Sibel Edmonds and Henry Waxman's Silence

[lukery]

At Let Sibel Edmonds Speak, we've been trying for months to get Henry Waxman to hold public open hearings into the case of former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds.

Mike Mejia has penned a(nother) great piece called "The Silence of Henry Waxman" (below, in full). Mejia writes:

"Henry Waxman knows very well who Sibel Edmonds is; he can't plead ignorance. He has heard her testimony behind closed doors...  But despite the shock and outrage that Waxman apparently expressed when he heard the full classified version of Edmonds' allegations, his answer to the former translator and her grassroots supporters has been silence.   Absolute silence. "

Call Waxman. Demand public open hearings:
DC phone: [phone]
LA phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
Capitol switchboard phone: [phone]

The Silence of Henry Waxman

By Mike Mejia
 
And so it was, that in November, 2006, the American people cried for change and reform, an end to the quagmire in Iraq, as well as to the open and crass corruption of Dennis Hastert, Tom Delay and their fellow Congressional Republicans.   The Democrats were swept into power on a wave of disgust at the decadence and decay that had enveloped D.C., taking back both Houses of Congress in one fell swoop.   A revolution, it seemed, had begun.  The good guys were in charge now.
 
Thus, one could not blame prominent FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, who served as a Turkish language specialist from 2001-2002, for feeling a surge of optimism after the Democratic sweep.   After all, it was the Bush Administration and Republicans in Congress who had done everything in their power to suppress her case, which revealed high-level U.S. Neoconservatives acting as Turkish spies (amongst other illegal activities.)   And it was the Democrats that assured Ms. Edmonds behind the scenes from 2002 to 2005 that once they took over, she would have the full, open hearings she had been pushing for.   Furthermore, the buzz on the Democratic blogs was that, since Henry Waxman was going to be in charge of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, all the buried scandals of the Bush years would now finally be uncovered.   Surely Ms. Edmonds had reasons to feel the tide was turning.
 
Alas: The bad news is that the sweeping changes the people voted for last November have been severely watered down.   The war in Iraq wages on, and Waxman is confining his 'oversight' to very safe scandals that reflect badly only on Republicans. He appears unwilling to take on messy scandals like the Edmonds case, which reflects well on neither Party.    Edmonds and a coalition of civil liberties and good government groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Citizens for Reform and Ethics in Washington (CREW), presented Waxman with a petition containing over 15,000 signatures in March asking Waxman to hold hearings.    But Waxman has to date refused to give any response.
 
Henry Waxman knows very well who Sibel Edmonds is; he can't plead ignorance.  He has heard her testimony behind closed doors and has worked with her and her organization, the National Security Whistleblower's Coalition, in drafting whistleblower legislation.  But despite the shock and outrage that Waxman apparently expressed when he heard the full classified version of Edmonds' allegations, his answer to the former translator and her grassroots supporters has been silence.   Absolute silence.
 
For the record, the whistleblower's sources in Congress told her Waxman was initially disposed to hold hearings on the Edmonds case, but they were not going to be hearings that dug into the heart of the matter.   They would not have exposed the darker machinations of the Turkish and Israeli lobbies, nor exposed an underground network of arms and drugs dealers with its tentacles reaching into U.S. agencies.  Indeed, such hearings probably would not have allowed the words "Turkey" or "Israel" to be mentioned at all, much less named some of the U.S officials allegedly involved in passing classified information to these foreign powers.   The hearings Waxman had planned, according to the grapevine, would have been the type of hearings to put even the most ardent Constitutional legal scholar to sleep for the night: they would have been sham discussions on the more arcane details of the 'state secrets privilege', with testimony limited to boring Bush hacks like FBI Director Robert Mueller.
 
Edmonds, a very strong-willed individual with a low tolerance for weak-kneed politicos, sent a clear message through her own channels: ‘no hearings’ were better than trumped up ones.   Ms. Edmonds was not willing to let Waxman or any other politician grab the limelight and become "hero of the blogs for a day" unless they were really prepared to go to bat on this issue and defy John Ashcroft’s illegal retroactive classification.   In the face of her principled stand, Waxman appears to have caved to the will of corrupt interests. His choice is logical from a political perspective, especially considering the Turkish lobby has now hired former Democratic House Minority leader Richard Gephardt. Waxman won't investigate these allegations because his current colleagues in the House and ex-colleagues like Dick Gephardt and Stephen Solarz do not want him to.   He has everything to lose, and nothing to gain, from a political perspective: by digging up this can of worms, he risks exposing that corruption and bad foreign policy is not limited to the Bush Administration.
 
