Efraim was "a boy genius" who is "hard to control."

[seemslikeadream]

At first, Pentagon defended its contractor AEY proposal represented best value to the goverment

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/28/afghanistan.usa

At first, the Pentagon defended its contractor. "AEY's proposal represented the best value to the government," the Army Sustainment Command wrote to the New York Times. Henry Waxman, the member of congress from California who heads the committee on government oversight, said yesterday he would conduct hearings into the contract next month.



........



In 2006, AEY was among 10 firms bidding on a contract to supply 52 kinds of ammunition for the Afghan security forces. But while his business was taking off, Diversoli was accused of violent behaviour involving two girlfriends and the parking attendant at his apartment building. In December 2006, Diversoli was charged with battery after beating up the parking attendant, according to the newspaper. Police recovered a forged driving licence from Diversoli's flat which led to a separate charge. He entered a programme for first time offenders to avoid trial.

AEY's contract was approved weeks later in January 2007, and Diversoli began scouring the globe for suppliers. Diversoli turned to Albania, which had large weapons dumps. However, the New York Times reported that the firm ended up paying for Kalashnikov rounds that were so obsolete that the US and Nato funded programmes to see them safely destroyed.

AEY also purchased 9 million cartridges from a Czech citizen who had been linked to illegal arms trafficking to Congo.



......



AEY also supplied weapons to US agencies, and rifles to Iraqi forces






AEY & Efraim Diveroli: Subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?


http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2008/03/aey-efraim-dive.html

AEY & Efraim Diveroli: Subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?
Based on my quick Google search of the web for AEY, Efraim Diveroli and "Foreign Corrupt Practices Act," I haven't seen anyone ask the question (though someone may have): Is Efraim Diveroli's alleged bribery of Albanian government officials, if true, a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? It seems that it would be the case. According to the New York Times:

As Mr. Diveroli began to fill the Army’s huge orders, he was entering a shadowy world, and in his brief interview he suggested that he was aware that corruption could intrude on his dealings in Albania. “What goes on in the Albanian Ministry of Defense?” he said. “Who’s clean? Who’s dirty? Don’t want to know about it.”

The way AEY’s business was structured, Mr. Diveroli, at least officially, did not deal directly with Albanian officials. Instead, a middleman company registered in Cyprus, Evdin Ltd., bought the ammunition and sold it to his company.

The local packager involved in the deal, Mr. Trebicka, said that he suspected that Evdin’s purpose was to divert money to Albanian officials.

The purchases, Mr. Trebicka said, were a flip: Albania sold ammunition to Evdin for $22 per 1,000 rounds, he said, and Evdin sold it to AEY for much more. The difference, he said he suspected, was shared with Albanian officials, including Mr. Pinari, then the head of the arms export agency, and the defense minister at the time, Fatmir Mediu.

...

The conversation, he said, showed that the American company was aware of corruption in its dealings in Albania and that Heinrich Thomet, a Swiss arms dealer, was behind Evdin.




http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/fred_grimm/story/475617.html
But Sonnett was taken aback by Diveroli. ``Well, I think it is passing strange that a 22-year-old can sign a $300 million worth of weapons contract with the Pentagon. I suppose the American dream is always possible.''

Even by the mythical standards of South Florida, a 20-something Miami Beach party boy seems an unlikely entry in our gallery of rogue arms peddlers with the likes of Soghanalian. Or Nazi turned arms smuggler Klaus Altmann-Barbie. Or Fort Lauderdale's flamboyant Ken Burnstine, the drug smuggler and arms dealer who may -- or not -- have perished in a 1976 plane crash. Or Gerard Latchinian, whose arms dealings were interrupted when he was caught plotting a coup in Honduras. Or David Duncan, tripped up in a deal sending guns to Peru. Or the bevy of Miami arms dealers exposed in the Iran-Contra scandal.

http://www.exportlawblog.com/archives/313

Of course, you didn’t expect that this blog would let a story about an arms company run by a 22-year-old kid and a 25-year-old “professional masseur” escape without comment, did you? The story, which the New York Times broke on Thursday, revealed how AEY, Inc., the company run by 22-year-old Efraim Diveroli and his massage therapist friend, was paid hundreds of millions of dollars by the United States Government to supply sub-standard ammunition to Afghan forces. Some of the ammo supplied by AEY is alleged to have been up to 40-years-old, i.e., manufactured before the AEY executives were even born.

There is at least one export law angle to the story. It arises from the discovery that some of the ammunition delivered by AEY had been procured from China. The Times story noted:

Tens of millions of the rifle and machine-gun cartridges were manufactured in China, making their procurement a possible violation of American law.

I’d say that’s more than a “possible” violation. When AEY arranged the export of ammunition from China to Afghanistan it would have been acting as a broker under Part 129 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (the “ITAR”). Section 129.5 of the ITAR notes that “no brokering proposals involving any country referred to in § 126.1,” e.g. China, “may be carried out by any person without first obtaining the written approval of” the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. And we know that AEY would not have had such written approval because section 126.1 says that it is the policy of DDTC to deny licenses involving China.


http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/28/arms.dealer/?iref=mpstoryview

Diveroli is president of AEY Inc., a South Florida company which, according to U.S. government documents, has done more than $10 million of business with the U.S. government since 2004

He's a genius about anything to do with weapons," the 72-year-old says. "Ever since he was a little boy, I would take him to gun shows and he could identify every model of guns. People would ask: How can he do that so young? He has a gift, I would tell them.''

Michael Diveroli, Efraim's father, told CNN affiliate WFOR-TV that he wished his son had turned his intellect elsewhere.

He said Efraim was "a boy genius" who is "hard to control." Read the WFOR story

"I would prefer he became a nice Jewish doctor or lawyer rather than an arms dealer," WFOR quoted Michael Diveroli as saying. Watch how father says son runs his own show »

For now, relatives say Efraim Diveroli is out of the country. CNN attempts to contact him have not been successful.



http://www.lindsayfincher.com/2008/03/aey_inc_wtf.html


And that's not their only federal contract!

As Efraim Diveroli arrived in Miami Beach, AEY was transforming itself by aggressively seeking security-related contracts.
It won a $126,000 award for ammunition for the Special Forces; AEY also provided ammunition or equipment in 2004 to the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the State Department.

By 2005, when Mr. Diveroli became AEY’s president at age 19, the company was bidding across a spectrum of government agencies and providing paramilitary equipment — weapons, helmets, ballistic vests, bomb suits, batteries and chargers for X-ray machines — for American aid to Pakistan, Bolivia and elsewhere.

It was also providing supplies to the American military in Iraq, where its business included a $5.7 million contract for rifles for Iraqi forces.

Two federal officials involved in contracting in Baghdad said AEY quickly developed a bad reputation. “They weren’t reliable, or if they did come through, they did after many excuses,” said one of them, who asked that his name be withheld because he was not authorized to speak with reporters.



Arms Dealing Company Was Listed As ‘Minority-Owned’


http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c37_a7197/News/National.html


As the government investigation was started, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee launched its own inquiry into the arms shipments. A spokeswoman for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee chair, said invitations to appear before the committee April 17 had been sent to Diveroli, Packouz, the company’s vice president, and Levi Meyer, its general manager.


Dudes, is everyone who works on these government contracts completely high? Is it too much to ask that you actually investigate who you will be handing out $300 million contracts to?!




March 27.2008
Mr. Efraim E. Diveroli
President
AEY Incorporated
975 Arthtx Godfrey Road, Suite 2l I
Miami Beach, FL 33140-3341
Dear Mr. Diveroli:
Today's New York Times raises questions about your company's contracts with the U.S.
government to provide weapons, ammunition, and munitions to military forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan.' I am writing to request your testimony at a hearing on these matters before the
Oversight Committee at 10:00 a.m. on April17,2008, in Room 2157 of the Rayburn House
Office Building.
At the hearing, please be prepared to discuss your company's financial history, past
performance, and compliance with U.S. law and government contracting regulations. The
Committee will be sending you under separate cover a request for documents relating to this
issue. In addition, I request that you make yourself available for a transcribed interview with
Committee staff on or before April 11, 2008.
The Committee on Oversight and Govemment Reform is the principal oversight
committee in the House of Representatives and has broad oversight jurisdiction as set forth in
House Rule X. Information for witnesses appearing before the Committee is contained in the
enclosed'Witness Information Sheet. Also enclosed with this letter are the Committee's
procedures for transcribed interviews.
' Supplier Under Scrutiny on Aging Arms for Afghans, New York Times (Mar. 27,2008)
(online at www.nytimes.com/2008103l27lworldlasia/27ammo.html?_r:1&hp&ore Èslogin).
Mr. Efraim E. Diveroli
March 27,2008
Page2
Ifyou have any questions regarding this request, please contact Theodore Chuang or
Suzanne Renaud with the Committee staff at [phone].
Sincerelv.

Henry A. Waxman
Chairman
Enclosures
cc: Tom Davis
Ranking Minority Member



Is he competition for Erik Prince, Brent Wilkes?


http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/03/todays_must_read_304.php


Botach Tactical and AEY Inc., family arms dealerships


http://majikthise.typepad.com/majikthise_/2008/03/botach-tactic-1.html


http://www.botachtactical.com /


Botach Tactical doesn't advertise guns or explosives on its Yahoo-hosted website, but they will sell you plastic training guns and real magazines. Body bags, too. (Before you whip out your credit cards, be advised that Botach seems to have a lot of bitterly dissatisfied customers.)


In 2005 Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Ca) and some of her constituents confronted Botach at his at unmarked establishment at 3423 W. 43rd Place in Los Angeles. Local residents and city officials became concerned when they found out that Botach had quietly converted a former pawn shop into a gun dealership 12 years earlier. Botach has many other business interests in California, including Botach Management, also at 3423 W. 43rd Place, and a cold storage warehouse around the corner from his tactical store/gun dealership/property management company.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

2. The following individuals are invited to testify:

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1828

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
Committee Announces Hearing on Arms Contract
Chairman Henry A. Waxman announced that the Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday, April 17, 2008, to examine federal contracts awarded to AEY Inc. to supply weapons, ammunitions, and munitions to military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the New York Times, AEY was awarded a contract worth nearly $300 million, but provided defective, unreliable ammunition, including shipments of Chinese ammunition, to Afghanistan army and police forces. The hearing will examine the company’s financial history, past performance, and compliance with U.S. law and government contracting regulations as well as the federal government’s efforts to investigate allegations that AEY may have violated U.S. law and government contracting regulations.

The following individuals are invited to testify:




Efraim E. Diveroli, President, AEY Inc.
David M. Packouz, Vice President, AEY Inc.
Levi Meyer, General Manager, AEY Inc.
Senior Official, Department of Defense
Senior Official, Department of State

[Name removed]

3. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

5. No man, those letters, on the side of the box? Uhhhh ... Those aren't Chinese characters, man, those

http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=6967

[wildbilln864]

6. SLaD, you know...

:yourock:

[seemslikeadream]

7. Thanks luv

You're a sweetheart

[seemslikeadream]

8. Louise Slaughter was on Air America today with Rachel Madow talking about this "kid"

She wants to know why this kid got these contracts, and I would like to know that also

You can accuse me of being a bad speller

You can accuse me of being a homophobic

You can accuse me of being a liar

You can accuse me of not posting about the correct subject

You can accuse me of being unintelligible

YOU CAN ACCUSE ME OF BEING IN CONTANT CAPITALS

What, pray tell would any of that have to do with a 19 year old gun runner MERCHANT OF DEATH


You can throw at me any personal insults you care to, I don't give a fck if

You can't argue the merits of this post

SHOOT THE MESSENGER, if that's your style


60 - 26 = 34 :shrug:

[SDuderstadt]

11. It's pretty bad when...

the only replies to your OP are WildBill and yourself.

[seemslikeadream]

12. Haven't you learned anything?

I wonder where 53 posts went too? That must be a record. Come to GD (where people know how to act like adults and can have a civil discussion)and pull your shit, the same thing will happen to you there. Would you like me to post some screen shots?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3107228&mesg_id=3107228

[SDuderstadt]

13. As usual, I have no idea wtf you're talking about...

and the idea of keeping screenshots of posts is kinda silly, ne c'est pas? You seem to be touchy that I mention no one outside you and WildBill is responding to this post. And I have no idea what you mean by you "wonder where 53 posts went too (sic)". Do you keep some little notches somewhere or something?

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

21. 74-53=20

The notch is all those numbers on the right hand side of this page, do you see them, post relies?

[AZCat]

22. Uh, no.

You got it right in your image, but your post title is wrong. 74-53 is not 20, but 21.

[seemslikeadream]

25. Thanks I did change the actual post count when I posted that but forgot

to "do the math"

[AZCat]

29. That's all right. I've done the same.

Once I had a dynamics class where the only thing I blew on a test was 28 divided by 3. I answered "7".

Still, I have this compulsion to correct math mistakes wherever I see them. It's pretty annoying to others sometimes (as I'm sure you can tell).

[Grateful for Hope]

23. This made me laugh out loud!

That big grin did me in, SLaD.

:rofl:

[SDuderstadt]

24. Sounds like you've got a problem...

getting people to take your posts seriously, then. Just sayin'.

[Grateful for Hope]

26. It depends on the forum

In GD, for instance, SLaD is highly regarded.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SDuderstadt]

28. And most of them are from....

YOU! I wouldn't exactly be crowing about that. Just sayin'.

[seemslikeadream]

30. Well that maybe true but it is also a fact that I was being "delete"

so if you add up the three of ya'll it's about the same, and btw I will not let responses to me go unanswered

[SDuderstadt]

31. Do you read what you post before you send it?

"Well that maybe true but it is also a fact that I was being "delete""

You were "being delete"? Also, in this context, you mean "may be", not "maybe". And, as far as your comment about not letting responses to you go unanswered, it doesn't surprise me that you always have to get the last word in, even if you're completely wrong.

[seemslikeadream]

32. You've got it wrong again SD

I posted being "delete" NOT "being delete" There is definitely a difference in the meaning of the two and I definitely meant what I posted not your twisted version of it.

[SDuderstadt]

34. Here are your exact words

Well that maybe true but it is also a fact that I was being "delete"

Forgive me for the crime of enclosing "being delete" in quotations marks instead of quoting you thusly: "Well that maybe true but it is also a fact that I was being 'delete' ". Now that we have that squared away, could you do those of us who do not speak Slad-ese and aren't fortunate enough to possess a Seems-like-a-dream to English dictionary, and explain what either "being delete" or "being 'delete' " actually means. Neither one of them make any sense at all. Or, it might just be easier to simply admit you don't read what you write before sending instead engaging in these silly mental gymnastics in a painfully futile attempt to assert you're smarter than everyone else.

[seemslikeadream]

35. . .......... .......... ..... .....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=199949&mesg_id=200171

[SDuderstadt]

41. The irony here, of course....

is that this actually makes more sense than most of what you post.

[seemslikeadream]

44. That is a fact, no doubt

[MrMickeysMom]

278. This is where the people who read the posts, decide to respond

My husband and I read that Guardian article before SLaD posted it here. It's absolutely stunning. We paid for this and we're still paying for it.

So, what should I say that would give more credit to a post like that? Well, nothing in response to what you've said, cause you didn't make much of a point.

Now, how about how much money do we have to admit we kept flushing down the toilet in the last administration and when is it's going to STOP?

Does that kind of response make this post worthy? Am I supposed to argue. Feh...

[Grateful for Hope]

20. Looks like this thread has generated a lot more interest now

like the thread that you posted in GD. Good work, SLaD!

[seemslikeadream]

38. Have you seen anyone dispute any of the facts in my posts?

[Grateful for Hope]

39. No

I have not seen any post attempt to dispute the facts in your posts. None.

[seemslikeadream]

40. Thanks Hope2006

Sometimes I just can't understand why people can't stick to the facts.

Maybe they just don't like the way I dress

[SDuderstadt]

42. People dispute what you assert all the time...

and simply because you make an assertion doesn't make it a fact. If it were a fact, you'd have actual proof of it. Of course, this assumes the reader can decipher what you're actually saying.

