A whole lot going on in the realm of spooks, lack ops, rampant militarism and other dark corners of the realms of deep politics and distrus.
We open on an upbeat note with this from The Guardian:
Protesters rally for ‘the day we fight back’ against mass surveillance
Alongside demonstrations in 15 countries, thousands contact congresspeople and take online action supporting privacy rights
Tens of thousands of people and organisations were participating in a protest against the NSA’s mass surveillance on Tuesday, bombarding members of Congress with phone calls and emails and holding demonstrations across the globe.
Dubbed “The day we fight back”, the action saw scores of websites, including Reddit, BoingBoing and Mozilla host a widget inviting users to pressure elected officials.
The online demonstration saw more than 18,000 calls placed and 50,000 emails sent to US congressmen and women by midday Tuesday. Physical protests were planned in 15 countries.
“The goal of the day we fight back is to stop mass surveillance by intelligence agencies like the National Security Agency,” said Rainey Reitman, activism director at the non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation, which helped organise the events.
And a report from RT America:
‘Day We Fight Back’ takes on NSA
Program notes:
It was declared ‘The Day We Fight Back’. Internet companies and activists around the world had an international day of protest on February 11th. Over 5,700 websites changed their homepages to demand the National Security Agency stop its massive surveillance efforts. On Capitol Hill, representatives from privacy groups, religious institutions NS Congressman Rush Holt came together to talk about the issue of NSA spying. RT correspondent Meghan Lopez was there and brings us more.
Meanwhile, from TheLocal.fr, Barry O has a new BFF:
France and US reconcile over NSA spying scandal
On the occasion of President François Hollande’s visit to the US, he and American President Barack Obama said on Tuesday they have settled differences over digital spying efforts revealed by leaker Edward Snowden.
French President Francois Hollande, speaking alongside his US counterpart Barack Obama, said Tuesday that the two allies had resolved their differences over American digital eavesdropping.
Leaders from many US allies, including Germany’s Chancellor Angel Merkel, were angered by intelligence leaker Edward Snowden’s revelation that the United States monitors their telephone calls. But it is not known if Hollande’s own telephone was tapped, and France has been more cautious in its critique, emphasizing the importance of its intelligence cooperation with Washington.
“We wanted to fight against terrorism, but we also wanted to meet a number of principles. And we are making headway in this cooperation. Mutual trust has been restored,” Hollande said.
More from the Associated Press:
Obama: No country where we have no-spy agreement
President Barack Obama says there is no country with which the United States has “a no-spy agreement.” But he says the United States endeavors to protect privacy rights as it collects foreign intelligence.
Obama says the United States and its allies remain concerned about specific potential terrorist networks that could attack and kill innocent people. He says the U.S. will have to maintain a robust intelligence gathering effort, but says it will respect privacy.
Obama made his remarks during a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande.
The Guardian carries a call for debate:
Ed Miliband calls for US-style debate over Britain’s intelligence agencies
Labour leader calls for examination of oversight of GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 in wake of Edward Snowden leaks
A major overhaul of the oversight of Britain’s intelligence agencies, which could lead to an opposition politician chairing parliament’s intelligence and security committee and reform of the intelligence commissioners, needs to be introduced, Ed Miliband has said.
The Labour leader praised Barack Obama for starting an “important debate” in the US – after the White House appointed a panel in the wake of the Edward Snowden leaks – and called for a similar debate in Britain.
In some of his most extensive comments on the NSA leaks, Miliband told a Guardian audience that reforming the oversight of GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 was “definitely” part of his campaign to challenge “unaccountable power”.