Should the grassroots be surprised that Waxman made a choice to snub Edmonds, the ACLU and CREW?  Sure, Edmonds was declared 'credible' by conservative Senator Charles Grassley, and was largely backed up in her core allegations by the Department of Justice's own Inspector General Report.   And, yes, Edmonds’ translations of Turkish counterintelligence wiretaps do not look good for hated conservatives like Richard Perle, Douglas Feith and Dennis Hastert.  But these same wiretaps also do not look great for at least one Clinton appointee, former Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, or for at least two as of yet unnamed Democrats in Congress. Nor would they look good for the Turkish Lobby, the Israeli Lobby or defense contractors like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, the beneficiaries of apparent corruption run out of the American Turkish Council.   In Washington D.C., the only scandal that gets exposed is the scandal that implicates the other party and stays away from hurting vested groups that fund both Democrats and Republicans alike.

As former DEA agent and radio host Michael Levine noted in a recent interview  (mp3) with Australian Luke Ryland, a blogger who has written the most extensive investigative reports on the Edmonds case, the U.S. Congress has rarely tackled thorny issues like this Turkish corruption case.   Not only do the Democrats have no backbone, but many of their own are bought off by the same special interest groups as the GOP, especially in the areas that touch on the military industrial complex and foreign policy. Most of the progressive community have not yet caught on to this harsh reality, and instead is focused on the 2008 elections. More sound advice would be to forget about 2008 and start holding the Democratic Party to its campaign promises. Otherwise, the illegal Bush wars will grind on and the corruption will continue unabated- albeit the Democrats will be getting a greater share of the lobbyist largesse.

Here's a 9 minute YouTube video of an interview that Sibel gave a couple of months ago. In this snip, Sibel describes the process involving Waxman and asks that you call Waxman and demand public, open hearings.
http://www.youtube.com/v/BvqEuLBFdoU

It's important that the people specifically identified in Sibel's case are punished appropriately, but we also need to send a signal to those engaged in the very same crimes today. As Sibel noted in her fantastic 'Highjacking of a Nationseries:

Foreign governments and foreign-owned private interests have long sought to influence U.S. public policy. Several have accomplished this goal; those who are able and willing to pay what it takes. Those who buy themselves a few strategic middlemen, commonly known as pimps, while in DC circles referred to as foreign registered agents and lobbyists, who facilitate and bring about desired transactions. These successful foreign entities have mastered the art of ‘covering all the bases’ when it comes to buying influence in Washington DC. They have the required recipe down pat: get yourself a few ‘Dime a Dozen Generals,’ bid high in the ‘former statesmen lobby auction’, and put in your pocket one or two ‘ex-congressmen turned lobbyists’ who know the ropes when it comes to pocketing a few dozen who still serve.

We know that Richard Perle and Doug Feith were lobbyists for Turkey. Former Speaker of the House, Robert Livingston was on the payroll. Former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert was on the payroll. Ex Democratic Stephen Solarz in on the payroll. Clinton's former Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, is on the payroll. Former Democratic House Minority leader Richard Gephardt is on the payroll.

We need to break the cycle. As Mike says in the article above, we can't be satisfied with a slight re-allocation of 'lobbying' expenditure, otherwise the institutional rot will consume the Democrats too.

Call Waxman.

Demand public open hearings:
DC phone: [phone]
LA phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
Capitol switchboard phone: [phone]

As an aside, here's another video (5 mins), it has Leonard Cohen's 'Everybody Knows' as a soundtrack and Sibel saying:

I am not the only one who knows about this.

Too many people know this!

The fraudulent 9/11 Commissioners, every single one of them knows about my case and the details, and the names, and all the specifics.

Several people within the U.S Congress do know.

Everybody in the FBI, involved, they know!

Everybody in Department of Justice, they know!

My goal has been exposing the criminal activities: money laundering, narcotic activities, and nuclear black market converging with terrorist activities.

Put out the tapes, put out the wiretaps!

Put out those documents! Put out the truth!

The truth is going to hurt them, the truth is going to set me free!

You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/v/DHnIyGWEz_Y


Another aside, if you are wondering whether or not to call Waxman, consider this from the Guardian today:

"The US department of justice is preparing to open a corruption investigation into the arms company BAE, the Guardian has learned. It would cover the alleged £1bn arms deal payments to Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia.

Washington sources familiar with the thinking of senior officials at the justice department said yesterday it was "99% certain" that a criminal inquiry would be opened under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Such an investigation would have potentially seismic consequences for BAE, which is trying to take over US arms companies and make the Pentagon its biggest customer."

Apparently the USG is only comfortable investigating foreign bribery in the Military Industrial Complex to maintain market share for their paymasters. There are significant similarities between Sibel's case and the BAe case, but the differences between the cases demonstrate that the issues in Sibel's case are much worse. I'll have a post about it in the next few days, but the main difference is that successive UK government have been officially aware of, and apparently sanctioned, the BAe deal the deal from the beginning. In other words, the deal was official, if secret, and thus presumably reflected official national security / foreign policy goals.