[seemslikeadream]

43. Pick one fact from my posts about the OP that is incorrect

[SDuderstadt]

46. Your assertion is not just about this post...

and if it's incorrect, it isn't a fact by definition.

[seemslikeadream]

47. WHAT FACT please be specific

[seemslikeadream]

52. I take it then you have no issues with the facts in this thread

because of your lack of response?

[seemslikeadream]

45. link please

[seemslikeadream]

9. No record of arms dealer's certification

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0408/040308rben1.htm

No record of arms dealer's certification as disadvantaged businessBy Elizabeth Newell and Robert Brodsky [e-mail] April 3, 2008 A Miami-based defense contractor under investigation for delivering faulty munitions to Afghan security forces saw his business boom after being incorrectly labeled as a small disadvantaged business.
Before the designation first appeared in the Federal Procurement Data System in mid-2006, AEY Inc., owned by 22-year-old Efraim Diveroli, had done $8.14 million in business with the federal government. Since the SDB label was applied, AEY has earned more than $204 million in federal contracts.
But several federal sources told Government Executive that AEY has never been certified as a small disadvantaged business. Officials at the Small Business Administration's headquarters in Washington and at its South Florida district office said they have no record of the company or any of its owners or operators filing an application for, or receiving certification, as a small disadvantaged business.

"They are not an SDB," an official from the South Florida office said. "They are not 8(a) or anything like that. They are just a firm that is listed in for purposes of being able to secure contracts."

[seemslikeadream]

10. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4kxSpIBago

[MinM]

17. Interesting

Good find, SLaD

This seems to fit with some earlier conjecture. That this could be some kind of Front Company :shrug:

[seemslikeadream]

15. fun stuff

http://albaniantimes.blogspot.com/2007/12/albania-to-donate-excess-army.html

TIRANA, Albania: Albania wants to donate its surplus ammunition to Iraq and Afghanistan to help those countries build up their armed forces, Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu said Wednesday.
Mediu said he asked "Washington and other NATO member countries to consider" Albania's offer. The impoverished Balkan country's army has already destroyed some 46,000 of tons of ammunition and is continuing the process as part of a program to scrap excess weaponry by 2010.
"The Albanian government would be ready to give as aid the excess ammunition so that it may be efficiently used in those countries like Iraq and Afghanistan trying to build their armed forces for peace and stability," said Mediu.
An estimated 839 million rounds of ammunition were looted from Albanian army depots in 1997, when citizens enraged over losing their life savings in bogus pyramid investment schemes stormed army barracks.
The government since has collected much of that, though some is still believed to have remained in people's homes.
Albania, a small, predominantly Muslim nation on the Adriatic that hopes to join NATO next year, also has deployed small army units to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.



http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/298m-to-aey-for-ammo-in-afghanistan-03152/
Small business qualifier AEY Inc. in Miami Beach, FL received a delivery order amount of $48.7 million as part of a $298 million firm-fixed-price contract for various ammunition for the Afghanistan Security Forces. AEY, Inc. was established in 1999; unsurprisingly, Craigslist says they’re hiring.
Work will be performed in Miami, FL and is expected to be complete by Dec. 30, 2008. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on July 28, 2007, and 10 bids were received by the U.S. Army Sustainment Command in Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-07-D-0004).
Ammunition and weapon shortages been an reported issue in Afghanistan, where police and other security forces trainees have been forced to use fake wooden rifles at times.




The Hon. Theodori Sollaku
Attorney General
Republic of Albania
Tirana, Albania

Your Honor:

I have been in communication with Mr. Kosta Trebicka, the President of Xhoi, Ltd., about his allegations concerning a U.S. government contract to purchase ammunition for shipment to Afghanistan and the portion of this contract that is being supplied with ammunition from Albania's surplus stockpiles. Mr. Trebicka informed me that he served as a sub-contractor on this transaction; therefore, this has given him the opportunity to interface with various parties to this deal including the President of AEY, the U.S.-based contractor. Although I am not in a position to verify all of Mr. Trebicka's claims, the information he has supplied appears serious enough to bring this matter to your attention for further investigation. Information and allegations about this matter follow.

AEY Inc., a Miami-based company, is in the scrap metal/recycling business and also maintains an ATF license enabling it to transact business in firearms and ammunition. The president of AEY is Efraim Diveroli who I believe is a U.S. citizen. AEY was recently awarded a $300 million contract by the U.S. government to supply munitions for the Afghan army (http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/298m-to-aey-fo... and attached is a copy of part of the purchase order that I received from Mr. Trebicka.

As background, due to the history of Russian involvement in Afghanistan, the Afghan military is still heavily dependent on Russian designed arms. For instance, the Afghan army uses AK-47s that obviously require Russian ammunition, and a portion of AEY's contract is being sourced from surplus ammunition in Albanian stockpiles. It is my understanding these stockpiles were originally manufactured in China to Russian specifications with Chinese marked packaging and given to Albania during the period when there were close ties between China and communist Albania. For this reason, Ephraim Diveroli, AEY's President, contacted Meico (http://www.mod.gov.al/eng/industria/meico.asp), the division of Albania's Ministry of Defense responsible for arms exports, to source all or a portion of its contract in Albania.

According to Mr. Trebicka, upon contacting Ylli Pinari, Meico's Director, Diveroli was informed that the munitions would have to be purchased from Meico's appointed agent, Evdin, a Cyprus-based company that I understand is owned by a Swiss businessman who Mr. Trebicka identified as Henri Tomei (possibly known to Interpol), but I have not confirmed this. It is my understanding Edvin's only role in this transaction was to invoice AEY and in turn pay Meico for the munitions. According to Trebicka, Evdin did not handle the shipment and had no other involvement in the transaction, yet, the price mark-up from Meico to Evdin was almost 100%. Pinari reports to Fatmir Mediu, Albania's Minister of Defense, and perhaps the Evdin relationship is appropriate and has been disclosed by the Albanian government. If not, then there may be a concern that an intermediary is being used as a conduit so that the mark-up in price can be used to compensate government officials which, based on an alleged conversation between Diveroli and Trebicka, could be suspected to include Mediu and Prime Minister Sali Berisha. It should be noted that Trebicka thinks it is possible the entire $300 million contract could be sourced in Albania which, assuming similar metrics, opens the possibility that this deal could result in well over $100 million in pure profit that could be split among Evdin and other parties.

An article from The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/ne... speculated that the U.S. is helping the Afghan army to stockpile Russian weapons just in case a new administration prompts a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. I am told the deal with Russia never materialized because the U.S. did not want to be seen making military purchases from the Russians, but based on the almost identical size of the AEY contract, the contract that was awarded to AEY looks like it may be serving as the replacement deal.

Because of the Chinese markings and the excessive weight of the old packaging (which would have significantly increased shipping costs to Afghanistan), AEY had to hire a company to repackage the munitions. For this reason, AEY contracted with Xhoi Ltd. (contract attached), an Albanian company engaged in the the packaging business that is owned and operated by Kosta Trebicka. After Xhoi had commenced work on the project, Trebicka had learned, as a result of invoices he reviewed at the American Bank of Albania, that ammunition was being bought by Evdin from Meico for $22 per 1,000 rounds and then sold to AEY for $40/1,000. Upon hearing this, Diveroli became very disturbed because Evdin, a company it appears the Albanian government was requiring him to work with as an intermediary, was adding to the cost of the transaction.

Trebicka claims that Diveroli protested to Pinari about Evdin's forced presence in the deal and the inflated pricing, and he requested an audience with Defense Minister Mediu. According to Trebicka, Diveroli's request was denied, and he was later taken to a meeting with Pinari, Mihal Delijorgji and a third unidentified man, and at that meeting it was supposedly suggested that if Diveroli did not cooperate with Evdin, his contract might be in jeopardy. I understand that Delijorgji is in some circles described as a businessman with ties to Meico, but others have alleged that he has a criminal record in Albania, which you can easily verify. Later, possibly in an attempt to intimidate him, Trebicka informed me that Pinari told him to keep his mouth closed because the unidentified third man was Shkelzen Berisha, the son of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

According to Trebicka, this episode prompted Diveroli to contact the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, and as a result, a meeting was set up at the Tirana Sheraton that included Diveroli, Trebicka, Robert Newsome, a diplomat in the Embassy, Mr. Meyer, who I believe is the Embassy's military attache, and an Albanian woman who is an Embassy employee . When Diveroli told them his story, supposedly, Newsome told Diveroli he had nothing to worry about, they have excellent relations with the Albanian government, and he promised to discuss the matter with the Ministry of Defense. Trebicka informed me that subsequent to that meeting, Diveroli and he spoke with Newsome by telephone, and Newsome told them he did not want to create any problems with the Albanian government and the Embassy could not interfere. Despite what may be indifference on the part of these Embassy officials, if there is any truth to these claims, those officials have an obligation to report such information to the appropriate U.S. authorities, and if they did not or if the Embassy attempts to suppress this information this may be a violation of various U.S. statutes.

I can tell you from my own experience in my dealings with DOS and our Embassy in Albania (and other USG offices for that matter), that because of Albania's cooperation with bigger picture issues like the war on terror and regional stability, the U.S. government has been all too willing to look the other way when it comes to the corrupt practices of Albanian government officials. A perfect example is the case of former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano who also cooperated with the U.S. by sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the very specific information I provided USG about what I maintain was an illegal bank account held by Nano at Credit Suisse - which was disclosed to me by a Credit Suisse employee - USG refused to act on this information. However, one thing different about this situation is that, in addition to possible corrupt practices by Albanian government officials, it may also involve a scheme to defraud U.S. tax payers because what appears to be an extremely large and unnecessary layer of payment - required as a result of Meico's insertion of Evdin - is being underwritten by the U.S. government.

Below is a copy of an email from Kosta Trebicka that responds to my questions that will give you an outline of the events related to this matter. There are also copies of emails between Trebicka and Diveroli and there is a copy of a May 9 email from Pinari to AEY about an ammunition pickup at Rinas Airport that is also copied to Evdin and Trebicka, thereby establishing a link to Evdin. Also attached are copies of supporting documents I received from Mr. Trebicka including a contract between AEY and Xhoi, a USG purchase order to AEY and a transcript of what Trebicka represents is a telephone conversation between Diveroli and him. Sound files of the conversation recorded by Trebicka are attached, and I am confident that it is Trebicka's voice on the recording; however, I cannot verify Diveroli's voice because I have never spoken with him. Among the statements made by Diveroli (I assume this to be Diveroli based on Trebicka's representations) during this conversation: "Pinari is either a mafia guy or working for the mafia"; "Pinari needs a guy like Henri (Tomei/Evdin) in the middle to take care of him and his buddies"; "this deal kept going higher to the prime minister and his son."

You should be aware that I know Fatmir Mediu, we have had various dealings over the years, and in fall 2006, I publicly accused him of engaging in corrupt practices. A copy of an open letter I sent to Mediu making these allegations can be viewed at this link: www.albca.com/aclis/mo...;sid=1050. This information was also shared with key U.S. officials involved with Albania including DOS, FBI, the CIA and several members of Congress. Mediu made a public show of refuting my claims by appearing on an Albanian TV station to basically say, "I'm not a crook." Despite Mediu's claims that the referenced "gifts" he received have little value and his claim that he gave the watches to a member of the media, to my knowledge, they have never been appraised by an independent, qualified appraiser.

I understand that since the first shipment was completed by AEY with Xhoi handling the packaging, other shipments have been made. It is further my understanding that after the first shipment, Xhoi was squeezed out of the deal and was replaced by Meico with a company controlled by Mr. Delijorgji.

You also should be aware that Mr. Trebicka brought this matter to my attention because, besides having met me in the past, I have been involved in efforts to expose corrupt government officials in both the current and former governments, as you may be aware. I have also exposed improprieties in Albania's telecom sector.

In my opinion, among the issues that should be investigated in conjunction with this matter:

1. Is the U.S. Government being overcharged for the ammunition purchased in Albania? Given the financial support the U.S. government has given to Albania, the Albanian government has an obligation to make sure that it does not take advantage of U.S. taxpayers by overcharging for the ammunition purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense. According to one source, the going rate in Eastern Europe and Russia for surplus ammunition for AK-47s is less than $22 per thousand rounds. If your office confirms wrongdoing, such findings should immediately be turned over to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Chairman of the Congressional Oversight Committee.

2. Has Meico appointed Evdin or any other company as an intermediary in this transaction? If so, why? Has the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and/or members of Parliament been made aware of or have they approved this relationship? Does Evdin have any relationship with Fatmir Mediu, Ylli Pinari, Mihal Delijorgji, Sali Berisha or Shkelzen Berisha? In order to confirm if any relationships exist, your office should review wire transfers or other money transfers that may have taken place among MOD, Meico, Evdin, AEY, and possibly some of the individuals who are alleged to be implicated in this affair.

3. Is it Efraim Diveroli's voice on the recording made by Kosta Trebicka? If so, the allegations contained in the recording must be fully investigated and Diveroli should be called for questioning.

4. Your office should meet with Kosta Trebicka to discuss the basis for his allegations.

You should be aware that this information has also been submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense and several members of Congress. You should also be aware that XXXXXX (and possibly another major media organization) is investigating arms sales from Eastern European countries (including Albania) to the Middle East, and the first story related to these investigations appeared in XXXXXXXX. You should also be aware that regardless of the objectives of the Department of State, if the allegations contained herein have any basis in fact, there can be no doubt the American and Albanian public would demand full disclosure, and any U.S. or Albanian government officials that may ultimately review this matter should take this into consideration.

Please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions or if I can be of assistance.

Thank you.

