Salem-News.com Federal-government articles Page 3

Did Israel Offer ISIS $10 Million to Free Steven Sotloff?

Scarcely anyone ought reasonably indulge themselves in feelings of confidence about their own personal security.

(Ein el Helwe Palestinian camp) - Though details are not yet fully known to this observer, reliable sources who have contact with DAASH report that the Islamic State rejected frantic Mossad efforts to buy the release of American journalist Steven Joel Sotloff.

This much is credited with a fair amount of certainty. Steven Sotloff, born and raised in Florida, checked into Room 303 of the Hotel Istanbul in the small border town of Kilis in southern Turkey. Three days later while heading to the border to take the Kilis-Aleppos highway south into Syria, Mr. Sotloff and his "fixer" were abducted at a check point manned by unknown jihadists.

John Yoo and The Senate Torture Report

John Choon Yoo, aka John Yoo, authored the Torture Memos used to justify torture of human beings by the Bush Administration.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Professor John Yoo stepped away from his lectern at the UC Berkeley School of Law to send an e-mail to the San Francisco Chronicle criticizing the forthcoming Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) torture report saying that if "torture was used and it didn't work, she [Senator Dianne Feinstein] is flat wrong." Yoo claimed the report failed to maintain "bipartisanship" that "will undermine its conclusions."

I suspect that this is a preemptive attack by Yoo as the release of the Senate torture report will probably place Yoo on the hotseat again. The SSCI Torture report has been approved for public release. However, the SSCI and the CIA are fighting over the CIA's substantial redactions to the torture report summary.

Federal Judge in Oregon Rules No Fly Lists Unconstitutional

The decision hands a major victory to the 13 plaintiffs - four of them veterans of the U.S. military.

(PORTLAND, Ore. ) - The U.S. government's no-fly list banning people accused of links to terrorism from commercial flights violates their constitutional rights because it gives them no meaningful way to contest that decision, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Oregon Ban on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

“After years of working in every way possible way to bring the freedom to marry to Oregon, today is a historic day,” said Vanessa Usui.

(EUGENE, Ore.) - “Today Oregon joins the increasing number of states in embracing the freedom to marry for all,” said Rose Saxe, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project.

“This decision brings us one step closer to ensuring that all loving and committed couples will be able to take care of each other and their loved ones with the protections and dignity that only come through marriage.”

Marriage Equality Lawsuit: Judge to issue a decision for Oregon Monday

Some counties prepared to start issuing licenses right away

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The federal judge in Oregon’s marriage equality lawsuit said he plans to issue an opinion at noon on Monday.

If Judge Michael McShane strikes down Oregon’s law excluding same-sex couples from marriage, all loving and committed couples in Oregon could be granted the freedom to marry. "We don't know which way the judge will rule, but we are hopeful that Oregon is on the verge of making history—and that by next week..."

The Real Sacrificial Lamb

"The ultimate sacrifice we are offering [is] Palestine. Not to God, but to our enemies."

(LONDON) - At this time of year, all able-bodied Muslims are expected to travel to Mekka and perform one of the most revered pillars of Islam, Al Hajj (The pilgrimage). Before they celebrate EID AL-ADHA they are required to offer a sacrifice of a lamb in memory of Ibrahim and his son, Ismail.

Although the biblical story differs slightly from the Quoran, saying that the son to be sacrificed was not the first born, Ishamel, but Abraham’s second son, Isaac, the message is the same. The Angel of God stops Ibrahim/Abraham at the last moment saying, “now I know you fear God.” Ibrahim/Abraham releases his son, sees a ram caught in the bushes and sacrifices the ram instead.

For True Reconciliation, You Must First Know The Truth

Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa testifies in Spain

(WASHINGTON DC) - In a brief statement on social media today, Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, founding member of the Rwanda National Congress, made the following statement: PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLING OF NINE SPANISH CITIZENS

Today, 14/10/2013, I appeared before the Spanish Investigative Judge Andreu Merelles to testify that President Paul Kagame is responsible for the death of nine Spanish citizens...Dr. Rudasingwa testified in three specific areas before Judge Andreu Merelles covering the downing of former President Habyarimana’s plane in April 1994 killing two sitting heads of state as well as the French crew aboard the plane.

PTSD: There`s No Such Thing!?

Consider the Washington massacre and personality disorder

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - I don't know if I can call myself a PTSD expert, or not, but I did have more than 1000 PTSD patients whom I successfully treated. I also have PTSD from my 25-month visit to the US Army in World War Two. PTSD is a mental disorder, because people with it are not normal.

PTSD victims had too much artillery, mortar attacks, airplane strafing and the usual hell of combat.
I was “able” to survive the PTSD by working after I got out, hard- physically- and psychologically, by getting two Masters degrees and two Doctors degrees.

NYC Is My Mecca

Gilad Atzmon is coming from London for a unique studio recording at Zeb's in New York City.

(LONDON) - As an Israeli boy of a patriotic background, I was destined to become a military man. But then, at seventeen, as I was getting myself ready for my IDF compulsory service, the unexpected happened. On a late night jazz radio programme, I heard Charlie Park first time.

I was knocked down. The music was more organic, poetic, sentimental and wilder than anything I had ever heard before.

Me, Gilad Atzmon and the `Truth`

The more he beat me, the more disturbed I became,
The more disturbed I became, the more he beat me
– how’s that for a vicious cycle?

(LONDON) - Introduction by Gilad Atzmon: Roy Bard is a known figure within Britain’s far left, anti-war and the Palestinian Solidarity Movement.

He is a member of the Indymedia UK collective, a leading British anti-capitalist media outlet. I first encountered Bard five years ago. At the time the site was subjected to an international Jewish ‘anti’-Zionist campaign: a cabal of ethnic activists demanded that Indymedia deleted my articles...