In Sibel's case, the perpetrators were freelancing, for personal profit, and the coverup is apparently an after-the-fact attempt to hide the criminality of certain individuals. Sibel often says that her case has nothing to do with national security, or policy. As Phil Giraldi says:

Sibel Edmonds, the Turkish FBI translator turned whistleblower who has been subjected to a gag order could provide a major insight into how neoconservatives distort US foreign policy and enrich themselves at the same time.

More on BAe/Sibel in a few days.

(Crossposted at Let Sibel Edmonds Speak)

(Mejia's article posted with permission)

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. Keep pushing this lukery...

They are going to have to act on it, given your tenacity. And I agree, it is such a damning indictment. I suppose that is why the damn carpet keeps swallowing the story.

K & R

[The Doctor.]

50. Yes, repost this every day until all DUers have called.

It's late Friday now, I may need a reminder on Monday.

[lukery]

53. sibel email list

I send an email to everyone on a list every time i post something new about sibel. let me know if you'd like to be put on it (PM me with your email addy)

[KoKo]

2. I had hoped somehow

that Edmonds case could tie in with a larger BAE Investigation. That if Congress investigates BAE then one of the committees could bring in Sibol's as another example of "influence" of foreign governments by bribing House & Senate members. Maybe even the Duke Cunningham case would make connections that would allow Sibel's information to come out.

Keep at it Lukery.

[lukery]

36. every angle

Thanks.

We'll keep trying to use every angle possible to blow the story open. We'll try with BAe, we'll try when the AIPAC trial (eventually) happens.

We'll keep trying.

[cascadiance]

40. Luke, speaking of every angle and the AIPAC trial, should we push him into calling Google in?

Remember those curious google alerts that were delayed until the following New Years about Sibel when she had that big *dearth* of any news articles showing up through Google searches/alerts right after the AIPAC spy scandal became public? I still wonder if there were some complicit parties in Google that were trying to "restrain" news coverage of anything Sibel might say right when Larry Franklin was charged. Makes you wonder what they were afraid of her talking about then if that was real censorship going on.

Maybe we could have them haul Google in on the pretext of some of the other government influence/attempts to harvest data of Google's business that was rumored not long after that. And then perhaps we can talk someone else on Waxman's committee to ask the million dollar question if Sibel's hits were censored then at the time of the Larry Franklin scandal breaking. It would be interesting to see how they might answer that question under oath.

Then Waxman could claim that he didn't call Google in explicitly to deal with issues of Sibel to whoever's trying to "censor" him, and we could still perhaps get some hard data that might lead to getting her called to the stand!

[lukery]

44. Govt Reform

calipendence, i'm not sure how Google would fit under Waxman's purview of GOVT reform... and we have another problem, i'm not sure that Waxman is even looking for an angle to make this work...

[cascadiance]

51. But it was the government that tried to get to Google's and other firms search data...

... on a fishing expedition. It seems like this kind of fits into "Government oversight" to ensure that the government wasn't attempting to circumvent our laws of warrants, etc. getting this data (kind of the same category as the NSA wiretaps I think).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011903331.html

So the pretext that could be used to get them to come was to find out what Gonzo, Ashcroft, etc. was trying to use as justification for their "fishing expeditions" to get to Google's data.

Perhaps find someone else on the committee to ask the Sibel question that might not have their arm twisted like perhaps Waxman's has been. I don't know if Waxman would review the whole line of questioning before they have the testimonies before hand, or if each congressman throws out their own questions on the fly.

I'm just thinking that either through this or perhaps some other committee hearing we could have someone else "sneak in" a question or two that might have something damning enough come out from the answers that it would kind of force Waxman's hand in calling Sibel to do a followup hearing.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

48. These days, I seem to be to moving from one "well of hope" to another because,...

,...each is drying up.

It seems like,...unless there is RECOGNITION of an upheaval against "what is", no change will ever take place. There is no recognition. There will be no change.

The media is the spokesperson for the corporatocracy. The internet is all that's left of any shred of democracy and EVEN THERE an invasion over democratic thought is taking place.

Worst of all, though, is,...there seems to be a general resignation about the ideal of democracy all together. I wonder if this is how the Germans felt before,...

[JohnyCanuck]

73. Brainwashing America

Brainwashing America

By Norman D. Livergood (Formerly of the US Army War College)

The puppet Bush regime is using new, aggressive forms of brainwashing to change the very way Americans think and feel.

This is the psychological dimension of the demonic cabal's general onslaught against American workers, just as the "war on terrorism" is the military dimension and corporate crime and tax cuts for the rich comprise the economic dimension.

We are living under the beginning stages of a military dictatorship in precisely the same way that 1930s Germans suffered under the Nazi regime.

As in the case of Nazi Germany, state-sponsored propaganda (brainwashing) is a vital part of the Bush regime's strategy.