Respectfully,
Gary Q. Kokalari

http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1384


http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1389

http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1050


Podcasts/clips of Diveroli conversations.
http://shekulli.com.al/content/?page=20

Transcripts of the Diveroli conversations.
http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1387


http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/575/story/399692.html

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. --
The FBI has talked to an ammunition company in Aynor about an explosion earlier this month at a depot in Albania that killed 23 people.
Southern Ammunition president Patrick Henry says federal agents were only looking for background information as the FBI investigates the explosion and possible corruption of illegal arms sales.
Henry says Southern Ammunition subcontracted much of its work to help take apart small-caliber ammunition from the 1950s at the depot.
Henry says all his workers were home by December, three months before the explosion.
Southern Ammunition also sells a variety of commercial and surplus military ammunition

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/story/399201.html

There is no indication that Southern Ammunition Co. Inc., which operates out of a nondescript building in Loris, has done anything illegal.
But an FBI inquiry into a series of deadly explosions this month at an Albanian munitions depot has shed light on the murky network of private businesses that buy, sell and dismantle aging stockpiles of weapons in former communist nations.
Southern Ammunition is one of those companies.
It has been around for more than a decade, operating at a 19-acre site off U.S. 701, but likely has flown under the radar of most Horry County residents.
Southern Ammunition sells a variety of commercial, surplus military and restricted ammunition, according to its Web site, which also touts the company's status as a Foreign Trade Zone.
That status allows firearms dealers to import foreign-made machine guns to Loris, where the weapons can be modified and resold in the United States.
Southern Ammunition also demilitarizes small-caliber ammunition for foreign countries, profiting from the contracted work and the scrap metal that's left over.
It was Southern Ammunition's work in Albania, a country in southern Europe, that caught the FBI's attention.
Patrick Henry, Southern Ammunition's president, said he was contacted by federal investigators last week, but only for background into the FBI's larger inquiry into the Albania explosions.
"We were not involved in anything there at the time of the explosions," Henry told The Sun News last week. "We finished our work on Dec. 8, and all of our guys came home before Christmas."
Southern Ammunition had a government contract to disassemble small-caliber ammunition at the depot, which had a large stockpile of 1950s-era Russian and Chinese artillery.
Southern Ammunition supplied equipment and supervisors, but subcontracted much of the work to an Albanian company called Alba Demil, which was run by a man named Mihal Delijorgji.
The March 15 explosions lasted for hours, killing 23 people, wounding 300 others and destroying more than 400 homes in the village of Gerdec, which is near the nation's capital of Tirana.
Those explosions brought to light allegations of corruption involving Delijorgji, who is reported to have Mafia ties.
Delijorgji was arrested in the days after the explosions and now is in an Albanian prison.
Delijorgji is accused of selling ammunition from the Albanian depot to Miami-based AEY Inc., which had a U.S. government contract to supply arms to Afghan forces fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida.
The Pentagon has suspended its contract with AEY, according to The New York Times, because the Albanian ammunition was of such poor quality that the Afghan army could not use much of it.
Also, some of the ammunition would be illegal for a U.S. company to purchase because it was manufactured in communist China.
AEY, which has no affiliation with Southern Ammunition, denies any wrongdoing.
Henry said he doesn't believe any of the small-caliber ammunition his company was supposed to disassemble made its way through Delijorgji and AEY to the Afghan army.
"But nothing would surprise me now," he said.
Southern Ammunition made its money at the Albania depot by taking the ammunition's brass cartridge cases and selling them as scrap metal.
Henry said he found it odd that Delijorgji's company only turned over about half of the brass cartridges Southern Ammunition was supposed to receive.
"A lot of what they thought was brass turned out to be brass-plated steel," Henry said. "That was the explanation we were given, anyway."
Henry said he agreed to subcontract the work to Delijorgji at the urging of Ylli Pinari, the director of Meico, which is the arms export agency of Albania's Ministry of Defense.
"Pinari told me (Delijorgji) had demilitarized 800 tanks, and it would be a good match because he had done this kind of work before," Henry said.
Pinari also was imprisoned this month, accused of scheming with Delijorgji to sell ammunition from the Albanian depot to AEY.
Henry said he knew of AEY because Southern Ammunition unsuccessfully bid against the Miami company in early 2007 for the contract to supply Afghan troops with ammunition.
Henry said he had no idea AEY had any ties with Delijorgji until a friend told him about The New York Times report on Thursday.
Henry said he last visited the Albanian depot about a week before this month's explosions.
"We still had our equipment there, and we were trying to get that and some other material shipped back" to the United States, he said. "I wasn't there when the explosions happened. I was in Germany by then."
Albania must dismantle its aging ammunition before it can join NATO, something the country hopes to do next month.
There have been allegations in foreign news reports that Alba Demil used untrained personnel, including women and children, to disassemble the ammunition at Gerdec.
Henry said he is not aware of any untrained personnel doing work for Southern Ammunition's contract. Alba Demil also had a separate, unrelated contract to demilitarize large-caliber ammunition at the depot.
Such work accounts for billions of dollars - both legitimate and black-market - in former communist countries eager to get rid of dangerous and deteriorating Soviet weaponry and ammunition.
And most of that work, including Southern Ammunition's, goes unnoticed by the general public.

[seemslikeadream]

16. U.S. State Dept. joins move against arms dealer

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/04/america/arms.php

The State Department has suspended the international export activities of AEY, a Miami Beach arms-dealing company led by a 22-year-old man whose procurements for the Pentagon are under criminal investigation, said U.S. officials familiar with the decision.

The U.S. Army last week accused the company's president, Efraim Diveroli, of fraud, claiming he shipped Chinese cartridges to Afghanistan after certifying that they were made in Hungary. The army also suspended Diveroli and the company from future federal contracts.

The State Department decision, on Thursday, blocks other elements of AEY's business. Under federal rules, weapons transfers across an international border in which the U.S. government is not the customer require a State Department license. A department official said that barring extraordinary circumstances, Diveroli's applications for licenses would be refused.

"AEY is under a policy of denial for future export authorization requests," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Two other officials confirmed the decision. "The department may make exceptions to this policy of denial but only if there are overriding national security or foreign policy reasons to do so," the official said. Diveroli's lawyer, Hy Shapiro, declined to comment.

[seemslikeadream]

18. "PORN BABES FOR AMMO!"

http://rawstory.com/

[pleah]

19. Thanks for all the hard work you put into this.

Wow!:wow:


Bookmarked before it disappears. (edit to add)

[seemslikeadream]

33. Thanks Jesuswasntafascist

:hi:

[seemslikeadream]

36. SAIC Supports Cooperative U.S./Albania Program to Destroy Obsolete and Dangerous Munitions

http://investors.saic.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=193857&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1102567&highlight=

SAIC Supports Cooperative U.S./Albania Program to Destroy Obsolete and Dangerous Munitions
SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., Jan 31, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAI) today announced it recently completed a project for the U.S. Department of State managing the disposal of 2,900 tons of obsolete and dangerous surplus munitions in the Republic of Albania. According to the State Department, the effort was completed safely and efficiently, helping to ensure the materials cannot be used by terrorists.

The joint project between the State Department Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Albania disposed of nearly 40,000 munitions, including all of the country's sea mines, torpedoes, and aerial bombs.

"The elimination of three major categories of munitions is a major accomplishment," said SAIC Program Manager Steve Rader. "The removal and disposal of these old and dangerous munitions from storage locations very near the civilian population has made Albania a safer country. In addition, these munitions are no longer available to be acquired illegally and used by terrorist groups."

SAIC advised the Albanian Ministry of Defense in planning, organizing, and conducting the entire disposal operation, which was completed in nine months, half the time estimated by the State Department. SAIC provided safety and ordnance disposal training for Albanian Armed Forces transportation personnel and explosive ordnance disposal teams, and supervised all aspects of the demilitarization and disposal processes between Albanian Armed Forces organizations and SAIC subcontractors. More than 100 local nationals were hired by SAIC's principal Albanian subcontractor, National Demilitarization Center to conduct the work.

To reduce potential hazardous metal contamination typically caused by open detonation, thermite (a compound that ignites without explosion) was used to burn most of the explosive material. In addition, the explosive content of the munitions was burned at newly designated range areas at or near existing military installations where the munitions were stored. This reduced transport risk through populated areas and shaved weeks off the project schedule.

"I am very pleased with what our team has accomplished with this program," said Beverly Seay, SAIC senior vice president and business unit general manager. "This is a little known area of expertise for SAIC, and to bring it to bear on such an important effort that clearly has benefits for the people of Albania and the region was a privilege."

Other results of the project include the redeployment of approximately 90 Albanian military personnel that had been responsible for protecting the munitions, the potential reuse of military installations for civilian purposes and the ability of the Albanian government to sell nearly 1,900 tons of high-quality scrap metal.

For their exceptional efforts, the Albanian Ministry of Defense awarded SAIC team members medals for distinguished and outstanding service for their efforts on the project.

[seemslikeadream]

37. Ya'll remember SAIC Abu Ghraib days?

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/notebook/2004/11/11_200-2.html

Schakowsky's fears were realized at Abu Ghraib. Long before the infamous prison became a household name, the U.S. Justice Department awarded the research and engineering company SAIC a contract to help reconstruct the Iraqi prison system. SAIC in turn hired four former corrections officials from the United States who had been involved in prisoner-abuse cases. One of them, Gary DeLand, once ran a Utah jail where a mentally ill inmate arrested for nonviolent disorderly conduct was held naked and alone for 56 days without lights, recreation, windows, bedding, or a toilet -- and without a hearing. Both SAIC and officials at the Justice Department have declined to comment.

None of the four officials have been directly implicated in the Abu Ghraib torture allegations. But the military's investigations of Abu Ghraib did conclude that employees of two other private contractors, CACI International interrogator Steven Stefanowicz and Titan Corp. translator Adel Nakhla, had participated in the abuses. In particular, the report compiled by Maj. General Antonio Taguba noted that Stefanowicz ordered military police to use interrogation techniques that "equated to physical abuse." More recently, an Army investigation concluded that four CACI and Titan employees actively participated in detainee abuse, including assault and possibly rape. The employees received "little, if any, training on the Geneva Conventions," said the report. Both companies have repeatedly denied wrongdoing on the part of their workers.

[gbwarming]

48. I remember. Is this realted to Diveroli?

Also, how does a program to destroy obsolete munitions (torpedos, sea mines & aerial bombs) IN Albania relate to allegedly obsolete AK rounds EXPORTED FROM Albania to Afghanistan?

[seemslikeadream]

49. Let's start here Total misconduct dollar million $7.6 million

http://www.contractormisconduct.org/index.cfm/1,73,221,html?ContractorID=47


The persons hired to do the actual purchasing.

http://www.usaspending.gov/fpds/fpds.php?parent_id=133490&sortby=u&detail=-1&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO


JOHN COLLINS of the OFFICE OF STATE PURCHASING of Louisiana
certainly helped World Tactical (Michael Diveroli's company.)
even though
John Collins, CPPB (S)
appears to be only authorized to purchase:
Furniture: Office, Health Care & Hospital Facility, Laboratory; Cafeteria, Chapel, Dormitory, Household, Library, Lounge, Classroom, Office, Courtroom, Library; Mobile & Stationary Shelving; Lockers; Files: Vertical, Lateral, Fireproof; Mobile Systems, Rotary Systems, Carousel Filing Systems; Library & Archival Equipment; Paper Shredders; Mattresses & Bedsprings; Picture Framing Services; Paint & Protective Coatings.

The Certified Public Purchasing Officers
and the Certified Professional Public Buyers
have an organization
http://www.uppcc.org/
classes or make contacts.

http://www.uppcc.org/current_certificants/certificants.aspx


We'll get there

[seemslikeadream]

50. David Packouz: AEY, Intelliterran, and Dyna Core Industries

http://majikthise.typepad.com/majikthise_/2008/03/the-enterprisin.html


David Packouz: AEY, Intelliterran, and Dyna Core Industries
In the next installment of our ongoing series on the AEY scandal, we'll examine the paper trail on the AEY's vice president, David Packouz.

In addition to his position at AEY, David M. Packouz is the president of Intelliteran, a "world class metal commodity trader specializing in metal scrap." Intelliterran's principal place of business is 3150 Sheridan Ave, in Miami Beach, according documents filed with the Florida Secretary of State. Mr. Packouz incorporated Intelliterran in August of 2005, these records show. Very precocious of him, considering Mr. Packouz is only 25 years old today. Intelliterran's listing on the global trade website Alibaba since 1999.

In that Alibaba profile, Intelliterran claims to have 50-100 employees and an annual sales volume of $50-$100 million. Intelliterran's contact person is Mr. David Packouz, who can be reached by phone at 1-305-793-3413, or by fax at 1-305-397-2987. Adam Sofen observes that David uses the 3413 number to promote his services as a masseur on MySpace.

Intelliterran also does business as Dyna Core Industries (Also spelled "DynaCore"), according to its profile on Manta.com

The Dynacore website is unavailable, but the Google cache gives us a glimpse of Intelliterran dba DynCore, which appears to have billed itself as something altogether more grandiose than AEY:

[seemslikeadream]

51. Ateret Diveroli and Shmuley Boteach

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,49808,00.html


Ateret Diveroli, once treasurer charity named "Time for Kids" that collected (but didn't disburse) hundreds of thousands of dollars in the name of Michael Jackson

http://nieonline.com/miami/teenspeaks/articles.cfm?ID=4&themonth=jan


http://www.slate.com/id/103323/

The business connection between Jackson and Efraim's mom is her brother Shmuley Boteach, whom Slate.com called "one of the world's most prominent rabbis." Shmuley was the "spiritual advisor" to Jackson and other celebrities.

[seemslikeadream]

53. Senate chairman probes contractor's erroneous classification

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39755&dcn=todaysnews


Senate chairman probes contractor's erroneous classification as disadvantaged business
By Robert Brodsky
[e-mail]

April 10, 2008 The chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee is demanding an explanation from the State and Defense departments for how a wealthy 22-year-old arms dealer, under investigation for providing decades-old ammunition to Afghan security forces, was inappropriately classified as a small disadvantaged business on dozens of federal contracts.
Responding to an April 3 report from Government Executive, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., sent letters to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday requesting responses about AEY Inc. of Miami, and its owner, Efraim Diveroli.
Kerry is interested in how AEY obtained its SDB designation -- despite never requesting or garnering such a classification from the Small Business Administration -- and if the company received any preferential treatment as a result of the mistake.
"I believe your agency owes Congress and the American public some answers," Kerry wrote to Gates. "I am concerned that a lack of oversight of contracting programs at DoD is allowing companies like AEY to erroneously access hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts as an SDB, undermining efforts to level the playing field for small firms."

[seemslikeadream]

54. SEN DORGAN: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT STAND FOR THIS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uba37udqF9A

[seemslikeadream]

55. Dorgan Floor Speech

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I had a chance to meet Herman Wouk, who is one of America's greatest authors. He wrote ``Caine Mutiny'' and he wrote ``War and Remembrance.'' He is 91 years old and a remarkable man, just a remarkable man. He was telling me something kind of in jest. He said:

GPO's PDFYou know, I don't know much about what happened after 1945, but I know everything that happened before 1945. He was talking about his body of work, his research on the Second World War and prior to that period of time. And he wrote wonderful books, as all of us know. He is one of America's greatest authors.
Herman Wouk and I were talking about the Iraq war and talking about the stories about the Iraq war, and he said to me: Do you know anything about the Truman Committee? Do you know anything about what happened in the Second World War with President Harry Truman, then-Senator Harry Truman, who created a committee, a special committee in the United States Senate, bipartisan, to go after this issue of contract fraud that was going on with respect to defense contracting? I told him I certainly did know about the Truman committee, and we have had, I believe, four votes in the Senate that I offered as amendments to establish a Truman committee.

At this point I want to show my colleagues a photograph of a man. I don't know this man personally. This comes from a Thursday, March 27, edition of the New York Times.

I read an article about this man on an airplane, and I was struck by it because it is such an unbelievable story, and it is another chapter of, in my judgment, a shameful series of chapters of abuse of the American people by contractors with respect to the Iraq war.

The New York Times published this article, and this is a picture of a 22-year-old man from Miami Beach. He had gotten contracts worth over $300 million in U.S. taxpayers' dollars, and he had signed a contract with the U.S. Army to provide arms to Afghan soldiers.

Apparently, we, as taxpayers, and the U.S. Army, were trying to provide additional arms for the Afghan Army with which to fight and defend itself. So this 22-year-old man got a $300 million contract from the Army Sustainment Command, through a company that had been a shell for a number of years established by this man's father. Mr. Diveroli is his name. This is a mug shot from the Miami Dade Police Department. He had allegedly assaulted a parking lot attendant and had a forged driver's license when he was arrested, which made him out to be 4 years older than he really was. He told police he had gotten the forged driver's license to buy alcohol, but now that he was over 21 he didn't need it any longer.

So this is a 22-year-old man who was the CEO of a company called AEY based in Miami Beach. And this is a picture of the building that was headquarters for his company, but there was nothing on any door in the building. Apparently, in one part of this building an office was supposed to be his office, but there was nothing that identified his office.

And here is a picture of his vice president, the vice president of this company, this company to which the U.S. Army gave a $300 million contract. The vice president is a 25-year-old masseur named David Packouz. He is the former vice president of the firm that got $300 million. So you have a 22-year-old and a 25-year-old masseur who get $300 million from the U.S. Army.

Now, what did they do with the $300 million? Well, the next photograph, again from the New York Times, shows outdated ammunition sold to Afghan forces, including 40-year-old Chinese-made cartridges. So these folks got $300 million and they were providing mid-1960s cartridges to the Afghan Army, which the Afghan Army was receiving in cardboard boxes that had not been properly taped and were falling apart. The Afghan Army described these armaments as junk. Here is an Afghan policeman surveying 42-year-old Chinese ammunition that arrived in crumbling boxes.

Again, American taxpayers, through the Army Sustainment Command, paid hundreds of millions of dollars to a company that previously had been a shell company, a shell corporation, now run by a 22-year-old who says that he is the only employee of the corporation.