From the Greens/European Free Alliance office of the European Parliament, the latest on the instigator of Spookgate 2013-2014:
Snowden confirms wish to address MEPs; EP must take into account
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has confirmed in writing that he is prepared to answer questions from the European Parliament’s inquiry into the revelations of mass surveillance by intelligence services. He will at least respond in writing, possibly also via a recorded video message. The Greens welcomed the confirmation and insisted that the EP must immediately move to facilitate this, with Green justice and home affairs spokesperson Jan Philipp Albrecht stating:
“The confirmation that Edward Snowden is willing to answer questions in the context of the EP’s inquiry is a significant and positive development. To conclude the inquiry without testimony from its key witness would render the process clearly incomplete. We would urge those centre-right MEPs that have hitherto resisted giving Snowden a hearing to drop their resistance. We will request an additional, extraordinary meeting of the EP inquiry before a vote is taken on its final report, with a view to ensuring the testimony can be taken into account.
“It is clear that Edward Snowden will only be able to give us comprehensive information if he can be guaranteed a safe stay in Europe for a later in-depth testimony. Next week, the EP’s civil liberties committee will decide if the European Parliament will call on EU governments to grant such protection. The Greens have pushed for this and continue to urge all political groups to support the move.”
The McClatchy Washington Bureau hits a roadblock:
Americans find swift stonewall on whether NSA vacuumed their data
Since last year’s revelations about the National Security Agency’s massive communications data dragnets, the spy agency has been inundated with requests from Americans and others wanting to know if it has files on them. All of them are being turned down .
The denials illustrate the bind in which the disclosures have trapped the Obama administration. While it has pledged to provide greater transparency about the NSA’s communications collections, the NSA says it cannot respond to individuals’ requests without tipping off terrorists and other targets.
As a result, Americans whose email and telephone data may have been improperly vacuumed up have no way of finding that out by filing open records requests with the agency. Six McClatchy reporters who filed requests seeking any information kept by the NSA on them all received the same response.
Reuters probes:
Democrats seek probe of U.S. contractor for security checks
Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday sought an investigation of the largest U.S. government contractor for security checks, saying it received huge bonuses during the time it is accused of bilking the government of millions of dollars.
Representative Elijah Cummings said a congressional report found United States Investigations Services “adopted aggressive new financial incentives to accelerate its work” in 2007 and took shortcuts in its review of background checks while charging the federal government for the full service.
The company, the largest private provider of security checks for the government, was accused in a Justice Department lawsuit last month of bilking the government of millions of dollars through improper background checks.
The contractor also received millions of dollars in bonuses from the Office of Personnel Management, including $2.4 million in 2008, $3.5 million in 2009 and $5.8 million in 2010, said Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform committee.
And a video report from RT:
Firm that conducted Snowden background check accused of fraud, Microsoft’s Sino-censoring search engine, literary censorship in India, and a security threat averted by some toy-grabbing zealots. . .
U.S. News & World Report puts a hand on the tap
Lights Out for NSA? Maryland Lawmakers Push to Cut Water, Electricity to Spy Agency Headquarters
NSA nerve center in Fort Meade targeted by bill.
The National Security Agency’s headquarters in Ft. Meade, Md., will go dark if a cohort of Maryland lawmakers has its way.
Eight Republicans in the 141-member Maryland House of Delegates introduced legislation Thursday that would deny the electronic spy agency “material support, participation or assistance in any form” from the state, its political subdivisions or companies with state contracts.
The bill would deprive NSA facilities water and electricity carried over public utilities, ban the use of NSA-derived evidence in state courts and prevent state universities from partnering with the NSA on research.
And from RT, Cold War 2.0:
First US missile shield destroyer arrives in Europe
The first of four US Navy destroyers, the USS Donald Cook, set to be a cornerstone of NATO’s European missile defense shield has arrived at the Spanish naval port of Rota, its new home. Russia says the system is a direct threat to its security.
The USS Donald Cook will be joined by three more Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, which all are fitted with the Aegis weapon system. Over the next two years the USS Ross, USS Porter and USS Carney will all be based at Rota in southern Spain.
“For the first time, a ship of the United States Navy equipped with the Aegis ballistic missile-defense system is permanently based in Europe,” said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General. “The arrival of the USS Donald Cook marks a step forward for NATO, for European security, and for transatlantic cooperation.”