SNIP

In an earlier article, I reviewed the varied aspects of personality profiling and simulation. While serving as Head of the Artificial Intelligence Department at the U.S. Army War College, 1993-1995, I conducted studies on profiling, psychological programming, and brainwashing. I explored and developed personality simulation systems, an advanced technology used in military war games, FBI profiling, political campaigning, and advertising. Part of my discovery was that:

* unenlightened human minds are combinations of infantile beliefs and emotional patterns

* these patterns can be simulated in profiling systems

* these profiling systems can be used to program and control people

Personality simulation systems are being used to create political campaigns that apply voter profiles to control their voting behavior. TV commercials and programs use personality simulation to profile viewers to control their purchasing and viewing behaviors. And sophisticated propaganda and brainwashing techniques are being used by the Bush junta to keep American citizens under control.


http://www.hermes-press.com/brainwash1.htm

[Selatius]

3. The Democrats appear only slightly different than Repubs on foreign policy.

It's quite frankly true given the history of US covert operations from Latin America to the Middle East and Far East. To be sure, there are differences between the two parties and individual examples are always found, but in crucial areas such as foreign policy or the arms trade, Democrats as a party are almost as bad.

[randyconspiracybuff]

7. Absolutely

This is what the American people need to understand: both parties support immoral policies abroad. There are some notable exceptions, like Dennis Kucinich and Jim McDermott. But they are overshadowed by hawks in the Democratic Party.

[StateSecrets]

9. well-said!

[StateSecrets]

4. K & R

Lukery,

Excellent post, great op-ed, and effective video clip. Thank you.

[bbgrunt]

5. keep pushing--k and r

[seemslikeadream]

6. RIGGS BANK

The most explosive revelation in Graham’s book is the following statement with regard to the administration’s attitude on page 216: “It was as if the President’s loyalty lay more with Saudi Arabia than with America’s safety.” Further, he states that he asked the FBI to undertake a review of the Riggs Bank records on the terrorists’ money trail, to look at other Saudi companies with ties to al-Qaeda, to plan for monitoring suspect Saudi interests in the United States; however, Graham adds: “To my knowledge, none of these investigations have been completed…Nor do we know anything else about what I believe to be a state-sponsored terrorist support network that still exists, largely undamaged, within the United States.”

[global1]

8. Somebody Help Me Here - I'm Not Up On This Whole Sibel Thing At All......

I've seen posts about this - but never dove into it to understand why she has a gag order put on her?

What would happen to her if she did expose what she knows? What are the consequences of her violating this gag order? If the information that she has is so earth shattering and detrimental to our system - wouldn't she be deemed a 'patriot' if she just came out with it and violated her gag order. Then it seems to me that they would have to investigate her claims and she would force the issue.

[randyconspiracybuff]

10. She Would Go To Jail

...which is not something we should advise her to do, given the way this Administration goes after patriots and the way the Democrats refuse to show backbone.

She has given out plenty of information already. We don't really need anymore to demand that Congress investigate this once and for all.

[global1]

11. If This Were To Happen And She Was Put In Jail - Wouldn't The Furor Surrounding This.....

jailing cause such a ruckus that it couldn't be ignored and would force investigations? Wouldn't that be a good strategy? If what she has is so damaging to this country and if if were finally exposed by this sacrifice by her - she would ultimately be heralded as a 'patriot' and she wouldn't be in jail for long.

[StateSecrets]

12. Would it?

Considering the sorry state of the MSM, I wouldn't count on it.

[randyconspiracybuff]

13. You'll Never Lose Money...

...underestimating the mainstream media's ability to ignore an important story and instead focus on Paris Hilton's or Lindsay Lohan's personal problems.

[cascadiance]

20. Considering how even many of us on DU are "remaking" Walton's image here!

... It wouldn't be surprising that they hid or distorted Sibel's arrest at all, no matter how many of us screamed!

I still am sickened by every post here worshipping how good a judge Walton was with how he's handling Libby's case (who clearly is a sacrificial lamb now that will be pardoned later), ignoring that Walton's now being put on the FISA court where he can wreak even more damage and ignoring the crap he dealt to Sibel earlier!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1111056

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2880998

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1111466

[JohnyCanuck]

74. The whores would not say jack shit about Sibel,

if they were ordered to keep their cake holes shut. They know well enough which side of their bread is buttered, and who needs to get an anthrax letter in the mail anyway.

[seemslikeadream]

15. Please! check this out global1

Sibel Edmonds and other Whistleblowers Group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=344

[lukery]

42. who wants to gag sibel?

See my post "Who wants to gag Sibel Edmonds? And why? (with answers!)"
http://wotisitgood4.blogspot.com/2007/05/who-wants-to-gag-sibel-edmonds-and-why.html

and for the background of the case, see "What the heck is Sibel Edmonds' Case about?"
http://wotisitgood4.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-heck-is-sibel-edmonds-case-about.html

[EVDebs]

14. I'm not ready yet to blame Waxman, the legal 'rules' of 'in camera'

and intelligence committee members being required to remain silent or face payback themselves are set up to intimidate truthseekers, not enable them. The M/I/Congressional complex has one weak link though, Congressmen/women speech on the House/Senate floor itself, although the print record can be altered afterwards.