Now, Mr. President, I have spent a lot of time on the floor of the Senate on these kinds of issues. It is pretty unbelievable when you think about it. I don't know Mr. Diveroli personally. Never met him. I do know that three reporters from the New York Times Ðdid some extraordinary work--C.J. Chivers, Eric Schmitt, and Nicholas Wood, to expose his activities. I don't know how long it took them to do this investigative piece, but it is two full pages inside the New York Times. They obviously traveled to Afghanistan and other countries to finish this investigative piece. We wouldn't know about this issue were it not for investigative reports by the New York Times.

In January of 2007, that is just 14 months ago, the most recent award, which I believe was $150 million, was given by the Army Sustainment Command, and the Army Sustainment Command said:


AEY's proposal represented the best value to the government.


I am telling you, this part of the U.S. Army has a lot of explaining to do to this Congress and to the American people. This is the same Army Sustainment Command and, incidentally, the same general in charge of the Army Sustainment Command who went to a hearing here in the Senate, and following my testimony before a hearing about the water problems in Iraq and about Halliburton Corporation providing water to the troops, nonpotable water that was twice as contaminated as raw water from the Euphrates River, we had the evidence, internal Halliburton

memorandums, saying it was a near miss. It could have caused mass sickness or death. This is the same general who went to that Senate committee and said: Never happened.

Well, now the inspector general has finished an investigation and said in fact it did happen. It did happen. This general has some explaining to do.

I have asked Secretary Gates, the Defense Secretary, to ask this general to explain himself, and so should this Congress.

But I don't understand, I just don't understand how even following information sent to this country, to the Army Sustainment Command by U.S. military officers in Afghanistan, saying what they are sending over here in the form of armaments under this contract is junk and it needs to stop, even following that it continued. It is an unbelievable amount of government waste .

This is but one issue. And we wouldn't know about it if it were not for the New York Times. This has been going on for years. We have been fighting in Iraq longer than we were fighting in the Second World War.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

57. Tell me again how many of those posts were deleted?

This is just my little gathering of facts thread SD. Read or don't read, post or don't post it does not matter to me in the least, I've told you that many times. I've posted this way for 6 years at DU and I'm not going to stop simply because you just recently noticed, have a personal problem with me, and have to add posts of nothingness to my threads. This is just a note book for me


PAY ATTENTION

[seemslikeadream]

58. And not to disappoint you here's one of those multiples

YOUR MATH IS LACKING IN CORRECTNESS, TRY AGAIN, USE A CALCULATOR IF YOU NEED TO

I guess you were using one of these?

[SDuderstadt]

59. "Calculater"

LOLOLOL

[seemslikeadream]

60. lololo

Your math skills are way worse

[SDuderstadt]

63. Well, let me know how I can...

"relpy" again.

[seemslikeadream]

66. I wonder how many Afghans were affected by this crap

and all you care about is diverting attention from this horrific story, now why would you do that SD?

ALL FUN AND GAMES FOR YOU SD?

SENATOR DORGAN FLOOR SPEECH

The New York Times published this article, and this is a picture of a 22-year-old man from Miami Beach. He had gotten contracts worth over $300 million in U.S. taxpayers' dollars, and he had signed a contract with the U.S. Army to provide arms to Afghan soldiers.

Apparently, we, as taxpayers, and the U.S. Army, were trying to provide additional arms for the Afghan Army with which to fight and defend itself. So this 22-year-old man got a $300 million contract from the Army Sustainment Command, through a company that had been a shell for a number of years established by this man's father. Mr. Diveroli is his name. This is a mug shot from the Miami Dade Police Department. He had allegedly assaulted a parking lot attendant and had a forged driver's license when he was arrested, which made him out to be 4 years older than he really was. He told police he had gotten the forged driver's license to buy alcohol, but now that he was over 21 he didn't need it any longer.

So this is a 22-year-old man who was the CEO of a company called AEY based in Miami Beach. And this is a picture of the building that was headquarters for his company, but there was nothing on any door in the building. Apparently, in one part of this building an office was supposed to be his office, but there was nothing that identified his office.

And here is a picture of his vice president, the vice president of this company, this company to which the U.S. Army gave a $300 million contract. The vice president is a 25-year-old masseur named David Packouz. He is the former vice president of the firm that got $300 million. So you have a 22-year-old and a 25-year-old masseur who get $300 million from the U.S. Army.

Now, what did they do with the $300 million? Well, the next photograph, again from the New York Times, shows outdated ammunition sold to Afghan forces, including 40-year-old Chinese-made cartridges. So these folks got $300 million and they were providing mid-1960s cartridges to the Afghan Army, which the Afghan Army was receiving in cardboard boxes that had not been properly taped and were falling apart. The Afghan Army described these armaments as junk. Here is an Afghan policeman surveying 42-year-old Chinese ammunition that arrived in crumbling boxes.

[seemslikeadream]

67. I HATE BLOOD SUCKING MERCHANTS OF DEATH

Have a nice day SD, I'm sure you don't have to worry your pretty little head about any of this, after all you are way busy looking for spelling errors, they're so dangerous.


We all have priorities

[Bolo Boffin]

71. Could you present any evidence that Efraim actually sucks blood?

Libelous videos from Islamic fundamentalists do not count.

[seemslikeadream]

70. This thread is about THE BLOOD SUCKING EFRAIM

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/28/arms.dealer/index.html">"I would prefer he became a nice doctor or lawyer rather than an arms dealer," Michael Diveroli.DIVEROLI. Your infantile attempts at derailing it won't change that but be my guest I like staying on top

[Bolo Boffin]

72. Again, do you have any evidence that Efraim actually sucks blood?

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion has been demonstrated to be a forgery, so that's out as well.

[seemslikeadream]

73. All merchants of death are BLOOD SUCKERS

WATCH DORGAN SENATE FLOOR SPEECH


Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I had a chance to meet Herman Wouk, who is one of America's greatest authors. He wrote ``Caine Mutiny'' and he wrote ``War and Remembrance.'' He is 91 years old and a remarkable man, just a remarkable man. He was telling me something kind of in jest. He said:

GPO's PDFYou know, I don't know much about what happened after 1945, but I know everything that happened before 1945. He was talking about his body of work, his research on the Second World War and prior to that period of time. And he wrote wonderful books, as all of us know. He is one of America's greatest authors.
Herman Wouk and I were talking about the Iraq war and talking about the stories about the Iraq war, and he said to me: Do you know anything about the Truman Committee? Do you know anything about what happened in the Second World War with President Harry Truman, then-Senator Harry Truman, who created a committee, a special committee in the United States Senate, bipartisan, to go after this issue of contract fraud that was going on with respect to defense contracting? I told him I certainly did know about the Truman committee, and we have had, I believe, four votes in the Senate that I offered as amendments to establish a Truman committee.

At this point I want to show my colleagues a photograph of a man. I don't know this man personally. This comes from a Thursday, March 27, edition of the New York Times.

I read an article about this man on an airplane, and I was struck by it because it is such an unbelievable story, and it is another chapter of, in my judgment, a shameful series of chapters of abuse of the American people by contractors with respect to the Iraq war.

The New York Times published this article, and this is a picture of a 22-year-old man from Miami Beach. He had gotten contracts worth over $300 million in U.S. taxpayers' dollars, and he had signed a contract with the U.S. Army to provide arms to Afghan soldiers.

Apparently, we, as taxpayers, and the U.S. Army, were trying to provide additional arms for the Afghan Army with which to fight and defend itself. So this 22-year-old man got a $300 million contract from the Army Sustainment Command, through a company that had been a shell for a number of years established by this man's father. Mr. Diveroli is his name. This is a mug shot from the Miami Dade Police Department. He had allegedly assaulted a parking lot attendant and had a forged driver's license when he was arrested, which made him out to be 4 years older than he really was. He told police he had gotten the forged driver's license to buy alcohol, but now that he was over 21 he didn't need it any longer.

So this is a 22-year-old man who was the CEO of a company called AEY based in Miami Beach. And this is a picture of the building that was headquarters for his company, but there was nothing on any door in the building. Apparently, in one part of this building an office was supposed to be his office, but there was nothing that identified his office.

And here is a picture of his vice president, the vice president of this company, this company to which the U.S. Army gave a $300 million contract. The vice president is a 25-year-old masseur named David Packouz. He is the former vice president of the firm that got $300 million. So you have a 22-year-old and a 25-year-old masseur who get $300 million from the U.S. Army.

Now, what did they do with the $300 million? Well, the next photograph, again from the New York Times, shows outdated ammunition sold to Afghan forces, including 40-year-old Chinese-made cartridges. So these folks got $300 million and they were providing mid-1960s cartridges to the Afghan Army, which the Afghan Army was receiving in cardboard boxes that had not been properly taped and were falling apart. The Afghan Army described these armaments as junk. Here is an Afghan policeman surveying 42-year-old Chinese ammunition that arrived in crumbling boxes.

Again, American taxpayers, through the Army Sustainment Command, paid hundreds of millions of dollars to a company that previously had been a shell company, a shell corporation, now run by a 22-year-old who says that he is the only employee of the corporation.

Now, Mr. President, I have spent a lot of time on the floor of the Senate on these kinds of issues. It is pretty unbelievable when you think about it. I don't know Mr. Diveroli personally. Never met him. I do know that three reporters from the New York Times Ðdid some extraordinary work--C.J. Chivers, Eric Schmitt, and Nicholas Wood, to expose his activities. I don't know how long it took them to do this investigative piece, but it is two full pages inside the New York Times. They obviously traveled to Afghanistan and other countries to finish this investigative piece. We wouldn't know about this issue were it not for investigative reports by the New York Times.

In January of 2007, that is just 14 months ago, the most recent award, which I believe was $150 million, was given by the Army Sustainment Command, and the Army Sustainment Command said:


AEY's proposal represented the best value to the government.


I am telling you, this part of the U.S. Army has a lot of explaining to do to this Congress and to the American people. This is the same Army Sustainment Command and, incidentally, the same general in charge of the Army Sustainment Command who went to a hearing here in the Senate, and following my testimony before a hearing about the water problems in Iraq and about Halliburton Corporation providing water to the troops, nonpotable water that was twice as contaminated as raw water from the Euphrates River, we had the evidence, internal Halliburton

memorandums, saying it was a near miss. It could have caused mass sickness or death. This is the same general who went to that Senate committee and said: Never happened.

Well, now the inspector general has finished an investigation and said in fact it did happen. It did happen. This general has some explaining to do.

I have asked Secretary Gates, the Defense Secretary, to ask this general to explain himself, and so should this Congress.

But I don't understand, I just don't understand how even following information sent to this country, to the Army Sustainment Command by U.S. military officers in Afghanistan, saying what they are sending over here in the form of armaments under this contract is junk and it needs to stop, even following that it continued. It is an unbelievable amount of government waste .

This is but one issue. And we wouldn't know about it if it were not for the New York Times. This has been going on for years. We have been fighting in Iraq longer than we were fighting in the Second World War.




TELL IT TO CNN BOLO

AND THIS
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/28/arms.dealer/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

84. If hyperbole is against the rules here bolo

alert on it

[SDuderstadt]

86. God, you're clueless, SLAD

Why would he alert on you instead of doing exactly what he has done, which is call you on your hyperbole?

[seemslikeadream]

89. I stand by my statement merchants of death are blood suckers

as in they make money selling weapons to kill people, ie suck blood

[SDuderstadt]

93. Have you ever heard of punctuation?

It might make your posts a little more intelligible. Just sayin'.

[seemslikeadream]

94. Have you ever heard of staying on topic?

and not your juvenile attempts to derail this thread?

[SDuderstadt]

96. Have you ever heard of...

making posts intelligible?

[seemslikeadream]

99. 98. BTW hyperbole is "a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for effect."

[seemslikeadream]

74. Victor Bout is a blood sucker also

Jean Bernard Lasnaud
In the fall of 2001, international arms broker Jean-Bernard Lasnaud was at ease, sounding more like a seasoned entrepreneur than a fugitive from justice.
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sierraleone/lasnaud.html




Leonid Minin

[Bolo Boffin]

76. My goodness, there's nothing about bloodsucking in any of those articles.

Are you sure of your facts?

[seemslikeadream]

77. BLOOD SUCKING = MERCHANTS OF DEATH

[seemslikeadream]

78. Defending the little 22 yr old merchant of death, bolo?

[SDuderstadt]

80. Bolo isn't defending him in the least...

he's calling you on your hyperbole.

[seemslikeadream]

82. My hyperbole?

Now that's a crime here?

[SDuderstadt]

85. No one said it was a "crime", SLAD

Quit being a drama queen

[seemslikeadream]

87. The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney

Greg Palast you naughty, boy!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3150321

[SDuderstadt]

90. Another irrelevant, inscrutable post from SLAD

Why am I not surprised? Are you related to James Joyce, SLAD? You seem to have a penchant for stream-of-consciouness posts.

[seemslikeadream]

91. If it's good enough for Greg Palast it's good enough for me

I wonder who was screwing McKinney?

[SDuderstadt]

95. Well, the first question is...

whatever does it have to do with the OP? The second question is, why would you expect anyone to understand wtf you're yammering about without either a link or appropriate context?

[seemslikeadream]

98. BTW hyperbole is "a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for effect."

[SDuderstadt]

101. Really?

Hmmm, then that would seem to validate Bolo's comments, no?

[seemslikeadream]

103. bolo and you seem to be the FIRST to have a problem with it

[SDuderstadt]

104. Because we (at least me) are the only ones who responded so far...

Duh. Wtf are you saying about McKinney and Palast?


I just noticed that you edited the post to add a link, yet you didn't say a word about doing so. Was that to make it look like the link was there all along? Wouldn't that be just a tad dishonest?

[seemslikeadream]

106. H-Y-P-E-R-B-O-L-E

You have such a hard time remembering the topic

[SDuderstadt]

107. If you readily admit it's hyperbole, why do you continue to...

yammer on and on about it?

[seemslikeadream]

113. because you won't stop your yammering

[SDuderstadt]

115. I'm not yammering, SLAD

You're the one with the largely incomprehensible posts and oblique references.

[seemslikeadream]

116. When YOU go off topic it is yammering

[SDuderstadt]

119. It's not off-topic to call attention to...

your numerous gaffes and unsupported assertions. It goes to the issue of your credibility, SLAD.

[seemslikeadream]

120. You have NOTHING OF VALUE to add to the facts of this OP

just crap

[SDuderstadt]

122. No, as I said before...

it's fair game to call attention to questions about your credibility. Accusing me of responding to your posts with strawman arguments only doesn't help said credibility.

[seemslikeadream]

123. List any discrepancies you have found in the facts I have posted about the merchant of death

[SDuderstadt]

127. Quit trying to evade the question, SLAD

If you have examples of strawman arguments I have posted, please provide them.

[seemslikeadream]

125. Spelling mistakes never killed innocent babies

HYPERBOLE

[SDuderstadt]

130. Not understanding proper subject/verb agreement....

isn't a spelling mistake, SLAD. Maybe if your posts were more intelligible, people would be more inclined to accept what you say at face value. Editing a post to include a link after being called on it, without disclosing that the link was omitted at first also doesn't help your credibility.

[seemslikeadream]

131. Not understanding blood sucking merchants of death is a bit more of a

flaw

[SDuderstadt]

135. Now you're making an either-or argument

You're assuming that it is not possible to undertand the subject matter while, simultaneously asking questions about your credibility.

[seemslikeadream]

137. THE CREDIBILITY IS THE LINKS I HAVE PROVIDED

Have a problem with any of them?

[SDuderstadt]

140. We're not talking about the links, SLAD

We're talking about the unwarranted conclusions you draw. Stay on topic.

[seemslikeadream]

141. Tell it to Senator Dorgan

He's come to the same conclusions

[SDuderstadt]

144. I see, SLAD

He's come to the exact same conclusions as you? Don't make us laugh.

