The report is from the "Intelligence and Security Committee of the UK Parliament "(ISC). The members of the oversight committee are appointed by the Prime Minister. It took for ages for the ISC to even consider some of the material in the Snowden leaks. As well as working the distinction between "bulk collection" and "mass surveillance" the same old saw about just collecting meta-data was brought up. Actual conversations and content of messages are not collected. The head of M15 dismissed the idea of collecting data on the websites people visit as an intrusion on privacy. The type of legislation that the intelligence community would like to see is what might be called a Snooper's Charter, that would not legislate rights for those targeted by surveillance but codify the rights of those doing the spying.
An article in the Intercept describes the redefining of "mass surveillance" as "bulk collection" as follows: "This re-definition game goes as follows: yes, we vacuum up and store literally as much of the internet as we possibly can. Then we analyze all the data about what you’re doing, with whom you’re speaking, and who your network of associates is. Based on that analysis of all of you and your activities, we then read the communications that we want (with virtually no checks and concealing from you what percentage of it we’re reading), and store as much of the rest of it as technology permits for future trolling. But don’t worry: we’re only reading the Bad People’s emails. So run along then: no mass surveillance here. Just bulk collection! It’s not mass surveillance, but “enhanced collection techniques.” " A 2000 European Court of Human Rights decision found that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights was violated by such data collection even if data collected is not reviewed or exploited in any way. The defense had argued that no privacy violation happens if the data is not reviewed or exploited. Another ruling in 2000 was that even storing records of a person's activity in public such as attending demonstrations could be a violation of privacy since “public information can fall within the scope of private life where it is systematically collected and stored in files held by the authorities.” Another editorial in the Guardian explains that spying can play the part of the guard role that will protect a system that benefits most elites. Information gathered with the supposed purpose of keeping us safe from terrorists will be used to keep opposition forces from threatening "national security" the security of the elites that benefit most from the system. Sources: https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/03/13/orwellian-re-branding-mass-surveillance-merely-bulk-collection/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-sell-out-tories-sign-largest-5323402 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Eyes http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/10/nsa-gchq-technology-create-social-mobility-spy-on-citizens http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/12/guardian-view-on-surveillance-parliament-slumbering-scrutineer?CMP=share_btn_tw
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Iceland often consults the EU on foreign affairs and has participated in EU peacekeeping missions. Iceland also is part of the Schengen area that Wikipedia describes as follows: The Schengen Area is the area comprising 26 European countries that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their common borders, also referred to as internal borders. It mostly functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The Area is named after the Schengen Agreement. Countries in the Schengen Area have eliminated internal border controls with the other Schengen members, and strengthened external border controls with non-Schengen states. The Schengen area encourages the free movement of goods, information, money and people.
Iceland already has trade and other relations with Europe that work in its interest. Most Icelanders do not think it is wise to go further, give up some of its political powers, and become embroiled in EU politics by becoming a full member of the EU. Sources https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/iceland-decides-not-join-eu-005200123.html https://euobserver.com/political/120501 http://rt.com/news/240221-iceland-drop-eu-member/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Iceland_to_the_European_Union https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/iceland-says-dropping-bid-eu-membership-190255131.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area " During the course of the discussions in Morocco, one of the parties requested that UNSMIL convey to the other participants a proposal for the resolution of the Libyan crisis. UNSMIL expressed the view that the proposal represented a departure from the agenda which all the participants had previously agreed to." Note that the statement does not say who the party was who made the proposal or what the proposal was. There appears to be no press reports of what these proposals might be that I could find. The only proposals I found that were covered had to with the nature of the unity government, which a Muslim Brotherhood associated group suggested could be a transitional council. This proposal fits in with the agenda item of a unity government. I expect that the proposal might have come from the Tobruk government and had to do with concentrating upon a campaign against terrorism. Terrorism especially that of the Islamic State is a real problem in Libya but it needs to be tackled by a unity government since both competing parties are suffering from those attacks in areas they control. I expect that Haftar and the Tobruk government are hoping that western countries will support them and they will wage a campaign not just against the Islamic State but all Islamists as Haftar has been doing for some time. This includes the Tripoli government. So far fortunately most western countries notably the US and UK have not thrown their support behind Haftar but for now at least demand that the dialogue process continue. Jason Pack has an interesting article on these issues that I include in the references.