[StateSecrets]

16. Disagree

This line of thinking has led us where we are today. Who decides what's classified? What should be retroactively classified? Go read our main principles; The Bill of Rights/Constitution, then, show me where it says what you blindly use as justification/excuse.

[EVDebs]

23. Ever hear of English Common Law and Grand Juries ?

As long as a jury of peers is involved and $ isn't an option, things work out o.k. But Star Chambers are what we're trying to prevent.

Qui tam lawsuits, assuming a Congressman/woman will carry the ball and our court system hasn't been infected with the Federalist Society autocracy disease, means we still have a fair shot at justice.

Someone needs to STAND UP and we'll support them. Whether the fascists try to strike that person down is a certainty. We still need to support them.

However, these people play dirty and you need exceptionally strong people to stand up. And they know this.

[randyconspiracybuff]

18. Blame Not Only Waxman, But Other Democrats Too

They promised change.

We are getting 'token reforms'.

Some are satisfied with tokenism. I am not.

[cascadiance]

21. This also shows the painful need for public campaign financing...

So many Dems now are held hostage to this to the real influence pedlers that don't want Sibel's story to get out. If we were ever to get public campaign financing in place, there would be so much more potential for the Waxman's to "buck city hall" periodically, not feeling tied to the corporate gravy train like we have today!

[StateSecrets]

22. Excellent Point Calipendence!

[EVDebs]

25. Ptech STILL has access to WH, FAA, military computer systems

No secret here and nobody's drawing the obvious connections to 9-11 and the wargames of 9-11 either

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptech

Wargames, Vigilant Guardian, etc., all on 9-11 and therefore 'who knew ?' or would know and have computer access... Oh, yes. And who still has that kind of access, only under a new name ? Wait wait, don't tell me. I'm just asking questions at this point.

[EVDebs]

24. Why doesn't a publisher or moviemaker do Sibel's story and TELL ALL ?

Especially a foreign (english speaking) group beyond the reach of the intell goon squad.

[lukery]

43. There is a movie

I'ts called Kill The Messenger (french) focussing mostly on the nuclear black market angle.

[loudsue]

30. I totally agree: But federal funding of campaigns will happen about the time that

congresscritters quit supporting the Military/Industrial/Political complex. They're making too damned much money off the system we have. In fact, ALL of the pillars of the "establishment" we have in place is geered toward making the rich richer and the poor poorer, and lining the pockets of elected officials to insure it never changes. It is reaching critical mass, and the people still haven't started rioting in the streets.

:kick::kick::kick:

[EVDebs]

26. Media has to show the lies.

If Sibel's story and the evidence of Ptech's access to WH, DoD, FAA, Air Force computers on 9-11-01 doesn't become common knowledge along with the wargames that only meritted a footnote in the dreadfully incomplete and inaccurate 9-11 Commission Report, then the MEDIA isn't doing IT'S job.

[cascadiance]

27. It depends on who they really answer too...

If you feel that they are supposed to answer to us, then yes, they aren't doing their job...

But if they are really answering to their corporate masters who want to "control' stories like this from getting out, then yes, they are doing their job! FOR THEM AND NOT US!

[mmonk]

32. It should be obvious now the corporate media is one of them.

[mmonk]

17. I'll keep doing it

but I think an additional strategy could help apply added pressure. I just don't know what that is.

[wiggs]

19. Can the 9/11 families once again go to congress to demand real

action on this issue? Can they file suit to have it heard or litigated?

I'm trying to think who is going to stimulate movement on this issue and I'm not coming up with much. If Waxman has stiff-armed Sibel so far, he's not going to change based on some of the public emailing him. Congress will have to be forced by courts or embarrassed into action.

[lukery]

37. 911 Press For Truth

I got an email yesterday from 911PressForTruth:

"Dear fellow 911 Press For Truth Patrons,

Congressman Dennis Kucinich has just announced that he will begin holding new hearings into 9/11 beginning in September because "the Commission Final Report... never resolved certain conflicts." The acclaimed film 9/11 Press For Truth details those conflicts like no other movie has, featuring five members of the 9/11 Family Steering Committee (the small group of victim's relatives who forced the creation of the 9/11 Commission), who revealed for the first time in the movie that "70% of our questions" were not answered by the Final Report.

In response to Kucinich's announcement, the makers of 9/11 Press For Truth are launching of a new campaign to bring about real answers for the September 11th families -- and a brand new web site at 911PressForTruth.com.

From August 3rd - 12th, a coalition of organizations will join forces to host "Answers For 9/11 Families" week. Hundreds of Americans will come together at house parties across the country to screen 9/11 Press For Truth, telling the powerful story of the September 11th families' continuing fight for answers.

Now, Please join the effort to encourage Congress to support Kucinich's investigation until all remaining Family Steering Committee questions are answered. "

[file83]

54. I hope Kucinich brings some meat to that dinner.

I'm tired of being served garnish.