[seemslikeadream]

147. Dorgan Floor Speech AGAIN I GUESS YOU MISSED IT?

Dorgan Floor Speech
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I had a chance to meet Herman Wouk, who is one of America's greatest authors. He wrote ``Caine Mutiny'' and he wrote ``War and Remembrance.'' He is 91 years old and a remarkable man, just a remarkable man. He was telling me something kind of in jest. He said:

GPO's PDFYou know, I don't know much about what happened after 1945, but I know everything that happened before 1945. He was talking about his body of work, his research on the Second World War and prior to that period of time. And he wrote wonderful books, as all of us know. He is one of America's greatest authors.
Herman Wouk and I were talking about the Iraq war and talking about the stories about the Iraq war, and he said to me: Do you know anything about the Truman Committee? Do you know anything about what happened in the Second World War with President Harry Truman, then-Senator Harry Truman, who created a committee, a special committee in the United States Senate, bipartisan, to go after this issue of contract fraud that was going on with respect to defense contracting? I told him I certainly did know about the Truman committee, and we have had, I believe, four votes in the Senate that I offered as amendments to establish a Truman committee.

At this point I want to show my colleagues a photograph of a man. I don't know this man personally. This comes from a Thursday, March 27, edition of the New York Times.

I read an article about this man on an airplane, and I was struck by it because it is such an unbelievable story, and it is another chapter of, in my judgment, a shameful series of chapters of abuse of the American people by contractors with respect to the Iraq war.

The New York Times published this article, and this is a picture of a 22-year-old man from Miami Beach. He had gotten contracts worth over $300 million in U.S. taxpayers' dollars, and he had signed a contract with the U.S. Army to provide arms to Afghan soldiers.

Apparently, we, as taxpayers, and the U.S. Army, were trying to provide additional arms for the Afghan Army with which to fight and defend itself. So this 22-year-old man got a $300 million contract from the Army Sustainment Command, through a company that had been a shell for a number of years established by this man's father. Mr. Diveroli is his name. This is a mug shot from the Miami Dade Police Department. He had allegedly assaulted a parking lot attendant and had a forged driver's license when he was arrested, which made him out to be 4 years older than he really was. He told police he had gotten the forged driver's license to buy alcohol, but now that he was over 21 he didn't need it any longer.

So this is a 22-year-old man who was the CEO of a company called AEY based in Miami Beach. And this is a picture of the building that was headquarters for his company, but there was nothing on any door in the building. Apparently, in one part of this building an office was supposed to be his office, but there was nothing that identified his office.

And here is a picture of his vice president, the vice president of this company, this company to which the U.S. Army gave a $300 million contract. The vice president is a 25-year-old masseur named David Packouz. He is the former vice president of the firm that got $300 million. So you have a 22-year-old and a 25-year-old masseur who get $300 million from the U.S. Army.

Now, what did they do with the $300 million? Well, the next photograph, again from the New York Times, shows outdated ammunition sold to Afghan forces, including 40-year-old Chinese-made cartridges. So these folks got $300 million and they were providing mid-1960s cartridges to the Afghan Army, which the Afghan Army was receiving in cardboard boxes that had not been properly taped and were falling apart. The Afghan Army described these armaments as junk. Here is an Afghan policeman surveying 42-year-old Chinese ammunition that arrived in crumbling boxes.

Again, American taxpayers, through the Army Sustainment Command, paid hundreds of millions of dollars to a company that previously had been a shell company, a shell corporation, now run by a 22-year-old who says that he is the only employee of the corporation.

Now, Mr. President, I have spent a lot of time on the floor of the Senate on these kinds of issues. It is pretty unbelievable when you think about it. I don't know Mr. Diveroli personally. Never met him. I do know that three reporters from the New York Times Ðdid some extraordinary work--C.J. Chivers, Eric Schmitt, and Nicholas Wood, to expose his activities. I don't know how long it took them to do this investigative piece, but it is two full pages inside the New York Times. They obviously traveled to Afghanistan and other countries to finish this investigative piece. We wouldn't know about this issue were it not for investigative reports by the New York Times.

In January of 2007, that is just 14 months ago, the most recent award, which I believe was $150 million, was given by the Army Sustainment Command, and the Army Sustainment Command said:


AEY's proposal represented the best value to the government.


I am telling you, this part of the U.S. Army has a lot of explaining to do to this Congress and to the American people. This is the same Army Sustainment Command and, incidentally, the same general in charge of the Army Sustainment Command who went to a hearing here in the Senate, and following my testimony before a hearing about the water problems in Iraq and about Halliburton Corporation providing water to the troops, nonpotable water that was twice as contaminated as raw water from the Euphrates River, we had the evidence, internal Halliburton

memorandums, saying it was a near miss. It could have caused mass sickness or death. This is the same general who went to that Senate committee and said: Never happened.

Well, now the inspector general has finished an investigation and said in fact it did happen. It did happen. This general has some explaining to do.

I have asked Secretary Gates, the Defense Secretary, to ask this general to explain himself, and so should this Congress.

But I don't understand, I just don't understand how even following information sent to this country, to the Army Sustainment Command by U.S. military officers in Afghanistan, saying what they are sending over here in the form of armaments under this contract is junk and it needs to stop, even following that it continued. It is an unbelievable amount of government waste .

This is but one issue. And we wouldn't know about it if it were not for the New York Times. This has been going on for years. We have been fighting in Iraq longer than we were fighting in the Second World War.

[SDuderstadt]

151. I didn't miss it, SLAD

I have a great deal of admiration for Dorgan. He's articulate. I wish I could say the same about you. Are you sure you're not related to James Joyce?

[seemslikeadream]

155. So it's ok now to disparage the Irish?

:rofl:

[SDuderstadt]

157. Show me where I disparaged the Irish, SLAD

you're getting sillier and sillier. Talk about a straw man argument.

[seemslikeadream]

158. silly is as silly sees

LET'S DO THAT POLL SD I CAN NOT WAIT

[SDuderstadt]

159. Show me where I disparaged the Irish, SLAD

Please be specific. This is why you have limited credibility with some of us.

[seemslikeadream]

160. NOW IT'S DOWN TO "SOME OF US"??

Keep going down SD you'll get to that magic number 2, well maybe 3 or 4 if they're around


SDuderstadt (1000+ posts) Sun Apr-13-08 12:26 PM
Response to Reply #121
124. Now you're flatout being less than honest, SLAD
Edited on Sun Apr-13-08 12:27 PM by SDuderstadt
Not only can you not find a single example of a strawman argument from me, you now claim I did make them but they were deleted? Get real. Find an actual example or apologize for your false accusation, SLAD. This is why a number of us tend to discount what you have to say.

[SDuderstadt]

170. Excuse me, SLAD, but...

how is "some of us" materially different than a "number of us"?

I notice you're still folding on your false accusation that I only respond with straw man arguments. Also, if you can't see the differenvce between asking a clarifying question from misconstruing what the speaker said, I can't help you.

[seemslikeadream]

176. "some of us" materially different than a "number of us"?

NOT MUCH SWEETIE WHEN IT INVOLVES ONLY 2 OR 3 PEOPLE

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[seemslikeadream]

161. Hey I can read anything I want into your posts, YOU do it to me all the time!!

[SDuderstadt]

171. Since you assert the right to "read anything (you) want into (my) posts", then

don't whine when you're called on it. In the meantime, please provide examples of my "reading" stuff into your posts. You must be incapable of recognizing a clarifying question.

[seemslikeadream]

83. Illegal arms dealers ARE merchants of death, blood suckers

I'll stand by my description

[Bolo Boffin]

173. No, I'm defending you, SLAD.

One day, you may understand this.

[seemslikeadream]

174. bolo if I want to use the words blood sucking to describe how I feel about this lowlife

it is my prerogative is it not? He was after all selling defective "playthings" of death to the Afghans. Remember the Afghans I think they're supposed to be our friends? He got 300 million dollars from us to do that, I'm kinda outraged about that.

And it does not seem to me to be defending me to imply I am an anti-Semite






merchants of death do suck the blood out of the innocent, you know, as in killing human beings for profit

[seemslikeadream]

61. It's pretty pathetic when...

a person holds himself above all and can't even do simply math

Quit criticizing me and work on your math skills

[SDuderstadt]

64. I counted them....

duh. Your silly reply (relpy) about deleted threads counting was classic SLAD.

[seemslikeadream]

65. LET'S SLOWLY COUNT THIS TOGETHER SD

AND DO THE MATH IT REALLY ISN'T THAT DIFFICULT


117-65=52

[SDuderstadt]

68. "LET'S SLOWING COUNT THIS TOGETHER SD"

Damn it....where is my seems-like-a-dream to English dictionary when I really need it.

Pay attention, SLAD...we're counting the actual posts attached to your OP, not all the ones that aren't there now.

[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SDuderstadt]

79. No, SLAD...

the question is when you'll be able to muster coherent posts.

[seemslikeadream]

81. The question is when are you going to stay with the facts of the links

I've posted?

Poor SD can't argue facts so he diverts attention with bullshit

[SDuderstadt]

88. No, SLAD...

we're pointing out your hyperbole and other tactics, such as "shotgunning"

[seemslikeadream]

92. Tell it to Greg Palast

[SDuderstadt]

97. Tell WHAT to Greg Palast?

No one knows wtf you're yammering about here, SLAD, because of your oblique reference.

[seemslikeadream]

100. 98. BTW hyperbole is "a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for effect."

[Name removed]

102. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

105. I don't give a fuck about my post count if I did I'd be posting in the lounge

and I did NOT reply to myself

[SDuderstadt]

108. You deny that you replied to your own OP??

This is getting funnier by the moment. What a hoot.

[seemslikeadream]

109. yea blood sucking is an extremely funny topic for you I'm sure

[SDuderstadt]

110. Show me where I said "blood-sucking" was funny, SLAD.

You do so poorly with strawman arguments. You might want to consider dropping them from your routine.

[seemslikeadream]

111. You should stop using DIVERSION from YOUR routine

Try something new like staying on topic

[seemslikeadream]

112. strawman arguments

I've learn from the masters here!

[SDuderstadt]

114. "I've learn from the masters here!"

Too bad you can't follow our lead on subject-verb agreement too.

Now, if you're accusing me of employing strawman arguments, please be so kind os to point one out. I'll wait.

[seemslikeadream]

117. That's all you do in my OPs SD

[SDuderstadt]

118. If that's all I do, then point to one.

It shouldn't be hard. Be specific.

[seemslikeadream]

121. MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN DELETED!!!!

as in


Deleted sub-thread Name removed Apr-03-08 12:10 PM #1
The following individuals are invited to testify: seemslikeadream Apr-03-08 12:13 PM #2
Deleted sub-thread Name removed Apr-03-08 12:27 PM #3
Deleted sub-thread



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SDuderstadt]

124. Now you're flatout being less than honest, SLAD

Not only can you not find a single example of a strawman argument from me, you now claim I did make them but they were deleted? Get real. Find an actual example or apologize for your false accusation, SLAD. This is why a number of us tend to discount what you have to say.

[seemslikeadream]

126. Why do you think they were deleted?

[SDuderstadt]

132. I see, SLAD

Now you're claiming every post that was deleted was because of strawman arguments? Are you serious? Or, are you just hiding behind an obvious ruse? Again, if all my responses to you are strawman arguments, it shouldn't be hard to point one out. Please be spscific.

[seemslikeadream]

133. Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to suggest they were all deleted because of that

there were other reasons

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SDuderstadt]

138. Then point to an example that proves your accusation

Otherwise, we'll note that you folded. This is getting silly, but is exactly what we expect from you.

[seemslikeadream]

139. You are the one that has folded

and you started this silly crap

[SDuderstadt]

142. Slad....for the record...

you claimed I only responded with straw man arguments. Do you have any proof of that at all? If not, then you're folding. (Hint: you should fold, as it's obviously a false claim)

[seemslikeadream]

145. No YOU have brought nothing to this thread but crap

Obvious to all except you and your gang of 2!

[SDuderstadt]

148. Why do you have a problem with being critiqued, SLAD?

Does it conflict with your self-image or something? Being called on your hyperbole is perfectly valid.

[seemslikeadream]

150. WHATEVER SD if that's all ya got

and that does show ya know?

[SDuderstadt]

153. No, Slad...

you just can't answer simple questions or provide proof of your false accusations.

[seemslikeadream]

163. You have been asked repeatedly to supply corrections to the FACTS of this merchant of death OP

and you can not

[SDuderstadt]

187. Nope...

I am waiting for you to retract, or apologize for, your false accusation.

[seemslikeadream]

128. YOU CAN NOT DISCOUNT THE FACTS OF THIS OP

YOU CAN NOT DISCOUNT THE FACTS OF THIS OP

That why you and your bud keep derailing this thread

[SDuderstadt]

134. No, SLAD....

the issue is your credibility. If you would just stick to posting actual facts, rather than insert your unwarranted conclusions, I wouldn't call you on your gaffes and other things that undermine your credibility. Do you have a problem with precision?

[seemslikeadream]

136. I've asked you REPEATEDLY to point to facts that are not correct

:shrug:



POINT TO THE FACTS SD

[SDuderstadt]

143. And I've asked you repeatedly to either prove your accusation

that I only respond with straw man arguments or withdraw your accusation. I'm not hoping for an apology.

[seemslikeadream]

129. A number of us?????? IS THAT 2 OR 3

I SEE TWO - CAN YA POINT ME TO ANYONE ELSE?
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SDuderstadt]

146. Do you think posting multiple rows of smilies...

somehow proves something or gives anyone a reason to take you seriously?

[seemslikeadream]

149. It shows that I do not take YOU seriously

[SDuderstadt]

152. Which is why we have trouble with taking you seriously, SLAD

When backed into a corner about things you are obviously wrong about, out come the smilies.

[seemslikeadream]

162. Let's compare journals SD

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/seemslikeadream


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/SDuderstadt

[SDuderstadt]

186. Let's not, SLAD

You keep weaselling out of retracting, or apologizing for, your false accusation.

[SDuderstadt]

154. Maybe we should do a poll, SLAD

that way we can get a fix on the exact number.

[seemslikeadream]

156. BE MY GUEST

ABOLUTELY

Make sure you do it in GD also

[seemslikeadream]

175. JUST A LITTLE PROOF

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3070446&mesg_id=3130545


PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME SD GET OVER IT

[SDuderstadt]

188. Then why did you deny it?

You're getting sillier by the minute.

[seemslikeadream]

192. I thought you were talking about one individual post

not the replies to the OP, again you didn't make yourself clear

[SDuderstadt]

195. It was right in front of your face, SLAD

Only you would think responding to your own OP would not be what I was referring to.

[seemslikeadream]

196. WHATEVER SD

[SDuderstadt]

197. So, about your false accusation that I only respond with straw man arguments???

Retraction? Apology? Fold?

[timtom]

165. It appears to my untrained eyes that SeemsLikeADream

is trying to share some provocative and informative data on an extremely curious situation (vis-a-vis 22-year-old arms dealer...)

Your comments have added nothing to this discourse. Perhaps DU Lounge is more to your liking...

[seemslikeadream]

172. Thank you for your observations nathan hale

[SDuderstadt]

189. We're talking about her false accusations

try to follow here.

[seemslikeadream]

191. No you are it's not "we" SD

Try and follow SD

[SDuderstadt]

193. If there's more than one person in the conversation...

it would be appropriate to make reference to "we"...as in me asking for proof of your false accusations of me and you trying desperately to change the subject.

[seemslikeadream]

198. SD says "We're talking about her false accusations"

I think you are the only one

[SDuderstadt]

199. Because you refuse to either retract them or apologize for them

Either way, it's pretty low-class. If you have evidence that I only post straw man arguments, please provide it. BTW, are you assuming I am defending Diveroli or whatever his name is? Because I'm not.

[seemslikeadream]

200. PRETTY LOW CLASS!!!

Now how did you know

[SDuderstadt]

201. I'll take your response to mean...

you have absolutely no proof of your silly false accusation. Thanks.

[seemslikeadream]

62. Pentagon Gives 22 y/o $300 Million Arms Contract

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV0xTuebILA
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Audio_reveals_US_defense_contractor_proposing_0327.html

A lengthy investigation published Thursday reveals that the Pentagon gave an inexperienced 22-year-old a $300 million contract to provide ammunition to Afghanistan. The shady deal resulted in decades old, substandard munitions being delivered to US and Afghan troops fighting on the front lines of the war on terror.

