Antiwar.com Blog » Civil liberties

Chinese intelligence alerts travelers to cyber spies

Tim Swanson — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:47:17 +0000

This past week, the head of the Chinese National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX) held a press conference noting that “Somebody with a wireless device in the US should expect it to be compromised while he’s there.”

Oh wait, no, that didn’t happen.

In a case of the pot calling the kettle black, the US NCIX told Americans traveling abroad that their electronic devices (such as laptops and cell phones) could be compromised by foreign spies.

Curiously, there was no mention of the domestic spying conducted every day by a plethora of US intelligence agencies.

And while the PRC may indeed be tracking your movements and attempting to spy on your online activity, the current US administration has no moral high ground to stand on, as it has:

- created a militarized cyber command to conduct covert espionage on digital properties, both foreign and potentially domestic
- used the NSA and other intelligence agencies to intercept all electronic communication
- enacted dozens of anti-privacy statutes including the PATRIOT Act and REAL ID
- amended FISA to immunize companies that operate wiretapping stations and retroactively legalize any potential illegalities
- compiled an ever increasing dragnet dubiously called the “No Fly List” which has more than a million suspects
- continued to operate and upgrade ECHELON listening stations domestically and overseas

Last year Judge Napolitano discussed these intrusions in length at the summer FFF convention, noting then that the NSA is also provided a backdoor to track and monitor all cellular devices.

And not content with strip searching you in public a new Homeland Security policy allows the US government to confiscate (indefinitely) and search any electronic device at any port of entry.

Thus, ignoring star chambers, detention camps, extraordinary rendition, and PLA torture techniques, no amount of foreign borrowing could prop up the insolvent nature of the US administrations moral bankruptcy and brazen disregard for individual privacy.

Via Kathryn Muratore

Greenwald Challenges Obama and Olbermann

Jeremy Sapienza — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:23:13 +0000

Yesterday, Glenn Greenwald took Keith Olbermann to task for his kneejerk devotion to Barack Obama, manifested shamefully in his 180 on the capitulation of Congress to Bush on telecom immunity and the FISA law. Today, after Olbermann replied, indirectly, on another blog, Greenwald rebutted every point, and then some. He’s relentless. Enjoy!

Just Because You’re Paranoid, Doesn’t Mean They Aren’t Out to Get You

Tim Swanson — Tue, 20 May 2008 05:03:00 +0000

This month’s edition of Radar magazine has a detailed discussion of some of the nefarious Continuance of Government programs that have been created and expanded post-9/11. And while regular readers of AWC may be unsurprised at the the findings they unearthed, the issues of privacy and civil liberties erosion are never more germane.

For instance, in a move reminiscent of Stasi-controlled East Germany, the Consumerist is reporting that Crime Stoppers is paying snitches to tattle-tale. While this endeavor is certainly not new, one sergeant is quoted as saying informants “can make better than a minimum-wage job.”

This comes hot on the heels of the report that the FBI is trying to plant moles (informants) within local protest groups for the upcoming Republican National Convention in Minnesota.

In tough economic times, vengeance, or just quick kicks, it seems neighbors can easily become part of the evergrowing state apparatus.

Be sure to also read:

The Fear Factory from Rolling Stone magazine
Are You on the VIP List?
The Lives of Others