[whyzayker]

69. 9/11 families subpoena Edmonds in '03 or '04

Roughly the same time Judge Walton was considering (re: stonewalling) Sibel's FOIA case. It was only after the case on behalf of one thousand 9/11 families requesting Edmonds to testify that Walton squashed her case and upheld her gag order.

[rodeodance]

28. thanks. K and R. We cannot forget about her.

[robertpaulsen]

29. I wish I could give this multiple recs!

:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:

[Oilwellian]

31. Great post Lukery

A hearty thanks to you and Sibel for not giving up. There are many here on DU who won't give up either. :kick:

[Chemical Bill]

33. Maybe he wants to live to see tomorrow? n/t

[lyonn]

34. What happen to the Whistle Blower protection?

Or was that just another smoke and mirrors law that looked good on paper and in the news. Apparently if someone blows the whistle they are immediately identified as an enemy!? Shrug

The Wilson/Plame case was totally misrepresented to the public by the media via the administration. It is now just a case of someone Accidentally slipping the name of a covert CIA agent (now she is being sold in the media as Not Covert). No one in this Administration had a thing to do with it...... that is their story and the media is sticking with it. Sarcasm - So who will really care if Libby is pardoned? There never was a crime committed - More Sarcasm

This is all really scary shit when you know our government is a participant. Congress appears more and more to be bought and paid for and Not by Us.

[lukery]

35. WB protection is a farce

WB protection is a farce for National Security employees... Sibel has been doing her best to get that changed.

[bjobotts]

39. Whistle blowers relief...go to thegavel.gov (or com?) for latest info video

Great post at the gavel about whistle blower on their Investigator boss with video testimony. It's similar and outrageous.

[bjobotts]

38. With so much corruption Waxman must pick his fights.

This seems to be the most important one. It would cause the most shock and outrage and would involve some of the most powerful forces in government.
It also needs to be addressed to stop the corruption of our entire Democracy
BUT:
It will take all of Waxman's time and energy and would cost millions. It would most likely turn into a personal battle requiring extraordinary measures to ensure his safety and the safety of his friends and family.
Waxman is all about accountability and his silence may be due to his seeing a more covert way of handling this situation for now. Also, at present Waxman's plate is about as full as it can get with what he must consider to be fights that need to be fought but that he feels he can win. Perhaps he is considering taking this on down the line and then perhaps he thinks that by winning more immediate battles he can remove people and processes that would make fighting Sibel's case easier. Keep the pressure on by keeping this case public but before becoming outraged consider that Waxman's silence does not mean he's not going to take this on. It just might be a lot easier with a Democrat in th oval office.
Still, the public is deeply indebted to Sibel for her courage and patriotism and I hope soon we can make them all accountable.

[lukery]

41. silence is not an option

Waxman has promised before that he would hold hearings, and now he won't return any phone calls, not to Sibel, not to the ACLU, not to anyone. He has given every indication that he just hopes that this will die down, and that we will all go away.

"It will take all of Waxman's time and energy and would cost millions."
this isn't true, all of the investigations have been done, and confirmed. repeatedly. Sibel says that all it would take would be for Waxman to announce that he will hold hearings, and in a month or so, a list of people & documents can be subpoenad.

That's all it would take.

After 5 years, the ongoing silence isnt very comforting.

[NoFederales]

46. Agreed, silence is not an option. Edmonds case is the damning incidence of the early

attempts of the Bush admn to railroad the public, hijack the political process, and steal the nation's treasury. The blood-letting seals the deal for a host of reasons, and any politician who furthers the blood-letting simply indicates how complicit they are in maintaining their "aristocracy".

I had better hopes regarding Waxman and his ability to get the truth out.

NoFederales

[lukery]

55. Tillman

don't underestimate Waxman, he did hold those hard-hitting hearings into the Pat Tillman case, remember
/sarcasm.

[Dystopian]

45. Thank you! K&R......eom

peace~

[shance]

47. Isn't Turkey largely influenced by the Israeli government/policies?

n/t

[lukery]

49. unholy alliance

there sure is an unholy alliance with Turkey, Israel, and the US defense establishment. Whether it is the israeli govt or the US end (Perle & Feith figure prominently) that is leading the debacle, we don't know.

[cascadiance]

52. Turkey and Jews/Israel have had a history before the recent neocon cabal...

It is noted that in history Atatürk gave safe haven to many German Jews in Turkey before WWII and the holocaust. In exchange many who emigrated there helped to bring up education/science standards in Turkey and westernize it more which was a big goal of Atatürk's at the time. So that was probably a basis (and a healthy one compared to the connections we see today) for many Jews that ultimately emigrated to Israel feeling better about their relations with Turkey than many other countries in that region.

There are of course many other more recent relationships that are a lot more unholy as you describe though.