Following publication of a lengthy New York Times article, the House Oversight Committee announced it would investigate AEY Inc., a fledgling company that thrived after 2003 as the US government began handing out billions of dollars to private defense contractors. Chairman Henry Waxman invited company officials as well as representatives of the State and Defense departments to testify at a hearing next month, according to a news release.

The results of that investigation, which sent seven reporters across three continents, were published Thursday. But to arm the Afghan forces that it hopes will lead this fight, the American military has relied since early last year on a fledgling company led by a 22-year-old man whose vice president was a licensed masseur. With the award last January of a federal contract worth as much as nearly $300 million, the company, AEY Inc., which operates out of an unmarked office in Miami Beach, became the main supplier of munitions to Afghanistan's army and police forces. Since then, the company has provided ammunition that is more than 40 years old and in decomposing packaging, according to an examination of the munitions by The New York Times and interviews with American and Afghan officials. Much of the ammunition comes from the aging stockpiles of the old Communist bloc, including stockpiles that the State Department and NATO have determined to be unreliable and obsolete, and have spent millions of dollars to have destroyed. In purchasing munitions, the contractor has also worked with middlemen and a shell company on a federal list of entities suspected of illegal arms trafficking.

The company's president was 22-year-old Efraim E. Diveroli, who ran the company with a 25-year-old from Miami Beach, Florida. Waxman has requested that Diveroli testify, along with company vice president David M. Packouz and Levi Meyer its general manager.

[Elspeth]

167. The natural answer is that the kid is connected to someone.

If he were just Joe Schmo, he'd be working at Wal Mart, like everyone else.

[seemslikeadream]

169. His company got disadvantaged consideration from the DOD

which he should not have gotten, that's one of the main problems with this case. They are having hearings on this I believe April 14.

[Elspeth]

177. So, who does he know? Like Bill Gates having a mommy on the board of IBM

and getting that awful DOS that Xerox at Palo Alto shelved (after creating it with taxpayer dollars) and getting IBM to perpetrate DOS on the rest of us, often with incomplete documentation.

[seemslikeadream]

180. That's exactly the point isn't it?

Who does a 22 yr old have to know to get a sweet deal like that from the DOD but then again it will probably just be swiped away as a oversight, mistake just like the nuclear triggers going to Taiwan and wayward nuclear bombs.

[victordrazen]

164. Why would anyone attack this OP?

It looks pretty well documented to me. Makes me wonder who is being defended :scared:

[greyl]

203. The presentation is lousy.

It isn't clear what words are SLAD's and what words came from the links, and it isn't clear which links belong to which words.
It's discourteous, lazy looking, D- level web journalism, unnecessarily difficult to comprehend.

[seemslikeadream]

204. difficult to comprehend

for you I don't doubt that in the least, and there you go with that journalism thing AGAIN. REMEMBER THAT JOURNALISM THING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE AND YOU DENIED IT?

[seemslikeadream]

210. And have a wonderful day greyl I know I will

You mad me leave the house for work laughing my ass of at you

presentation is lousy.
Posted by greyl
It isn't clear what words are SLAD's and what words came from the links, and it isn't clear which links belong to which words.
It's discourteous, lazy looking, D- level web journalism, unnecessarily difficult to comprehend.




:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Elspeth]

166. SDuderstadt, if you think SLAD is posting crap, why do you keep kicking up the post?

"Ignore" is your friend.

I don't get what she's saying either. I need a frigging roadmap to keep track of it all. But I don't usually bump the thread. Your call, of course, but it seems rather counterproductive.

[seemslikeadream]

168. Sometimes Elspeth I use my posting privilages at DU as a public notebook

I have for over 6 years now. I've never seen any rule about replying to my own OP so I do so just to keep track of the information I am gathering. It's done quite a bit in GD. If it is of some use or interest to someone else that's great with me. SD has not once in this thread refuted any of the facts concerning this topic. He only posts to distract. And he has done so since two minuts after posting this OP. He is more concerned about my spelling than talking about a merchant of death gun running lowlife. That's the facts as demonstrated by his posts, That's why there are so many deletes, not all are his of course there is one other person involved. I appreciate a bit of sanity from viewers of this thread. Even if they do not agree with me and what I bring to the table, polite comments are indeed welcomed.

[Elspeth]

178. But why is he wasting his time? What's in it for him?

He could just go to GD-P if he wants to kvetch.

[seemslikeadream]

179. Well I do have my suspicions and I imagine if one spends a lot of time here

in the dungeon it would become clear. There is a clue left in this thread but that is all I can say about it. As to wasting his time, I don't think he would agree with that.

[AZCat]

182. Back when the Demopedia (or whatever it was called) got started...

I hoped it would provide a better way of organizing information than thread collecting, but it never really caught on. I don't know how else you could "stash" information unless you kept it on your own computer or had your own site.

[seemslikeadream]

183. I keep it all on my computer also but I find it easy and quick to have it here

in my journal and bookmarks, God I have bookmarks from 2002 including The Meeting Room which no longer exists but they still show up in my "storeroom" :rofl: I still have my first pm that someone sent to me!

I love thread collecting

Senate panel probes claims pair bilked tribes of millions - ethnic slurs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=875095

Casino Lobbyist Won't Answer Questions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=873883

Choctaws mum on lobbyist ties
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=882412

Tribe says it will sue lobbyists over huge fees
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=882522

Scanlon ‘is hiding out’Federal marshals cannot find former aide to DeLay
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=875208

Pair Under Inquiry May Face Tribal Action
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=889455

Policy Analyst Is Said to Have Rejected Plea Deal - Larry Franklin
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=887170

DeLay says he won't step down
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=891237

Ethics Rebuke to DeLay Prompts Democratic Calls for Ouster
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=889937

Abramoff Allies Keeping Distance Scrutiny for Dealings With Indian Tribes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=969291

Actions by Delay Cited in Lawsuit -NYT
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1295700

Probe of lobbyist expands to charity Abramoff
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1322522

Tom DeLay's Problems Prompt Expanded Coverage by USPoliticstoday.com
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1321753

Inquiries of Top Lobbyist Shine Unwelcome Light in Congress -NYT
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1385059&mesg_id=1385059

Inquiries of Top Lobbyist Shine Unwelcome Light in Congress -NYT
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1385059

'Delay Knew Everything. He Knew All the Details.'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1383901

Lobbyist is target of calls for inquiry into millions in fees - Abramoff
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1396990

Look Who's Talking - Jack Abramoff
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1434519


Boulis Investigation Dredges Up Big Names - Abramoff
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1839596

House ethics panel silent on scandals
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1967623






Analyst Charged With Passing Iran Info: Franklin Turned Self InTo FBI
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1444053
Fieth resigns from Pentagon today
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1186412
Former CIA official looks to leak the truth
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=886884
New Israeli spy probe has a 30-year history, insiders say
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=852863
Israel's Mole Inside the Pentagon
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=783161
FBI probes Jewish sway on Bush government
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=802725
Money from Iran Fuels Iraq Insurgency -Rumsfeld
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=810129
Israeli spy nest in the U.S. - Ashcroft says: ’Don’t arrest them!’
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=802249
FBI probes DOD office (spy probe widens)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=784155
F.B.I said to reach official suspected of passing secrets ....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=786361
Analyst Who Is Target of Probe Went to Israel
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=784792
Knight Ridder:FBI espionage probe goes beyond Israeli allegations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=784274
Pentagon Analyst Was Cooperating When Israel Spy Case Became Public
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=786505
Iran-Contra II? Fresh scrutiny on rogue Pentagon operation -Josh Marshall
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=784906
AIPAC's Overt and Covert Ops
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=788267
UK Express: (Perle) Faces (FBI) Quiz Over Links to Israeli Spy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=785131
Israel Says It Has No Need to Spy on U.S.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=787437
F.B.I. Is Said to Brief Pentagon Bosses on Spy Case; Charges Are Possible
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=788936
LAT: FBI Questions Israeli Lobbyists (AIPAC) in Spying Probe ((Gilon mentioned)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=789576
FBI briefs Wolfowitz on Israeli spy claim
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=790076
F.B.I. Interviews 2 Suspected of Passing Secrets to Israel
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=792950
FBI seizes computer from AIPAC offices
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=791564
Pentagon Office in Spying Case Was Focus of Iran Debate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=795432
Leak Probe More Than 2 Years Old (AIPAC)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=795905
AIPAC hires lawyers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=794332
Spy probe scans neo-cons' Israel ties (long article from Asia Times)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=794029
FBI Informed White House of AIPAC Probe Two Years Ago
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=797181
Alleged Pentagon Leak to Iraqi Is Under Investigation
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=798060
Serving Two Flags The Bush Neo-Cons and Israel
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=799167
Israeli political advisor may have received U.S. secrets
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=795817
Wider FBI Probe Of Pentagon Leaks Includes Chalabi - WaPo
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=798333
LAT: Israel Has Long Spied on US,Say Officials(but CIA, Mossad "intimate")
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=798631
Defense, Cheney Iran Specialists Questioned in (Israeli Spy) Probe
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=801031
Leak Inquiry Includes Iran Experts in Administration (WaPo)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=801678
A Web Of Intrigue Inside the Israel espionage investigation
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=803022
Pro-Israel Lobby Has Strong VoiceAIPAC Is Embroiled in Investigation of Pe
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=803035
Israel's Mole Inside the Pentagon
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=783161
FBI probes possible Pentagon leak to Iraqi exiles
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=805885
Reporters' Files Subpoenaed
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=815381
Secrets: Classified Info: Springing a Leak
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x803017








James R Bath connects Bush, bin Laden, Petrodollars, BCCI & BFEE.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1928339
James (Jim) R. Bath's campaign donations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1930028
The FBI investigated James Bath & Bush!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1905988
James R Bath, SuperTurd of the BFEE
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2053861
Call to Octafish: We need massive linkage on BCCI and IranContra.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2118878
Michael Moore: Re: James Bath....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2344047
How many here know who Adnan Khashoggi is?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2316608.
Know your BFEE: James R Bath - Bush - bin Laden Link
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3571293
James R Bath Links Bush and BFEE to House of Bin Laden (PROOF)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3234845

Know your BFEE: Killer Businessmen who Put Power & Profit Before Country.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4401300


Family of Beheaded U.S. Man Releases Statement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=547956

Body found on Baghdad overpass identified as that of
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=547236

CNN Transcript On Nick Berg Murder
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=550541

FBI Saw Berg During Iraq Police Detention
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=550119

Pa. family angry with American government over son's brutal death
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=547830

Parents blame Bush for son's execution
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=549188

Body found on Baghdad overpass identified as that of American
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=547236

Arab media disagree on story of beheading
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=551805

Reporter says Berg held in custody entire time by US authorities
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=551660

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=551186

Bush Condemns Execution of Berg in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=550095

Beheaded hostage 'had been warned to leave Iraq'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=549507

FBI Saw Berg Before Beheading
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=550573

Berg worked at night on a Abu Ghraib tower
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=550780

CBS: Bizarre New Link in Berg Murder (Berg and Moussaoui)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=553244

CNN: Was Berg in U.S. custody? Answers conflict
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=554749

Diplomat's E-Mails Show Berg in Custody
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=552638

E-mails from U.S. consulate to Bergs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=553391

Spokesman Says Berg Never Held by Forces
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=549641

The victim: More than work drew him to Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=551848

Diplomat's e-mails show Berg in custody
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=552645

Berg died for Bush, Rumsfeld 'sins' - father
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=552677

U.S.Iraq Consular Officer Payne)Diplomat's E-Mails Show Berg in US custody
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=552989

Al-Zarqawi Murdered Berg, CIA Concludes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=553143

FBI told police to hold Berg
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=553087

Beheading not linked to Iraq prison scandal: White House
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=549888

Berg beheading: No way, say more medical experts
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=571473

CNN Breaking: 4 arrested in the Berg Murder (2 released)...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=571514

Beheaded man named on Free Republic's "Enemies List"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=551264

Bush: Berg's killers must be found
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=557156

Last days of Nick Berg a mystery
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=559749

US Gov't Disavows E-Mails About Berg's Detention
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=559647

EXECUTION: FOUR ARRESTED
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=563009

BERG MET WITH SHADY IRAQI (Berg's business partner was a Chalabi wannabe)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=560487



Bass, Rainwater, GTech Lottery & Miers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4965934

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4965934#4968721


"One may also fairly conclude that the Bushes are blessed and protected beyond reason by those portions of the public’s brain that have turned to mush. What other explanation but public stupidity explains the denouement of the Texas Rangers deal? As everyone knows, George W. used $600,000 from the Harken stock sale to buy a tiny slice of the Texas Rangers; and when the Rangers were sold last year for $250 million, the second-largest amount ever paid for a baseball team, George W. emerged with more than $14.9 million. What had made the ball club so valuable was a gift from the public — a $200 million stadium mostly paid for by a sales tax that the citizens of Arlington, Texas, had overwhelmingly voted to assume.

"Incredible. Ordinary folks — most of whom probably have a hard time meeting their mortgage payments — dug into their pockets to make George W. a rich man. But wait. It’s worse than that. Forget George W. for a moment. His reward was penny-ante compared to what some of his fellow owners got — men like Richard E. Rainwater, the mastermind of it all, the guy who allowed George W. to buy into the Rangers in the first place. Rainwater, rated by Fortune magazine as one of the 400 richest men in America, is the sorcerer who devised the investment strategy that elevated the Bass family from millionaires in the 1970s to billionaires in the 1990s. He probably owns the U.S. Treasury. And yet Texans are paying a sales tax to make him richer? Unbelievable."

http://www.bushfiles.com/bushfiles/fertilize_bushes.html

Columbia/HCA is a partnership of financier Richard Rainwater of Ft.Worth and lawyer Richard Scott. Scott was recently terminated by Darla Moore, the wife of Richard Rainwater, according to Fortune Magazine.

The new CEO in place of Richard Scott is Thomas Frist, the former head of Hospital Corporation of America.

Rainwater also owns a large stake in Magellan Health Care which controls Charter Medical. Magellan, run by Darla Moore, is the largest network of psychiatric hospitals in the country. They are becoming more and more involved in obtaining government money for services formerly not covered as health care.

http://www.angelfire.com/de/jehudi/hospital.html



Bank with close ties to Bush administration engulfed in scandal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775366

NEW details of Thatcher coup plot: London Evening Standard
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=777970

SEC probes Marathon Oil payments in Equitorial Guinea (and HQ burns down)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=728495

Du Toit admits meeting Thatcher
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775274

Terrorist Stocks?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775943

'Petroleum lures dogs of war to Africa'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775315

BBC News: Thatcher charged
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775499

Margaret Thatcher's Son Released on Coup Plot Charges (Update2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=775803

Exiled leader in Spain denies any link to coup attempt
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=780228

Scorpions say have more info on Equatorial Guinea coup
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=781763

Financiers conspired to overthrow oil-flush African government
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=771532

Mark Thatcher: The money trail
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=780222

Thatcher case twist as list of alleged coup backers vanishes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=779708

Thatcher: Spain 'secretly backed coup by sending warships'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=780346

WaPo: Allbritton Loses Riggs Bank (front page, day 3)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=691609

E Guinea 'coup plot' verdict due + update/result
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1023049

I feel like a corpse in a river, says Mark Thatcher as he faces court...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1020857

Thatcher to face coup questions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1018687

Phone links Thatcher to alleged plot

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1008002
There was no coup plot, says Du Toit
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=997545

Thatcher to ask Britain to help halt extradition
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1005084

Thatcher charged over coup plot
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1001670

Thatcher to be tried in absentia
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=994305

Britain knew in advance of Equatorial Guinea coup plot: report
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=987556

Tories Demand Answers on 'Coup Plot'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=991361

Mandelson faces questioning over 'link' to coup plot
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=975777

Legal Woes Cut Into Bottom Line at Riggs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=974861

Mugabe flies to Equatorial Guinea (coup plot latest)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=964525

Despots, Deposits & Directors - Riggs Bank
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=924033

SABC asks to broadcast Thatcher court case
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=926588

Spain calls on EU to warn Equatorial Guinea - Riggs Bank
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=916444

Raids 'break up' £20m theft gang
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=906579

Thatcher coup plot: Mandelson, CIA & State Department named
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=900168

Archer 'link to coup plot'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=899574

Britain accused of failing to investigate Africa coup
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=901850

Pentagon link to Guinea coup plot
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=867591

[AZCat]

185. That's one of the problems...

with using the internet as a resource. Links (like to The Meeting Room) sometimes expire and the information - or the pathway to it - gets lost. It's good you're also archiving on your computer. I mean, where would you be if suddenly DU closed their doors? I'm guessing you would still want to be able to access the information you've collected.