The deployment of the four destroyers, known as the European Phased Adaptive Approach, is a centerpiece of the European missile defense shield, which will also include interceptor batteries in Poland and Romania, radar in Turkey and a command center at Ramstein in Germany, a US Air Force base.
From The Independent, who benefits?:
Anti-drone activist Kareem Khan seized by armed men in Pakistan
Kareem Khan sued the CIA after his brother and son were killed in a drone strike
A Pakistani campaigner who sued the CIA after his brother and son were killed in a drone strike, has been detained by armed men just days before he was due to travel to Britain to talk to MPs about the controversial programme.
Kareem Khan, who launched his legal action in 2010, has not been seen since up to 20 armed men stormed into his home in Rawalpindi on the night of 4 February. His family said the men, some of whom wore the uniform of the Punjab Police, said nothing about who they were or why Mr Khan was being detained.
The campaigner launched a criminal action against the CIA station chief in Pakistan and a civil claim for $500m in damages, after his relatives were killed in North Waziristan, the tribal area from where he comes. At the weekend, Mr Khan was due to travel to Europe where he was to talk to parliamentarians from Britain, Germany and the Netherlands about the impact of drone strikes.
From United Press International, a belated response to low-tech insecurity:
California power company to upgrade security at substations
Opaque walls and other security enhancements will be installed in California electricity substations after a shooting attack, the utility PG&E said Monday.
The San Francisco-based company, formally named Pacific Gas & Electric, added a rate increase to finance the improvements may be requested, the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune reported Tuesday.
The Metcalf substation in San Jose was the target of rifle fire in April 2013 that caused $15 million in damage and temporarily disabled the substation.
“This was an extremely professional job,” said Jon Wellinghoff, former commissioner with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, of the shooting. “This was a very professional job. We don’t know if this was a probing attack” in advance of a larger attack in the future.
And South China Morning Post, a mystery, belatedly discovered:
Spy tool dubbed ‘The Mask’ undetected for seven years
A computer security software firm has uncovered what it calls the first cyberespionage campaign believed to be started by a Spanish-speaking country, targeting government agencies, energy companies and activists in 31 countries.
Dubbed “The Mask”, the campaign had operated undetected since 2007 and infected more than 380 targets before it stopped last week, Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab said.
The firm declined to identify the government suspected to be behind the cyberspying, but said it had been most active in Morocco, followed by Brazil, the United Kingdom, France and Spain.
The suspected involvement of a Spanish-speaking nation is unusual as the most sophisticated cyberspying operations uncovered so far have been linked to the United States, China, Russia and Israel.
After the jump, the latest Asian insecurity, history crises, and alliance-making, plus
For our first Asian item, the never-ending story via The Hill:
Clapper: Karzai won’t sign deal
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Tuesday that he does not think Afghan President Hamid Karzai will sign a bilateral security agreement with the United States.
“Obviously, it takes two to sign this, and my own view on this, though it may not be company policy, is I don’t believe President Karzai will sign this,” Clapper said at a Senate hearing.
Clapper is the first high-ranking Obama administration official to state publicly that Karzai is not likely to sign the security pact, which would establish a U.S. presence in Afghanistan after NATO hands off full control of security at the end of 2014.
The Obama administration has threatened to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan if the agreement is not signed soon, although it has backed off of a hard deadline.
From Pakistan, another hint of changes to come from the Express Tribune:
Positive talks: Taliban committee briefs govt on talks with Shoora
The government and Taliban peace committees held a joint meeting at the residence of Major (retd) Aamir‚ a member of the government negotiating team on Tuesday, Radio Pakistan reported.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Irfan Siddiqui and Rustam Shah Mohmand, a member of government committee attended the meeting from the government side.
From other side‚ Maulana Samiul Haq‚ Prof Ibrahim Khan and Maulana Yousuf participated. The Taliban committee briefed the meeting about their talks with Taliban Shoora and the points they had presented for the government to deliberate on.