[Orrin_73]

61. Turkish jewish relations go far back

it begins with the Turkish tribe of the khazars converting to judaism somewhere in the 9th century in southern Russia. It was one of the most powerful nations of its time. When the jews were banished from spain during the inquisition the Turkish sultan gave them refuge and many jews fleeing from europe were welcome in the Ottoman empire. Many jews in the US and Israel have Turkish names and are Turkish descended (khazar background). In 1933 many Jewish scientist took refuge in Turkey as you said but Turkey was not a backwater in 1933 its education was still good or better then many european nations of its time. To me the Turkish Jewsh relationship is not unholy but a natural one.

[cascadiance]

68. Thanks for the additional history... Totally agree with you on this.

Ataturk was independently trying to help Turks get better education at that time, though as a documentary I'd seen noted, the Jewish immigrants at that time were definitely part of what helped that happen, and he knowingly encouraged it that way.

I think that the recent AIPAC/ATC cross pollination with many from our defense industry such as Brent Scowcroft serving in both of those lobbyist groups, and the things that they visibly do to control our government's agenda, and likely what's going on behind the scenes that I think that Sibel's trying to alert us to are what is the real "unholy alliance", as it is more than just the natural historical alliances that Turkey and Jews have had over the many years.

I think the need for you and me to clarify this is that so that people reading this don't get the wrong idea that it isn't an "unholy alliance" because there are Turkish and Jews working together, which given middle eastern history in other parts of that region might by itself seem "unholy". That part as you and I say who have read about their history IS natural. But the ties to our defense industry and drug and other WMD networks that looks to be potentially part of the mix IS the unholy part. I think it's important to clarify this, so that people understand what part of the current setup really is the "unholy" part of it.

I've actually personally witnessed others in other contexts questioning it as an "unholy alliance" since they can't understand how a Jewish people who had gone through the holocaust of WWII could be in any way alligned with the Turks who they view as still part of the Armenian genocide, which they feel are at opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, and don't see any of the real cultural connections between the two groups of people, many of them very decent connections, which is a false notion.

[noise]

56. As noted

the issue isn't about needing investigations. The issue is secrecy--concealing disturbing evidence from the public. What some people fail to realize is that several members of Congress have heard Edmonds' testimony. She is still pushing the issue because they have refused to do anything about it. It seems Congress cares more about the (corrupt) status quo than they do about US national security. They proved that with the 9/11 coverup and their idiotic support for Zelikow's absurd 9/11 Commission report.

[defendandprotect]

57. Does Waxman truly have enugh power because . . .

I'm a HUGE Waxman fan . . .
However, when I watched the Lurita Doan/GSA hearing the other night it felt like Waxman had lost some sense of authority. Lurita Doan was as disruptive as possible with the help of Republicans on the panel. Waxman handled it very quietly, accepting the abuse and finally called for her resignation. He didn't try to retaliate verbally -- and Burton was really out of line -- he just accepted it. And, I can see that play because I think we're all hoping for a better day and Waxman's behavior is something we can be proud of.

As someone else mentioned it does feel like we need other parts of this to come together. I think the problem with the Sibel Edmonds information -- and I'm alos a HUGE fan of hers and astonished at her courage -- is that while we're all talking about 9/11 on the internet, it's a foreign substance on TV and on the lips of those who supposedly tell us what's happening every day. If it's not mentioned, then maybe it's not happening?
We can see what happened to Rosie O'Donnell and others who have spoken out re the monstrous lies of 9/11. I don't know that Waxman feels he can overcome all of this right now. The official story is quite official: Kean Commission Report, etc. Well, it's a sham . . . but it's there, like the Warren Report.
Lies -- of course. But, it exists.

Also -- apologies if I'm misunderstand where all of this is right now because I haven't read the whole thread and I haven't recently visited the Sibel Edmonds website.

Also noticed that RIGGS bank is mentioned . . . and I think that Bush II's uncle is involved with that bank?



I don't think Waxman can do this alone. This subject 9/11 has to be opened up wider. It has to go from the internet to be on the public's lips -- person to person. It has to be come part of radio and we have to continue to try to move newspapers to cover the challenges in a more respectful way.
Again, I don't know if Waxman can handle this right now???

In fact, I think we need Courts FIRST to free up the situation so that Sibel Edmonds can freely speak.

[defendandprotect]

58. Also Presuming Manipulation of Judges/Courts --

With the Clinton "impeachment" we also saw manipulation with Judges being put in place and decisions being made which were highly questionable -- including Supreme Court ruling that the charges could go forward re Clinton....

So as I recall the Sibel thing . . . is it one judge or more who have holds on this case?

Isn't that where the challenge and the break have to come from?

Obviously, this is political and probably under control of the White House, IMO.

As we saw from the PLAME case . . . and Giuliani's reaction to the reporter's question re 9/11 the other day in having him arrested!! -- anything that opens up challenge to the official story is a hot wire for the White House and anyone like Giuliani who might have been abetting 9/11.

