - so let's focus on that for present purposes.

                  Sibel's boss was a guy named Mike Feghali. He was head of the Turkish and Farsi desks when Sibel was at the FBI, having been promoted from a contract linguist. Feghali's promotion to this position was itself suspicious - he was being investigated by the FBI for various corruption when he was a 'mere' translator and was repeatedly rejected for promotion. He hired an expensive 'white-shoe' lawyer (who paid for that?), claimed racial discrimination and was promoted to head the Turkish and Farsi desks.

                  In October 2001, the FBI hired a Turkish translator by the name of Melek Can xxxxerson. xxxxerson had worked for at least three organizations - all of them targets of FBI counter-intelligence operations (most famously the American Turkish Council (ATC)), and was close friends with targets from other counter-intelligence operations - none of this was picked up by any background checks. Within weeks of xxxxerson joining the FBI, she:
                  1. Tried to recruit Sibel (and other translators) to engage in espionage
                  2. 'Apparently' started having an affair with Feghali
                  3. Re-arranged the 'work flow' (with Feghali's help and approval) at the FBI so that she, and only she, was translating all of the wiretaps of her friends, and the ATC
                  4. Intentionally mistranslated wiretaps, stole documents, etc

                  At the same time, Feghali was engaged in all manner of shenanigans with Sibel - from the very serious (refusing to send her extremely important 911 related output to FBI agents who were desperate for it) to the more 'administrative' (deleting her work product, telling her not to do any work etc)

                  Sibel reported all of this to FBI management and it was all confirmed in short order. Despite this, Melek Can xxxxerson was allowed to stay on the job, translating (and probably still stealing, and probably still mistranslating) for another 6 months with Top Security Clearance after Sibel's claims were all confirmed. Even worse, Feghali was also able to stay on the job for another 6 months till he was fired has since been promoted and is now, today, head of the entire Arabic desk - with 300 translators under his command.
                  General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by Joseph View Post
                    Sibel's case involves a whole bunch of criminality from the nuclear black market, illegal weapons trafficking, heroin-trafficking, 911-related cover-ups and the bribery of congresscritters. For various reasons, these issues are rarely discussed, but one part of her story that everybody, including the corporate media, can agree on is that there were serious problems within the FBI translation unit - so let's focus on that for present purposes.

                    Sibel's boss was a guy named Mike Feghali. He was head of the Turkish and Farsi desks when Sibel was at the FBI, having been promoted from a contract linguist. Feghali's promotion to this position was itself suspicious - he was being investigated by the FBI for various corruption when he was a 'mere' translator and was repeatedly rejected for promotion. He hired an expensive 'white-shoe' lawyer (who paid for that?), claimed racial discrimination and was promoted to head the Turkish and Farsi desks.

                    In October 2001, the FBI hired a Turkish translator by the name of Melek Can xxxxerson. xxxxerson had worked for at least three organizations - all of them targets of FBI counter-intelligence operations (most famously the American Turkish Council (ATC)), and was close friends with targets from other counter-intelligence operations - none of this was picked up by any background checks. Within weeks of xxxxerson joining the FBI, she:
                    1. Tried to recruit Sibel (and other translators) to engage in espionage
                    2. 'Apparently' started having an affair with Feghali
                    3. Re-arranged the 'work flow' (with Feghali's help and approval) at the FBI so that she, and only she, was translating all of the wiretaps of her friends, and the ATC
                    4. Intentionally mistranslated wiretaps, stole documents, etc

                    At the same time, Feghali was engaged in all manner of shenanigans with Sibel - from the very serious (refusing to send her extremely important 911 related output to FBI agents who were desperate for it) to the more 'administrative' (deleting her work product, telling her not to do any work etc)

                    Sibel reported all of this to FBI management and it was all confirmed in short order. Despite this, Melek Can xxxxerson was allowed to stay on the job, translating (and probably still stealing, and probably still mistranslating) for another 6 months with Top Security Clearance after Sibel's claims were all confirmed. Even worse, Feghali was also able to stay on the job for another 6 months till he was fired has since been promoted and is now, today, head of the entire Arabic desk - with 300 translators under his command.
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                    • #40
                      ONE MORE REASON TO WIN - LET SIBEL EDMONDS SPEAK
                      by W. David Jenkins III

                      OpEdNews, PA
                      Oct 29 2006

                      "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to
                      do nothing."