And from Jiji Press, Japan’s militarism steps up another notch:
Japan to Lift Ban on Collective Defense via Cabinet Decision
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to lift a ban on the country’s collective defense in the form of a cabinet decision, informed sources said Tuesday.
Under a cabinet decision, the government will change its interpretation of the constitution to allow the country to use its right to collective self-defense, the sources said.
Such a decision will be made before the current parliamentary session ends on June 22 after an advisory panel to the government proposes the change in April, the sources said.
After the cabinet decision, the government is expected to submit bills to revise related laws, including the Self-Defense Forces law, to parliament in the autumn, the sources said.
NewsOnJapan offers an excuse:
N. Korea attack on U.S. could push Japan into collective defense: Abe
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that Japan views an attack by North Korea on the United States as a case in which it could exercise the right to collective self-defense.
It is rare for Abe to publicly name a country against which the right to come to the defense of allied nations under armed attack could be exercised. A government panel is discussing whether Japan should exercise the right by changing the government’s current interpretation of the pacifist Constitution.
Attending a session of a Diet committee, Abe also indicated that Japan may ease its rules on the use of weapons by Self-Defense Forces personnel participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations.
While the Japan Times opens another front:
Weapons export ban under siege
Japan may soon allow exports of defense equipment to international organizations, such as those involved in U.N. peacekeeping missions, on condition that they do not take sides in conflicts, sources said.
Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan is reviewing various aspects of its defense policy, including a self-imposed ban on weapons exports.
The proposals are likely to be presented to the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling coalition soon, as Japan hopes to have its new guidelines approved by the Cabinet in March.
Abe believes exporting weapons will help strengthen security ties with allies, as well as rejuvenate the domestic defense industry. One of his main policy objectives is to enable Japan to play a greater security role abroad and make contributions to global peace and security.
And from Jiji Press, history crisis on the home front:
Sea of Japan Dual Name Bill Introduced in New York State
Two New York state lawmakers said Monday that they have introduced legislation to require all new public school textbooks used in the state to refer to the waters between Japan and South Korea as the East Sea as well as the Sea of Japan.
The East Sea is South Korea’s preferred name. Korean-Americans in the state have been pressing for textbooks to use both names for the body of water. The bill was introduced to both houses of the state legislature after Virginia state lawmakers passed similar legislation Thursday.
“It is often said that history is written by the victors. In this case, the widely known name for a body of water is a constant reminder for Koreans worldwide of an era of oppression, occupation and violence,” New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said in a statement.
From the Japan Daily Press, domestic blowback:
3,300 viewers call for NHK chief Momii’s resignation after ‘comfort women’ gaffe
NHK viewers are asking for Katsuto Momii to resign from his post as the broadcast firm’s chairman because of insensitive remarks that cast doubts on his political neutrality. Around 3,300 viewers called for the new chief to step down after causing controversy with several remarks last month.
The publicly owned Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) received around 15,000 comments by the afternoon of February 10, with most of them complaining about the new chief. In his first press conference as NHK chief, Momii said that all nations at war employ “comfort women” for their soldiers, referring to women who were forced into sexual slavery during the World War II. Koreans and other Asian nationalities were victims of this cruel practice. He also criticized South Korea’s continued demands for compensation to the said victims. Momii seemed to justify the newly passed state secrecy law, a law that has earned criticisms because of the way it seems to threaten the public’s right to know.
And from the Associated Press, a last chance:
Time running out on former sex slaves’ quest
A single picture captures the regret, shame and rage that Kim Gun-ja has harbored through most of her 89 years. Dressed in a long white wedding gown, she carries a bouquet of red flowers and stares at the camera, her deep wrinkles obscured by makeup and a diaphanous veil.
A local company arranged wedding-style photo shoots as gifts for Kim and other elderly women at the House of Sharing, a museum and nursing home for South Koreans forced into brothels by Japan during World War II. Kim and many of the other women never married, giving the pictures a measure of bitterness.
“That could have been my life: Meet a man, get married, have children, have grandchildren,” Kim said in her small, tidy room at the nursing home south of Seoul. “But it never happened. It could never be.”