[seemslikeadream]

190. oh yes

but for my discussions here at DU, mostly in GD I find it very very fast to have it all right here. In the 9/11 forum I just really want open, polite and free discussion so I can read everything everyone has to say about 9/11 then I can make up my own mind. (I am certainly no expert on 9/11 though I do recognize people that are) You see sometimes some folks may get the wrong impression of me since there are a couple of folks here in the dungeon that like to pin opinions on me that have no base in fact. Most of the time I don't call them on it because I really don't care what a few people think, I'm here to read everything. I really don't take it personally what they say but I will not let the snarkiness go unanswered. I know there are quite a few people in GD that respect me and I love them dearly. They are true friends and they mean a great deal to me. I do post quite a bit in GD but you may not know that from the way I am pigeoned holed here. I have many interests outside of the basement. And I don't posts muliples to get my post count up as SD has accused me of over and over. I never even consider that. For almost 3 years I never even knew what my post count was! What's the deal with post count anyway? It is of no use to me. And btw all, most of my post are GD and on topic! :rofl:

[AZCat]

194. I did know that you post a lot in GD.

I read GD frequently, I just don't post there that much.

I think you're probably expecting too much if you're expecting open, polite and free discussion. It's a wonderful goal, but human nature being what it is I think it's probably out of reach. The more something means to the people involved in a discussion, the less they seem to respect those whose perspective differs from their own.

[greyl]

202. Ah, that might explain why your presentation of information sucks.

You aren't even trying to present information so it's easily understood, you're just using a public discussion board as your personal storage space.

When I said "If truth is a needle, your posts are hay", I meant the presentation could stand improvement.

Your post also explains why you haven't answered "yes" to my question "do you care to learn how to be a better journalist?".

[seemslikeadream]

205. better journalist?".

YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY DENIED THAT JOURNALISM THING AGAIN NOW CAN YOU GREYL?

[seemslikeadream]

206. YOUR POSTS SUCK TOO GREYL

YOU GOT NOTHING NOTHING TO ADD SO YOU RESORT ONCE AGAIN TO THE CRAP POST

[seemslikeadream]

207. WHAT SO WRONG WITH THE FACTS OF THIS STORY THAT

YOU AND YOUR GANG OF 2 HAVE TO CONTINUE YOUR CRAP HERE? BUT BE MY GUEST YOU'RE REALLY SHOWING OFF WHO YOU REALY ARE

[seemslikeadream]

209. your presentation of information sucks.

MINE HAS LINKS TO EVERY STATEMENT MADE AND IN THE CORRECT PLACE AND NO MATTER HOW YOU TWIST IT YOU CAN NOT CHANGE THE FACTS OR DEAL WITH THE FACTS OF THIS THREAD SO YOU STOOP TO CRAP

[Joanne98]

181. seemslikeadream ROCKS!

[Grateful for Hope]

184. Yes she does, Joanne98. n/t

[seemslikeadream]

208. Beach Arms Dealer Expected In Court On DUI Charge

http://cbs4.com/local/Efraim.Diveroli.Army.2.697481.html

Beach Arms Dealer Expected In Court On DUI Charge
MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) ― A 22-year-old Miami Beach military contractor accused of illegally providing Chinese-made ammunition to the Afghanistan army has a court hearing scheduled Friday in a drunken driving case.

The U.S. Army has suspended Efraim Diveroli's company, AEY Inc., from doing any government contract work for reportedly providing the ammunition to the Afghanistan army, in violation of its contract and U.S. law.

Documents say Diveroli's company is under criminal investigation for reportedly claiming that the munitions were made in Hungary.

The Army has told Diveroli that there are complaints that the ammunition arrived in Afghanistan poorly packaged, including loose cartridges in brown paper bags.

There have been no reports that the ammunition was unsafe or failed to work properly.

A U.S. Senate committee has called a hearing to investigate Diveroli's company and the allegations.

Michael Diveroli told CBS4'S Natalia Zea in late March that he's not sure his son made the right career choice. "I would prefer he became a nice Jewish doctor or lawyer rather than an arms dealer. He's never asked for my approval on the company. He doesn't always take my advice, I don't influence him. As a father of a boy genius he's hard to control."

[seemslikeadream]

211. he suspected that money was being diverted to Albanian officials

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20080419/ZNYT03/804190333/1170/BUSINESS/ZNYT03/After_Munitions_Explosion_Albanians_Ask_Why_Danger_Was_Placed_So_Near

Albania’s prosecutor general, Ina Rama, said through a translator in an interview that the group of investigators looking into the explosion at Gerdec was also examining accusations of potentially illegal munitions trading.

The New York Times reported last month that decades-old Albanian cartridges of the same types as those slated for destruction at Gerdec had been sold to the Afghan Army and police forces instead, after repackaging hid the cartridges’ origins.

A subcontractor involved in preparing the munitions for Afghanistan said he suspected that money was being diverted to Albanian officials. The president of the company that bought the ammunition, Efraim E. Diveroli of AEY Inc., mentioned Prime Minister Berisha and his son in a recorded conversation. There has been no public evidence that AEY’s activities were related to the explosion.

The opposition Socialist Party continues to call for Mr. Berisha to step down.

“This is necessary in order to open the way for the attorney’s office to investigate,” said Valentina Leskaj, chairwoman of the party’s parliamentary group.

Mr. Berisha has denied any involvement in the ammunition deals or the Gerdec factory. Through a spokeswoman, the prime minister said last week that he was ready to face a vote of confidence on the floor of Parliament, which even opposition politicians say he would win.

[mhatrw]

212. How in the hell can anyone defend anything that has anything to do with this?

That is completely beyond me.

[Bolo Boffin]

213. Is anyone defending anyone or anything that has anything to do with this?

It's beyond me why you think that's happening here.

[seemslikeadream]

214. Mr. Jones, pray tell just what is happening here, please enlighten us all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYlhw3g4P8

You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God
Am I here all alone?"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To just give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations

You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

[Bolo Boffin]

216. The sad thing is

you genuinely think that's a response to what I said.

[mhatrw]

217. What are you doing on this thread, then? n/t

[Bolo Boffin]

218. Point out a single post of mine that defends anything Efraim has done.

Go on, do it. Don't hold back. Don't be shy. Don't blather around, bullshitting away.

Point out, right now, a single post of mine that defends anything Efraim had done. DO IT.

Or back the fuck away from me.

[mhatrw]

219. I notice that you didn't answer the question.

SLAD made a great post collecting a ton on information on war profiteer of the worst order. So why would anyone want to post anything on this thread other than more of the same and/or kudos?

[Bolo Boffin]

220. Who the fuck are you to interrogate me about why I post in a public message board?

Now go fuck off.

[mhatrw]

221. I'm just a curious observer who seems to have hit a nerve. n/t

[Bolo Boffin]

222. Bullshit. You know exactly what you're doing.

Produce a single post of mine defending anything the idiot in the OP did or shut the fuck up with your "curious observations."

[mhatrw]

223. I'm not telling you how or what to post, boloboffin. I'm just curious about what

motivated OCTers to post over 100 replies on this thread that were neither kudos to SLAD for a great OP nor further evidence or discussion of heinous war profiteers.

Do you have a theory? Was it simply a clash of personalities? Long-standing grudges working their way out in a perhaps inappropriate venue? Just a coincidence?

[Bolo Boffin]

224. How about your explanation for accusing another poster here of enjoying the sounds of 9/11 deaths?

You really just need to back away from this, mhatrw.

[AZCat]

229. Math - that's my motivation.

See post #22.

[seemslikeadream]

230. and it's changing AGAIN

[AZCat]

231. What?! Again?

This thread must have the highest deleted-to-total posts ratio ever! Mods, a little help - have we broken the record?

[seemslikeadream]

232. Now WHY would that be?

This is about a 22 yr old merchant of death who got a 300 MILLION deal. WHY all the diversion? :shrug:

[AZCat]

233. I don't know.

Those sub-threads are gone, so I can't read them to find out what their purpose was.

[seemslikeadream]

234. Would not an educated guess be that

because they were deleted it's probable that they were purposely disruptive, considering the totality of them?

[AZCat]

235. That might be an educated guess...

if you were more aware than I am about the usual reasons for deleting sub-threads. I don't participate in many sub-threads that are deleted (I think there was one a couple of years ago) so I'm not very familiar with the content - mostly I see them post-deletion and wonder what they were discussing and why they were deleted.

Are disruptive behavior or non-OP topic discussion typical reasons for the mods to delete sub-threads? If so, then I'd agree it would be an educated guess that the reason is one of those two.

[seemslikeadream]

236. I would re-post them for you so you could see but then I would be breaking DU rules

;)

Are disruptive behavior or non-OP topic discussion typical reasons for the mods to delete sub-threads?

YES, repeated and purposeful, take note of post 8


I do save everything, I like to be able to go back once in awhile and check who's been naughty and who's been nice

[AZCat]

237. How the heck do you manage to save them?

I show up and they're already all deleted.


Post #8 has a list of transgressions of which you seem to have been accused. I assume they were the basis for the sub-threads that subsequently were deleted, although I am skeptical that poor spelling or capitalization are issues that someone would get that worked up over. After all, this is the internet, where spelling seems to have been relegated to the back burner.

[seemslikeadream]

238. poor spelling or capitalization

Two of the biggest issues to some folks

[AZCat]

240. I'll admit that poor spelling and grammar drive me insane...

but I've learned to put it into perspective. Nobody is going to change their language patterns because some pedant lectured them on an internet forum.

Strange semi-related anecdote: I recently found an old high school mate of mine started a blog (info courtesy of my sister - the Google ranger) about my hometown. Curious, I went to check it out. I was alarmed at how bad the grammar and spelling were. This was someone who a decade and a half ago seemed reasonably intelligent, yet he was committing the same errors as many other denizens of the internet. The experience made me rethink how I perceive those who are not so hot at spelling and grammar - is it necessarily linked to intelligence, or do some people just not care as much as I do about language? Could I have been incorrectly condemning posters for years to the "stupid" bin? Anyway, it made me think about the whole spelling thing. If I can live with it, I guess it's not so bad - as long as the rest of you are equally understanding when occasionally I blow my top over some seemingly minor issue (e.g. their/they're/there).

[Grateful for Hope]

241. I think you might be missing the point

Why was it suddenly so important to attack SLaD for spelling, punctuation, etc. in this particular thread?

What is it about THIS thread?

[AZCat]

242. I guess I did.

I didn't realize that it was being alleged that this particular thread of slad's was the focus of attention, rather than slad herself.

I don't know why this thread would be special. Am I missing something?

[Grateful for Hope]

243. I don't know, AZ.

I really don't know.

[Grateful for Hope]

239. On the surface

there was a whole lot of "attacking the messenger" because nothing could be said to deny or dispute your postings in this thread. But, I am perplexed as to why it was so important to do it to the extent that it was done in this thread.

Just so you know, SLaD, I personally don't give two hoots about spelling, punctuation, or whatever else you were attacked for. The information you pass on is very typically informative, and valuable.

BTW, check you PM's.

[seemslikeadream]

228. and you know exactly what you are doing

[seemslikeadream]

225. Again, tell us please what IS happening here bolo?

[Bolo Boffin]

226. Ask your buddy. Mhatrw started this subthread with bullshit accusations. n/t

What do you care? Your "blood-drinker" accusation of some idiot Jewish kid is getting bumped, isn't it?

[seemslikeadream]

227. How does some idiot 22 yr old kid get a 300 million deal bolo?

That's the question, and I can not do anything about what nationality he is.

[Name removed]

215. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

244. He went booth to booth, seeking suppliers to fill the Army’s orders

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/world/27ammo.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=asia

By early this year, Mr. Diveroli seemed to be desperately searching for munitions, three dealers said. He turned up in Las Vegas in February at the SHOT show, which calls itself the world’s largest firearms exhibition.

He went booth to booth, seeking suppliers to fill the Army’s orders, including those for shoulder-fired rockets, they said. “He was looking to buy RPG-7 rounds, and let me tell you, he wanted to pay $30 for these things,” one dealer said. “You can’t get that item for that price, not if you’re buying quality.”

A round for an RPG-7, the dealer said, typically costs $60 to $85.

He added, “He would just come in and give us a list of stuff that he was trying to shop, and at prices no one would touch.”

The Army set no date for finishing its review or recommending changes. The work proceeds under pressure from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee is examining whether Mr. Diveroli wrongly declared AEY to be a disadvantaged, minority-owned small business to get preferential treatment in the bid-selection process.

Mr. Diveroli did identify AEY as a disadvantaged small business in an online form submitted to the Army for other contracts, General Mortensen and Mr. Parsons said. But they added that he also wrote that his company had not been certified as such by the federal Small Business Administration, and that AEY had received no preferential treatment.



http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1384

In my opinion, among the issues that should be investigated in conjunction with this matter:

1. Is the U.S. Government being overcharged for the ammunition purchased in Albania? Given the financial support the U.S. government has given to Albania, the Albanian government has an obligation to make sure that it does not take advantage of U.S. taxpayers by overcharging for the ammunition purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense. According to one source, the going rate in Eastern Europe and Russia for surplus ammunition for AK-47s is less than $22 per thousand rounds. If your office confirms wrongdoing, such findings should immediately be turned over to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Chairman of the Congressional Oversight Committee.

2. Has Meico appointed Evdin or any other company as an intermediary in this transaction? If so, why? Has the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and/or members of Parliament been made aware of or have they approved this relationship? Does Evdin have any relationship with Fatmir Mediu, Ylli Pinari, Mihal Delijorgji, Sali Berisha or Shkelzen Berisha? In order to confirm if any relationships exist, your office should review wire transfers or other money transfers that may have taken place among MOD, Meico, Evdin, AEY, and possibly some of the individuals who are alleged to be implicated in this affair.

3. Is it Efraim Diveroli's voice on the recording made by Kosta Trebicka? If so, the allegations contained in the recording must be fully investigated and Diveroli should be called for questioning.

4. Your office should meet with Kosta Trebicka to discuss the basis for his allegations.

You should be aware that this information has also been submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense and several members of Congress. You should also be aware that XXXXXX (and possibly another major media organization) is investigating arms sales from Eastern European countries (including Albania) to the Middle East, and the first story related to these investigations appeared in XXXXXXXX. You should also be aware that regardless of the objectives of the Department of State, if the allegations contained herein have any basis in fact, there can be no doubt the American and Albanian public would demand full disclosure, and any U.S. or Albanian government officials that may ultimately review this matter should take this into consideration.

Please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions or if I can be of assistance.

Thank you.

Respectfully,
Gary Q. Kokalari

[Malikshah]

245. Efraim was arrested today.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/577409.html

A 22-year-old munitions dealer and others in his Miami Beach company were arrested on charges of selling prohibited Chinese weaponry to the U.S. government to supply allied forces in Afghanistan, according to law enforcement officials.

Efraim Diveroli, president of AEY Inc., and three other employees were arrested Thursday night and Friday morning -- accused of conspiring to misrepresent the types of munitions they sold to the U.S. Department of Defense as part of a $300 million Army weapons contract, officials said.