Sources http://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/476506--libyas-brotherhood-makes-bid-to-end-political-rift http://www.libya-analysis.com/packs-publications/ http://www.unsmil.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3561&ctl=Details&mid=8549&ItemID=2010606&language=en-US http://www.unsmil.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3561&ctl=Details&mid=8549&ItemID=2011251&language=en-US http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-11/290428-libyan-parties-in-algiers-urge-immediate-ceasefire.ashx http://allafrica.com/stories/201503120776.html The US Air Force confirmed Monday that it had bombed and destroyed buildings belonging to Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra front. This is at least the third time the group has been struck since air strikes by the US and other members of the coalition attacking the Islamic State started bombing the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. At first, it might not seem strange that the US should attack a group linked to Al Qaeda. After all, the war on terror is directed to a considerable extent against Al Qaeda. However, since the rise of the Islamic State(IS) a more radical jihadist group disowned even by Al Qaeda, the US focus has been on IS, especially since they have occupied a large swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria. When the bombing first started however, there was no mention of the Nusra front as a target. The Nusra front had been cooperating with other rebel groups, being one of the most effective groups against Assad but fighting also the Islamic State. Rebel groups were outraged by the bombing of a group who were sorely needed in the battle against Assad. The bombing was extremely unproductive for the US since the Nusra front turned against US-funded rebels. In time, the Front defeated Harakat Hazm the favourite moderate group of the CIA. In English Harakat Hazm means Steadfastness Movement. However, the group decided to disband after their defeat, some even joining the Front. When Al Nusra seized the main base of Harakat Hazm they also came into possession of a warehouse packed with US-supplied weapons. Many rebel groups did not like Hazm believing they were given special treatment by the Americans by being provided with many weapons whereas other groups got few or none. No other rebel groups came to the defense of Harakat Hazm. Given that groups that the US considered moderate were becoming fewer and fewer, commentators such as James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, suggested that "moderate" could come to mean any group not associated with the Islamic State. There are suggestions that the Nusra Front might become new "moderates". Apparently Qatar has been active in trying to convince the group they should drop their ties with Al Qaeda so as to facilitate the re branding of the group. In terms of improving rebels' chances of gaining ground against Assad this would be an astute move. By continued bombing of Al Nusra positions the US has made any such move impossible. The US has attempted to distinguish the Nusra Front from what it calls the Khorasan. This group is said to be devoted to plotting attacks on the US and other western targets. However, the group is part and parcel of the Front and not separate. The first bombings killed not only some members of that group but other Nusra front members and civilians as well. Rear Admiral John Kirby a Pentagon spokesperson told reporters: Both the Islamic State and Nusra were born from Al Qaeda and from a military perspective they are very much one and the same. From the perspective of the rebels and their military objectives, bombing an ally in the military operations directed against Assad makes no sense and is counter productive even from a military point of view. The US seems to focus solely on the war on terror even if this means helping Assad in his battle with Syrian rebels. Sources http://www.bradenton.com/2015/03/09/5680338/us-bombs-nusra-headquarters-on.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-fighter-group-that-got-us-missiles-dissolves-after-major-defeat/2015/03/01/286fa934-c048-11e4-a188-8e4971d37a8d_story.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_R._Clapper http://news.antiwar.com/2015/03/04/rebranding-us-may-look-to-al-qaeda-faction-as-new-moderate-allies-in-syria/ |
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Ken Hanly
Ken is a retired philosophy professor living in the boondocks of Manitoba, Canada, with his Filipina wife. He enjoys reading the news and writing articles. Politically Ken is on the far left of the political spectrum on many issues.
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