Japanese soldiers stole her youth, she says, and now, “The Japanese are waiting for us to die.”
There are only 55 women left who registered with the South Korean government as former sex slaves from the war — down from a peak of more than 230. Their average age is 88.
As their numbers dwindle and a rising Japanese nationalism provokes anger from war victims in South Korea and China, the 10 women who live at the House of Sharing know they’re running out of time to pressure Tokyo to make amends.
South China Morning Post fires a volley:
Chinese state media attack Japan over wartime ‘smears’
Japanese government accused of slandering China by comparing Tokyo’s ties with Beijing to situation in Europe ahead of the first world war
State media launched a scathing attack against Japan yesterday as the two nations continued their bitter exchanges over territorial disputes and their memories of war.
A front-page commentary in the official People’s Daily accused Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of attempting to sow confusion internationally by comparing Japan’s relationship with China to that of Britain and Germany in the run-up to the first world war.
Abe was “trying to divert the attention of the international community and creating confusion over right and wrong”, the editorial said.
And the Asahi Shimbun fans flames:
Publications disparaging S. Korea, China hot sellers in Japan
Books and periodicals highly critical of China and South Korea are flying off bookstore shelves, prompting leading publishing companies to jump on the bandwagon to take advantage of the trend.
On a recent day at Sanseido Bookstore Ltd.’s outlet in Tokyo’s Jinbocho district, an area close to the first floor cash registers featured a display of such books.
“Do you still want to get along with such a nation?” read the blurb on one of the book jackets.
“There is not a single thing we can learn from that nation!” declared another.
“Why is that race so self-centered?” asked a third.
The Mainichi seeks another ally:
Abe invites Putin to Japan to discuss territorial row
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to his hometown in Yamaguchi Prefecture to discuss their counties’ territorial dispute over the Northern Territories, multiple Japanese and Russian diplomatic sources had revealed.
Abe apparently made the proposal during a Feb. 8 conversation with Putin in Sochi, Russia, while the Japanese prime minister was there for the opening of the Winter Olympics. The invitation is seen as an attempt to build a relationship of trust with Putin as Abe aims for a breakthrough in the territorial dispute. At the meeting, Abe heard from Putin that he intends visit Japan in fall this year, and diplomatic officials are expected to aim for an October or November summit.
Meanwhile, a Japanese diplomatic source suggested that officials will consider making the visit informal, with no joint declaration or other concluding documents issued after the meeting as is usually the case with official visits. A Russian diplomatic source also said that if the visit goes ahead, they will not insist on the release of a final document.
While China plays a long withheld card, via United Press International:
China, Taiwan governments meet for first time since 1949 split
China and Taiwan held official government talks for the first time since splitting in 1949, discussing ways to forge closer economic ties, officials said.
The Chinese mainland and Taiwan also agreed to regular communication between their cross-strait affairs departments, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Tuesday discussions in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing also were an effort to reduce tensions over the issue of eventual re-unification between the island and the mainland, the Washington Post said. Previous negotiations on cross-strait relations had been conducted by quasi-official representatives, not government officials.
More from the Christian Science Monitor:
Rare dialog between divided Koreas set for Wednesday
Nuclear negotiations are unlikely to be on the table as North Korea blows hot and cold over US-South Korea war games due later this month.
In a reversal of its recent bellicose stance, North Korea is apparently the main instigator for rare high-level talks scheduled to be held Wednesday between the two Koreas.
There is no fixed agenda for the meeting, and the two countries – divided in the aftermath of World War II – are expected to discuss family reunions and annual South Korea-US military drills, reports Reuters. If the talks take place, they would be the weightiest official dialog between the Koreas since 2007.
Xinhua seeks another alliance:
Chinese vice president pledges closer ties with Sri Lanka
Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao met with visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris in Beijing on Tuesday, calling on both countries to boost cooperation and cement their strategic cooperation partnership.