                      - Edmund Burke

                      Sibel Edmonds once told me to "put aside 9/11" and instead concentrate
                      on the workings of the Defense Department, amongst other government
                      establishments, because what she had been trying to warn people about
                      was considered by those involved as nothing more than "business as
                      usual." That was the real danger. What she had discovered during
                      her short time with the FBI was so threatening to those doing such
                      "business" that former Attorney General, John Ashcroft, couldn't
                      slap a gag order on her (and Congress) fast enough. But a lot of us
                      already know that.

                      Truth be known, Dennis Hastert has a hell of a lot more to worry about
                      than the Mark Foley scandal. In fact, he may be seeing the writing
                      on the wall regarding his soon departure from Congress as a welcome
                      relief. However, that result is not only contingent upon a Democratic
                      win in November, but a Democratic majority willing to dig through
                      the tangled mess that is Turkish and American "business relations."

                      Now, one must understand why Turkey is a big player, albeit a
                      clandestine one, on the world stage; that would be the desperate
                      need for security and acceptance. Turkey shares with Israel common
                      enemies such as Syria, Iran and Iraq and maintains relations in the
                      U.S. in order to secure financial aid and military technology. These
                      relations are enhanced by corporations, lobbyists and conservative
                      think tanks who share a mutual interest in geo-political advantage
                      in the Middle East as well as making some big money.

                      These relations are connected between former and present Defense
                      Dept. members, The Project for a New American Century members, AIPAC,
                      MIC Inc., Jack Abramoff, The Livingston Group and others. In other
                      words, the more you dig the bigger the headache you may succumb to,
                      yet you'll get an idea of how intertwined all the players are. Would
                      you like to go for a little ride? Let's start with Hastert.

                      The House Speaker has received contributions from Turkish sources
                      to the tune of at least $500,000 and Edmonds knows that there are
                      tapes from wiretaps that will back up this claim. One of the groups
                      who bragged on those tapes about these illegal contributions was the
                      American Turkish Council (ATC) but Hastert denies any ties to this or
                      other Turkish groups. Yet between 1996 and 2002, Hastert made multiple
                      trips to Turkey and would return home with so many "gifts" that his
                      support staff was surprised that the "plane even got off the ground."

                      In turn, Hastert has been very helpful to Turkey by using his authority
                      to pull Congressional backing for a resolution recognizing the Armenian
                      genocide. Hastert, of course has denied this.

                      On June 3, 2003, Hastert's political action committee held a $1500
                      a plate fundraiser at Jack Abramoff's restaurant where he received
                      large donations from, among others, one Duane R. Gibson. Gibson is a
                      consultant with the Livingston Group who has been lobbying on behalf of
                      Turkey for about six years at the cost of $1.2 million a year. The only
                      problem is that the money is not coming from the Turkish government
                      and of course the FBI wants to know exactly who is shelling out all
                      the dough. This is what Edmonds refers to as "business as usual" and
                      what is behind the facade in all of this is obviously so threatening,
                      that the government felt it necessary to implement an extraordinary
                      gag order on Sibel and threaten members of her family.

                      Admittedly, the American - Turkish "connection" doesn't make for
                      glamorous news when put up against Iraq, Iran or North Korea but many
                      of the players in those headlines are also involved with Turkey. And if
                      there was an active, inquisitive and motivated Congress in DeeCeeVille
                      right now then people might recognize the threat that so far remains
                      under the radar.

                      Sibel stated many times that when certain intelligence regarding
                      illegal activities (drug or illegal arms trafficking etc.) which
                      benefited alleged terrorist sponsors and that same intelligence
                      also implicated "certain allies or business interests" then that
                      intelligence was not passed on to counter-terrorism agents in the
                      field. Turkish front groups under surveillance by the FBI (ATC
                      and ATAA) were making large payments to officials high up in the
                      government as well as lobbyists with connections to some of these same
                      officials. These same groups were also nuzzling up to groups like
                      AIPAC who had a mutual desire to embrace certain business interests
                      that could enhance their pursuit of intelligence, influence and aid
                      against common enemies.

                      With the rise to power of the neo-conservatives years ago and their
                      drive to secure dominance in the Middle East, these front groups found
                      new opportunities now that the American government was infiltrated
                      with many of their "business partners." Douglass Feith and Richard
                      Perle (PNAC), infamous for their push into Iraq, were also recipients
                      of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Turkish interests prior to
                      joining the Bush Gang.