[lukery]

60. no court action

sibel ran out of options there.

waxman is maybe our only chance

[rucognizant]

65. Have patience and faith...............

The first American Revolution took 8 eight years to accomplish..............by only 1/3 of the population of the times. A lot higher percent of the current population is awake aware and bothered.
I have been virtually shunned for the last 3 years,in my small community because I won't stop speaking truth. We have had 200 registered Dems, ( ONLY 18 attended the primary caucus!) The other 1, 000 either, Repug., Ind. or non participatory........... Bush won HONESTLY by 2 votes in spite of our vigorous efforts.
Boy are they all friendly to me now! Except the one 28%er. WHen I asked him if he still supports Bush, he said stubbornly, yes! I pointed out that he was in only 28 % in the country, He proudly defended his right to his opinion, spat out "You have Nancy & Hillary on your side." and flounced off into a different cashier line, ( a longer one!) and refused to even be in my space!
Everyone else in Town now knows what is going on.
Did anyone else hear the 1 ONE, msm, mention of newly received envelopes containing white powder to Congress? (last week) I thought not. The story disappeared..............
DO NOT FORGET: the anthrax campaign of 2001/02! Do we really want all the "good guys" to be eliminated? Let them deal with it at their own pace, don't push too hard!
And they don't come more cynical than me! Railroaded "ILLEGALLY" out of my house, ( thus free lance career) in the catbird seat ( near NY {Phila. Atlantic City & Washington DC.) by grossly rising property taxes, & a Savings Bank 1 or 2 years after Neil Bush's S&L scandal, dealing with a too small house that fights back, far away from population centers..........and then having my state property tax rebate "LEVIED" by the IRS, 2 WEEKS after the 2004, election when I had been very active on the D side,. I have been unable to earn enough to save anything for retirement, ( even tho I am savy enough to know HOW to do that!) I am stuck living on $27/00 per day SS income, and trying on that; to restart my free-lance art business, which now includes the need to use computer technology to stay competative! Try paying for all the "bigger better faster, " improvements, ( that are incompatable with the older stuff!) out of that amount of money!

Chris Dodd is the ONLY one of the Dem candidates at the CNN debate, who when asked what he would do in the first 100 days of his presidency, answered...He would restore the Constitutuion.
Is he receiving corporate support? I don't know.
So be still, listen to your instincts..............and you will know when is he time for action.and what action to take. :patriot: O8) :bounce: :dem: :)

[mmonk]

67. As long as by "patience and faith", you don't mean sitting on our hands.

Leaving it to others allows for the possibility of these things being corrected or dealt with never happening. Money is an intoxicating thing and too many in power are intoxicated right now.

[lukery]

59. Waxman promised

If he doesn't have the athority to have hearings, then a) he shuoldnt have promised anything, and b) he should come out and say it.

Besides, Sibel's case is only peripherally related to 911.

Oh - and there are no court options left for Sibel.

[Norrin Radd]

62. k+r

[mmonk]

63. I have decided to take additional measures on this issue.

I've already started it and will inform DU'ers here in General Discussion and lukery by email if I have any success. I've decided that if the path is blocked, you find a way around it. Wish me luck. Stonewalling is not acceptable on such grave matters.

[lukery]

72. good luck! n/t

[rucky]

64. Everybody pushing for the truth stops just short of it.

And we, the armchair pundits talk about how weak or corrupt they are, as if we'd take it all the way. Waxman is no pussycat. There's something missing that we don't know about. And if it's something that could silence Henry Waxaman, then that's a big something.

[mmonk]

66. That's why we need to look at others

possibly for help.

[Raksha]

71. Which is exactly why it needs to come into the open...

because it's a BIG something!

There's something missing that we don't know about. And if it's something that could silence Henry Waxman, then that's a big something.

[Larry Ogg]

70. I vaguely remember hearing of Sibel Edmonds and knew nothing about this case, so thanks for posting

this very important OP. I found your BLOG and added it to my favorites list, as well as getting on your e-mail list. I see you have posted a grate deal of articles at http://lukery.blogspot.com/ and I will be doing a lot of catch up reading.

I knew our government was corrupt and like so many others, not seeing much more than the tip of the iceberg, but OMG this looks like the whole fricken iceberg itself. I stopped wondering years ago why we almost never hear of the mafia in the media anymore, resolute to the fact they were now running the media and the government under the guise of groups like the BFEE and their corporate elitist buddies. This case also puts light on the tyranny of our foreign policy and gives a good picture of what the New World Order would look like. I can also understand as to why they wouldn’t want public hearings and investigations, because this is a scandal that would crack and possibly crumble the foundation that our corrupt, corporately owned house of cards government is sitting on… And to me that would be a good thing, maybe then the sheeple of this country will wake up and the above the law elitist will no longer be in control, I’m not sure but I would be a little concerned that the corrupt puppet masters might be somewhat prone too turn of the lights and gas and start world war three before they loose power…