Hailing the stable growth of bilateral ties, Li said China-Sri Lanka relations had entered a new stage of development after the two heads of state announced an upgrade of relations to strategic cooperation partnership last year.
He said he hoped the two sides would facilitate pragmatic cooperation in accordance with the countries’ national development strategies and offer stronger support and reliable friendship to each other.
And other play does the same, via The Diplomat:
India’s Rising Regional Military Engagement
New Delhi has been strengthening defense ties with countries across the region.
Sometime in the latter half of 2013, the top brass of the Indian military had a short but effective brainstorming session with other stakeholders in the national security architecture. The participants were drawn from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) which functions directly under National Security Adviser (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon, senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW, India’s external intelligence agency and of course the Ministry of Defence. The main agenda: how to further India’s interests in the immediate and strategic neighborhood through effective use of India’s military.
For the past decade, India has been receiving increasing requests for joint exercises and training slots from what are described as “Friendly Foreign Countries” in the bureaucratic parlance of South Block, the colonial style building that houses both the defense ministry and the external affairs ministry. Considering these requests, a review was called for. At the end of the high-level meeting, a six-point formula for stepping up the nation’s military diplomacy was finalized.
And from El País, a bit of blowback:
China rebukes Spain for allowing international arrest warrants to prosper
High Court orders detention of former president and ex-premier in Tibetan rights case
“We hope that the Spanish government can distinguish right from wrong,” says spokesman
China on Tuesday lodged a strongly worded protest with the Spanish government over the High Court’s decision to issue international arrest warrants for former President Jiang Zemin, ex-Premier Li Peng and three other top Chinese officials for alleged rights abuses in Tibet.
“China is extremely dissatisfied with and resolutely opposed to the wrong actions of the relevant Spanish [court] taken while ignoring China’s solemn position,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a daily briefing.
“Whether or not this issue can be appropriately dealt with is related to the healthy development of ties. We hope that the Spanish government can distinguish right from wrong.”
From The Guardian, Microsoft knuckles under to Beijing:
Bing censoring Chinese language search results for users in the US
English and Chinese language queries for terms such as ‘Dalai Lama’ return radically different results on Microsoft search engine
Microsoft’s search engine Bing appears to be censoring information for Chinese language users in the US in the same way it filters results in mainland China.
Searches first conducted by anti-censorship campaigners at FreeWeibo, a tool that allows uncensored search of Chinese blogs, found that Bing returns radically different results in the US for English and Chinese language searches on a series of controversial terms.
These include Dalai Lama, June 4 incident (how the Chinese refer to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989), Falun Gong and FreeGate, a popular internet workaround for government censorship.
And from BBC News, another shameful surrender:
Wendy Doniger book ‘to be recalled’ by Penguin India
Union minister, Jairam Ramesh Cabinet minister Jairam Ramesh described the decision as “atrocious”
Penguin India has agreed to recall and destroy all remaining copies of a book on Hinduism by a leading American academic, according to reports.
Wendy Doniger’s book The Hindus: An Alternative History had been the subject of a legal challenge claiming the text was offensive to Hindus.
Details of an apparent agreement between the Hindu campaign group Shiksha Bachao Andolan and Penguin India have been circulated online.
Penguin India has not yet commented.
For our final item, from The Independent, reductio ad absurdum:
Heathrow security confiscate miniature ‘gun’ from Toy Story Woody figure
The thought of Toy Story character Woody being considered an airport terror threat may seem laughable to most, but not so for the Heathrow security staff who confiscated a miniature toy gun from the doll before allowing it to travel with its owner.
A puzzled father uploaded a picture of the moment staff chose to remove the tiny firearm after examining his Woody figurine.
“I have travelled the world with Toy Story’s Woody, taking pics for my son,” the father told Reddit users. “At Heathrow, security just confiscated his “weapon”, keep the world safe boys…”
He added this was the first time he had ever had trouble taking Woody aboard a flight before. “[The] guy didn’t notice me taking the pic”, he said. He was actually quite nice [and] tried to see if they would override the rule … but in the end he had to take the gun.”