[seemslikeadream]

246. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH Malikshah

YOU MUST REALIZE I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS STORY

[seemslikeadream]

247. sorry posted in wrong place I meant to post in GD

[SDuderstadt]

248. Jesus, SLAD...

What is the point, pray tell, of reposting your ponderously long OP?

[seemslikeadream]

249. It was a mistake as you can see I meant to post that in GD

Leave it to you to be right on top of things, your efforts will not go unnoticed, for sure

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3490523&mesg_id=3490570



12:35


12:37


as you see I caught my mistake very quickly sorry to have put you through sooooooo much trouble

[SDuderstadt]

251. Yeah, why not subject those in GD to one of your...

ponderously long posts? And, what difference does it make when I noticed it? Do you think only one member is allowed on DU at a time? Do you find it suspicious somehow that two of us might be on here at the same time?

[seemslikeadream]

252. I FIND IT SUSPICIOUS THAT YOU HAVE AN ADVERSE REACTION TO THIS STORY

WHY IS THAT?

[SDuderstadt]

256. I have an adverse reaction to your....

ponderously long posts. It doesn't make a bit of difference what it's about. Unless you're a mindreader, you should avoid jumping to embarrassing conclusions. If you'll notice in another thread, I said I am glad he was arrested. You seem to confuse someone taking issue with your ponderously long posts and frequent reasoning, as well as factual, errors with somehow defending someone. As I've said before, critical thinking is not your strong suit.

[seemslikeadream]

258. DON'T FUCKING READ THEM

MANY MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO LIKE WHAT I POST

[SDuderstadt]

261. Well, maybe they like ponderously long...

often incoherent posts. There's no accounting for taste.

[seemslikeadream]

262. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTING FOR WHY YOU HAVE TO HARASS ME ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

[SDuderstadt]

265. I'm going to quit responding to you and see....

how long you keep firing back.

[seemslikeadream]

266. Thank God, is that a promise?

[seemslikeadream]

254. Yeah, why not subject those in GD to one of your...

I DID!!

CHECK OUT THE LINK I PROVIDED

[seemslikeadream]

250. Did you notice he was ARRESTED TODAY!!

[SDuderstadt]

253. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Which has NOTHING to do with you subjecting us to ponderously long posts. I'm glad he was arrested, however, it doesn't take ponderously long posts for that to happen or for anyone to notice it.

[seemslikeadream]

255. FUCK

I'LL POST WHAT I WANT

[SDuderstadt]

259. And we may comment on it if we'd like...

that works both ways and no one is trying to censor your posts. You can post as much nonsense as you want. I still suggest anger management classes, though.

[seemslikeadream]

260. SHOW ME ANYTHING IN THIS THREAD THAT IS NOT LINKED

OR IS UNTRUE

[seemslikeadream]

263. I SUGGEST YOU TAKE SOME CLASSES YOURSELF

AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT KIND OF CLASSES THEY WOULD BE

[Name removed]

264. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[seemslikeadream]

267. I find it much less offensive than using the Lord's name in vain, as you do

I'm sure that it is very offensive to people that believe in Jesus Christ

[seemslikeadream]

257. 2. WOW, thanks for that.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3490523#3490675

Poll_Blind (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-20-08 12:48 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. WOW, thanks for that.
I'm going to have to bookmark that and come back to it later. Just so much- and some of the analysis seems really in-depth. This is a curious case and I hope I have time to come back to it and learn a little more.

A year or two ago, on a whim, I picked a random Iraq rebuilding story that I saw on MSNBC and just researched the company, what they did, how much they charged, etc. And without much digging, you could see that the government was being grossly overcharged. It's amazing to me how much of this goes on- from watching The Young Turks, I believe this guy was basically selling ancient ammunition (among other dubious things) for use by our armed forces.

It amazes me how sluggish the immune system of this government is when it comes to misappropriation of funds or outright theft. I would never defraud the government but it astounds me how many don't have a problem with that- and how many get away with it.

Anyway, thank you again.

PB
"It's a place for talkin' and fightin' not doin'......but, talkin' and fightin's fun." - Redneck Socialist
Jimmy Carter, the Anti-Defamation League, The New Anti-Semitism and YOU.

[Grateful for Hope]

268. I definitely enjoy your posts, SLaD

It may take me some time to read them as I am very short on time these days, but, they are normally well worth the effort.

[seemslikeadream]

269. Rep. Lynch questions DOD and State officials on 22-year-old arms contractor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAJ9gNJ0wtk




ANYBODY BEEN FIRED OVER THIS?

[seemslikeadream]

270. Feds charge 22-year-old defense contractor with 'wide-ranging fraud'

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/06/update-feds-cha.html?csp=34

The Justice Department announced late Friday afternoon that Efraim Diveroli of AEY Inc. has been indicted on "wide-ranging fraud charges" associated with his company's contract to supply non-standard munitions to the Afghan government.

We told you about Diveroli, an inexperienced 22-year-old, after The New York Times reported in March that he and his company were using a contract with the Pentagon to sell defective bullets and other munitions to security forces in Afghanistan.

The indictment alleges that AEY received $10.3 million for ammunition that it obtained from China, even though Diveroli signed multiple "certificates of conformance" that stated otherwise.

"It was the purpose of the conspiracy for the defendants AEY, Inc., Efraim Diveroli, David Packouz, Alexander Podrizki, and Ralph Merrill, to unjustly enrich themselves and derive a benefit by concealing and misrepresenting the fact that the ammunition being provided pursuant to the contract was manufactured and originated in China," the indictment says.

Diveroli's attorney tells The Miami Herald that his client didn't do anything wrong. "Mr. Diveroli did not acquire the Chinese-made ammo, 'directly or indirectly,' from any Communist Chinese military company,'' Howard Srebnick tells the paper. "The government knows Mr. Diveroli purchased the Chinese-made ammo from the Albanian government, which had acquired the ammo back in the <1960's> and 70's, before the Chinese embargo and before Mr. Diveroli was even born."

[seemslikeadream]

271. Coincidence?

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tom_Ridge
In June 2008, Ridge filed a lobbying disclosure form on his work for the government of Albania -- nearly two years late. Ridge signed a $480,000, one-year contract with Albania in September 2006, to help the country "develop an overall homeland defense strategy based on land, air and sea security." The contract identified Ridge as the "lead on strategic advice" for the Albanian government. Ridge's firm, Ridge Global, no longer works for Albania. <2>

A spokesperson for the firm said Ridge didn't think he needed to disclose his Albania work. But the Justice Department, which maintains a database of lobbyists working with foreign entities, thought he did. The Department contacted Ridge's firm, "after a story about Ridge's work appeared in the press." According to a September 2006 Associated Press article, Ridge's "main priority" was "to help Albania meet its goal of joining NATO in 2008." Albania began accession talks with NATO in April 2008. <2>
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tom_Ridge



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/16/politics/main4184011.shtml
Tom Ridge | Bio
Joe Klein of Time Magazine recently wrote that McCain was frustrated by the obvious political reasons for why he couldn't pick any of his top three vice-presidential candidates. According to Klein, Ridge was number one on McCain's dream VP list. But how can McCain, who has had trouble rallying the conservative base, endure the grumblings among the Republican rank and file if he were to select a pro-choice running mate? Another reason for Ridge's slip in the rankings: Roll Call recently reported that "for almost two years former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge failed to register a nearly half-million-dollar lobbying contract that he had with the government of Albania." Could McCain afford the political fallout of running with a former lobbyist?

[seemslikeadream]

272. 22-year-old arms dealer pleads not guilty on fraud charges

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/22yearold_arms_dealer_pleads_not_guilty_0707.html

A 22-year-old Miami Beach arms dealer says he is not guilty of defrauding the Pentagon under a nearly $300 million contract he had to supply ammunition to forces in Afghanistan.

Efraim Diveroli entered the plea Monday in Miami federal court. Diveroli remains free on bail.

Federal prosecutors say Diveroli's company, AEY Inc., provided prohibited Chinese-made ammunition to forces in Afghanistan and claimed it came from Albania.

The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, has been investigating Diveroli and AEY, whose vice president is a 25-year-old masseuse, since their shady conduct first came to light in March.

Waxman has suggested the US Embassy in Albania helped AEY cover up the Chinese origins of the ammo it was selling.

At an Oversight Committee hearing last month, Army officials acknowledged ignoring past performance problems with AEY before handing the company another lucrative contract.

[seemslikeadream]

273. Diplomat Denies Covering Up Weapons Deal

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3615364

Diplomat Denies Covering Up Weapons Deal
Posted by babylonsister on Mon Jul-14-08 08:41 AM


Arms fraud inquiry takes a political turn
Rep. Henry A. Waxman says John L. Withers II, the U.S. ambassador to Albania, may have played a key role in helping hide evidence of a crime.
By Paul Richter and Tom Hamburger, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
July 14, 2008


WASHINGTON -- A top-priority federal investigation of military procurement fraud in Afghanistan has been forced to shift direction because of a congressional panel's allegation that a senior U.S. diplomat sought to cover up the scheme.

The accusation against the ambassador appears to be unraveling, however, and prosecutors are scrambling to assess the effects on a case involving what is considered to be one of the most serious procurement abuses in years.

The case centers on a Miami arms dealer who sold ammunition to the U.S.-backed Afghan army through a $298-million Pentagon contract. Investigators found evidence that the contractor bought millions of aging Chinese rifle and machine-gun cartridges stored in Albania during the Cold War, then had them repackaged and shipped to Afghanistan.

The arms dealer, who has been indicted and is facing trial in Miami, is free on bond after being arraigned last week. The government has halted all shipments from the dealer and suspended payments to his firm.

The prosecution was complicated when the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), said his panel heard from a witness last month that a U.S. diplomat may have played a key role in helping hide evidence of fraud.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arms14-2008jul14,0,417481.story

[seemslikeadream]

274. Prosecutors Level New Charges Against Florida Arms Dealer AEY

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/prosecutors_level_new_charges.php

Prosecutors Level New Charges Against Florida Arms Dealer AEY
By Andrew Tilghman - July 23, 2008, 6:49PM
Federal prosecutors in Miami have stepped up their case against AEY Inc. and the 22-year-old arms dealer accused of selling shoddy and illegal ammo to the U.S. government to supply the Afghan Army.

Prosecutors have filed a superseding indictment, adding a stack of wire fraud charges to the initial case that led to the arrest of Efraim Diveroli and three other business associates on June 19 for violations of the Arms Control Export Act.

There's no new allegations from the previous indictment, but the U.S. attorney in Miami decided to hang wire fraud charges on each of the money transfers the firm received from the U.S. Army.

Diveroli now faces 13 counts of wire fraud, which under federal law carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

This all makes getting arrested for drunk driving and accused of domestic violence seem like no big deal.

[seemslikeadream]

275. Albanian witness in U.S. arms probe dies suddenly

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080912/wl_nm/albania_blast_witness_dc&printer=1;_ylt=Av_K8Sp6rcQILv4d5Z1PK9Jn.3QA


By Benet Koleka
Fri Sep 12, 7:00 PM ET



Albania's government said on Friday it was looking into the sudden death of an arms industry figure who was helping prosecutors investigate a weapons sale to the United States and an explosion that killed 26 people.

Television pictures showed businessman Kosta Trebicka, his head covered in blood, sprawled on his back on a dirt road in a remote area of eastern Albania, where he had been hunting. His off-road car was nearby, and appeared to be damaged.

"We have identified the corpse of citizen Kosta Trebicka," Interior Minister Bujar Nishani told a late evening news conference. "We shall make public the conclusions of experts as soon as they reach them," he added.

Nishani was responding to opposition leaders who said the death looked suspicious.

Trebicka was involved in repackaging ageing Chinese ammunition that was being sold from Albania to AEY Inc, a U.S. firm contracted by the Pentagon to supply the Afghan army.

He turned whistleblower after the Albanian defense ministry removed him from the contract and appointed another company in his place.

It was at this second company's plant in Gerdec, near Tirana, that 26 people were killed in an explosion of artillery shells in March. An Albanian official involved in the sale of ammunition to AEY Inc. and two businessmen are in jail pending trial for multiple murder over the blast.

[seemslikeadream]

276. The Road to Corruption Leads to Albania

http://serbblog.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20McCain

The Road to Corruption Leads to Albania

In December, 2007 Transparency International, an international organization dedicated to monitoring the level of corruption in more that sixty countries, released their list of the top most corrupt "countries". Albania topped their list of "most corrupt countries"(and the contiguous Albanian populated areas of Kosovo and Macedonia were also in the top 5.)

So it should not come as a surprise that if US officials were involved in corruption and/or some "less than legal" dealings, "Albania" would be part of the equation.

Two news stories yesterday, hit the jackpot on that linkage:

NYT: American Envoy Is Linked to Arms Deal Cover-Up
By ERIC SCHMITT

An American ambassador helped cover up the illegal Chinese origins of ammunition that a Pentagon contractor bought to supply Afghan security forces, according to testimony gathered by Congressional investigators.

A military attaché has told the investigators that the United States ambassador to Albania endorsed a plan by the Albanian defense minister to hide several boxes of Chinese ammunition from a visiting reporter. The ammunition was being repackaged to disguise its origins and shipped from Albania to Afghanistan by a Miami Beach arms-dealing company.

The ambassador, John L. Withers II, met with the defense minister, Fatmir Mediu, hours before a reporter for The New York Times was to visit the American contractor’s operations in Tirana, the Albanian capital, according to the testimony. The company, under an Army contract, bought the ammunition to supply Afghan security forces although American law prohibits trading in Chinese arms........Continued at NYT


And then there is the recent activities of former Homeland Security Chief and PA Governor, Tom Ridge, as investigated by Roll Call:

Roll Call: Ridge Files Very Late for Albania

Former Bush Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge busted by the Justice Department for failing to register for two years for lobbying for Albania, at $40k a month:

For almost two years former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge failed to register a nearly half-million-dollar lobbying contract that he had with the government of Albania. Ridge filed a registration statement on behalf of the country earlier this month after being contacted by the Department of Justice.

'It was brought to my attention after the contract expired and my lawyer said under the circumstances I probably should have filed,' said Ridge, who is a national co-chairman of Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign and has been mentioned as a potential vice presidential running mate. 'I didn't think it was to register.'

The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires agents to register with the DOJ within 10 days of signing a contract with a foreign government and before performing any duties for the client. Additionally, 'foreign agents' must file biannual reports detailing any agreements, income received and expenditures on behalf of foreign countries or corporations owned by countries.

Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor, represented Albania from October 2006 through the end of August 2007 on issues ranging from homeland security to NATO membership.

On May 7, 2007, Ridge and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha met with Sens. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) to discuss 'various reforms undertaken by the government of Albania to comply with NATO and EU requirements,' according to the FARA supplemental statement. Ridge and Berisha met with Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) to discuss the same issues on May 8.

The time stamp on Ridge's registration statement with the Justice Department is dated June 12, 2008. ... Ridge's registration was spurred by a DOJ inquiry after press accounts surfaced noting Ridge's connection to the country. ...

After a meeting with Justice and his counsel at Blank Rome, Ridge decided to file his FARA registration.

'Once we were made aware of certain contacts by Gov. Ridge, we advised him to register, which he did,' said Topper Ray, a spokesman for Blank Rome. ...

Ridge is in good company. One becomes aware of a lot of unregistered foreign lobbying in Washington, although not always as blatantly in violation as this. ....

So, curious if Ridge knows something about the strange DOD-US embassy-Albanian government-AEY-mothballed $300 million Chinese ammo weapons deal, now under investigation by the Feds and Congress?"

[MinM]

277. $4.2M unfrozen from Miami Beach munitions dealer's accounts

An indicted Miami Beach weapons merchant has recovered some of his frozen millions from the U.S. government, but he still faces fraud charges over a $10.3 million contract with the Army

Efraim Diveroli is seen March 5, 2008. The U.S. Army had suspended a Miami Beach company, owned by Diveroli, from doing any government contract work for reportedly providing Chinese-made ammunition to the Afghanistan army, in violation of its contract and U.S. law.
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/873703.html