...and got payed in form of astronomical financial input into it's financial market over almost five decades from the once protected and most other Western and Asian countries, without whose investements it's economy would collapse under that attempt and that by no means is able to sustain such a defense budget all by itself. that protection was not for free, nor was it altruistic (which is not crfitizism of mine). It was self-interest.

But that is off-topic, and I will go to bed now. ;)

...lest that protected nation bring the scourge of world war to our planet for a 3rd time in a century.

Sky,
You've been watching "Enemy of the State" too much. Twenty-six secret services? Care to list them?

Yours, Mike

I want one of the Skybird goes Gitmo T-Shirts... LMAO :rotfl:
http://www.cyberallies.com/gitmo.jpg

Some thoughts.

All the "combatants" at GITMO were either captured, under arms, in Afganistan or Iraq. Under normal laws, these combatants would be turned over to the authorities who's laws they broke.

That would be Afganistan and Iraq.

Oh, but wait, what government authority? The Taliban were in charge in Afganistan, but they were gone, either killed, running or captured.

Same deal in Iraq. The provisional government didn't exist when the people were being captured, killed, or running.

Here's an idea! Lets turn them back over to those govenments now!

Oh but wait again! We know how that can go and that would offend the sensibilities of our liberal cousins across the water, or in the US.

Two faced is as two faced does. The US gets accused of violating the law, but if the solution within the law (that the liberals demand be inforced) is unacceptable, (the liberals) arguments fall apart, and they accuse and complain of the use of "Legal babel".

I say turn the sons of b*@#^es over to the Afgan and Iraqi authorities and let them deal with it IN THEIR WAY WITH THEIR LAWS!

Also new Rules of Engagement in these two countries. IF IT'S HOLDING A WEAPON (PISTOL, RIFLE, GRENADE, EXPLOSIVE, KNIFE, or VEHICLE) and it's not wearing a recognized uniform, Shoot it and move on!

Don't get excited, SUBMAN1, I think Damo1977 has his monthly period again.
:D

Re: Should Mr G.W.Bush be charged with War Crimes
 

You are absolutely right, Sea Demon. Just a week ago Al-Qaeda terrorists were captured in the Tall 'Afar region. They left the city during anb US self imposted one sided cease-fire, to facilitate the evacuation of non-combatants. These terrorists were dressed as women (so much for Arab honor, I would say!) and had forced little children to hold their hand, family style.
They were pointed out by masked informants from the local population and were immediately flex-cuffed.
(source: Time Sept. 26, 2005)
Of course these people should be interrogated, but it would certainly help - and be totally legal - to court-marshall them and execute them (if found guilty). That is at least a message that the local population would understand (and often appreciate)!
(Mind you, I am against the death penalty in criminal law.)

If only you men wouldn't be so lazy and take your Midol............

This list is from a former colleague of mine wokring on these things. He said it does not claim to be complete, but all organisations listed here operate their own independent intelligence services. even the president's advisory boards is no board only, but operates it's own intel service independent from other services it reports about, and for another example the National Geospatial Intelligence Service not only "prints new maps", but also runs it's own intelligence operations.

I only roughly checked via Google and found all these entities and bodies listed in several lists from various different sources, and I know that man. He comes from German intel and now works freely as correspondent for German news in America.

I remember that in this or that book that I once red the claims repeatedly have been made by different authors that there are between 20 and 30 active independent intel services.

Air Intelligence Agency
Army Intelligence
Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State (INR)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Coast Guard Intelligence
Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Defense Information Systems Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate
Marine Corps Intelligence
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
National Security Agency (NSA)
National Intelligence Council (NIC)
National Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NIMA)
National Intelligence Council
National Reconnaissance Office
Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX)
Office of Intelligence, Department of Energy
Office of Intelligence Support, Department of the Treasury
Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
United States Secret Service (USSS)


I do not understand that reference to "Enemy of the State". Is that a TV series in the US? Well, I do not look series too much, i admit.

I missed out the famous FBI.

The Germans must have a rather broad definition of "secret services" if they include courts, councils and advisory boards.

By the way, for a country like Germany, with a 6th of the population and a mere 10th of the landmass of the US, they seem to have a rather large number of Secret Services themselves. Here are a few:

Federal Intelligence Service [BND]
Bundesnachrichtendienst

Office of Intelligence of the Federal Armed Forces [ANBw]
Amt für Nachrichtenwesen der Bundeswehr

Office for Radio Monitoring of the Federal Armed Forces [AFMBw]
Amt für Fernmeldwesen Bundeswehr

Military Security Service [MAD]
Militaerischer Abschirmdienst

Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution [BfV]
Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz

State Office for the Protection of the Constitution [LfV]
Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz

Federal Office for Information Technology Security [BSI]
Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik

There are many more "secret services" if you count intel units assigned within DEA, Border Patrol, Customs, DOE, etc. etc.
The Germans have their own intel and special operations units, GSG-9 and SEK.

BTW Skybird, have you heard this song before?

They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-haaa!
by Napoleon XIV

Remember when you ran away
And I got on my knees
And begged you not to leave
Because I'd go berserk?
Well. . .

You left me anyhow
And then the days got worse and worse
And now you see I've gone
Completely out of my mind
And. . .

They're coming to take me away, HA HA
They're coming to take me away, HO HO HEE HEE HA HA
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see
Those nice, young men
In their clean, white coats
And they're coming to take me away, Ha-haaa!

You thought it was a joke
And so you laughed
You laughed when I had said
That losing you would make me flip my lid
Right. . .

You know you laughed, I heard you laugh
You laughed, you laughed and laughed
And then you left
But now you know I'm utterly mad!
And. . .

They're coming to take me away, HA HA
They're coming to take me away, HO HO HEE HEE HA HA
To the happy home
With trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile
And twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away, Ha-haaa!

I cooked your food
I cleaned your house
And this is how you pay me back
For all my kind, unselfish loving deeds?!!
Hah. . .

Well you just wait
They'll find you yet
And when they do they'll
Put you in the ASPCA, you mangy mutt!
And. . .

They're coming to take me away, HA HA
They're coming to take me away, HO HO HEE HEE HA HA
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see
Those nice, young men
In their clean, white coats
And they're coming to take me away, Ha-haaa!

To the happy home
With trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile
And twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away, Ha-haaa!

To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see
Those nice, young men
In their clean, white coats
And they're coming to take me away, Ha-haaa!

PS- CIA kidnap team arrived Muenster yesterday... :-j

Yours, Mike

Iraq was NOT a sovereign nation, sorry.

Exactly right. Saddam broke the terms of the cease fire years ago, the UN should have taken immediate action but the UN is a toothless and corrupt tiger.