                      Other groups with long ties to Turkey as well as upper offices in the
                      government consist of the aforementioned Livingston Group, Solarz &
                      Associates, and The Cohen Group. All three are top members of the
                      American Turkish Council with Vice Chairman of The Cohen Group,
                      Joseph Ralston, sitting on their board of advisors. Getting pretty
                      tangled up, huh?

                      One other firm I want to point out is the neo-con group, M.I.C.
                      Industries Inc. who boast of some "Ultimate Building Machine" on their
                      web site (it was worth a $60 million contract with Russia back in
                      '97). Their board consists of amongst others, William Cohen (Cohen
                      Group/ATC) and Richard Armitage (PNAC/Valerie Plame outing) and is
                      headed up by one Michael Ansari who once teamed up with Alexander Haig
                      in a corporation called US-CIS Venture Inc. which was established to
                      assist in "developments" in Central Asia as well as establishing oil
                      and gas pipeline projects through the region. M.I.C.

                      Inc. is also one of the Livingston Group's top clients.

                      These are some of the "business interests" I believe Edmonds' was
                      speaking of and here's why.

                      Enormous amounts of money are being funneled to top government
                      officials and certain businesses whose members consist of former
                      Defense Dept. officials, State Dept. officials and conservative think
                      tanks that have a common interest in Turkey and Israel (in this case)
                      and other countries that play a strategic part in a geo-political
                      "business" plan. However, this money is not coming from those
                      particular governments in question.

                      Currently, according to former CIA agent Philip Giraldi, there is an
                      investigation into Israel's illegal sale of U.S. military technology
                      to countries like China and India. The companies mentioned in this
                      article also have ties to the defense industry through their members'
                      history in government service - who also share close ties with Turkish
                      front groups (as well as an alliance with AIPAC and JINSA) currently
                      under investigation by the FBI. That these Turkish groups would be
                      involved in the same illegal sales with the aid of the aforementioned
                      businesses is not that difficult of a dot to connect as it definitely
                      reflects the "can of worms" that Edmonds' superiors at the FBI did
                      not want opened. It's also worth mentioning that Turkey is a large
                      hub in the drugs coming out of Afghanistan and Edmonds has alluded
                      to the drug trade in her past statements.

                      Yet, fellow FBI translator Malek Can xxxxerson, who had encouraged
                      Sibel to join the ATC, was suppressing intelligence Edmonds was
                      uncovering regarding these front groups and their relationship to
                      "certain allies and American business interests" in deference to the
                      very organizations that the FBI had under investigation.

                      One can look back at the names mentioned in this criminal activity and
                      notice that many of the players were involved in the more glamorous
                      stories in the news over the past years. Armitage (MIC Inc./PNAC)
                      leaking the name of a CIA operative who was investigating arms
                      trafficking to Iran and Feith and Perle (IA Inc./PNAC) who were
                      instrumental in the invasion of Iraq and who are pushing for an attack
                      on Iran are just three of the most notorious examples.

                      One other thing I want to point out is the sorry state of affairs
                      when it comes to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit
                      database which is maintained by the Dept. of Justice. This database
                      contains the "who and how much" when it comes to "foreign investment"
                      in exchange for representation in DeeCeeVille.

                      Luke Ryland (wotisitgood4.blogspot.com), who has done some remarkable
                      and detailed work on the Edmonds story, pointed out on his blog
                      that the "huge database that serves as the public's lone window on
                      lobbying activities by foreign governments has been allowed to decay
                      to a point they cannot even make a copy of its contents" according
                      to a report by the Center for Public Integrity in June of '04. Even
                      worse, as far as we know, that system is still operating on Windows
                      95. So much for investing in technology to fight the "war on terror."

                      Sibel stated in an interview back in late '05 that "You can start
                      from the AIPAC angle. You can start from the Plame case. You can
                      start from my case. They all end up going to the same place, and they
                      revolve around the same nucleus of people. There may be a lot of them,
                      but it is one group. And they are very dangerous for all of us."

                      I can't think of a better reason to take back the Congress.



                      W.David Jenkins III is a writer/activist living in upstate N.Y. His
                      work has appeared in "Big Bush Lies" (Riverwood Books) and "The Girl
                      with Yellow Flowers in Her Hair" (Pitchfork Publishers). He also has
                      a regular column at oldamericancentury.org.

                      General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

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