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By arrangement with LegitGov.org.

January-8-2012-575.jpgPhotograph via Flickr by Pat Pilon.

“U.S. spies were to disrupt Iran polls”

January 8, 2012—Iran’s Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi says the spies recently arrested in Iran were plotting to implement U.S. plans during upcoming Iranian parliamentary polls. Moslehi said on Sunday that the espionage agents were planning to disrupt the elections, using guidelines communicated to them from outside the country and generating disturbances through online social networking websites. Moslehi said the fifth columnists were arrested after their activities and liaisons were fully established by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry.

Pakistanis working at Bagram airbase removed from service

January 8, 2012—A number of Pakistanis working at the U.S.-run Bagram airbase in Afghanistan have been removed from service by the U.S. Army. A citizen of Peshawar, Asif Ali, who worked as manager at the U.S. Army Engineers Corps, in a Facebook message to American Consulate General in Peshawar said that the FBI terminated the services of Pakistanis without giving any reasons, possibly due to tense relationship between the two countries.

Gitmo’s evil twin: Afghanistan slams torture in U.S.-run Bagram jail

January 8, 2012—The U.S. military has been accused of abuse and torture at its notorious detention center in Afghanistan. Investigators say most detainees at Bagram prison are being held without charge or firm evidence of guilt. Inmates of the U.S.-run prison outside Bagram Air Base north of Kabul complained of freezing cold, humiliating strip searches and being deprived of light, according to Gul Rahman Qazi, who led an investigation ordered by President Hamid Karzai.

U.S. army testing cargo drone in Afghanistan

January 8, 2012—The U.S. military is testing a revolutionary new drone for its arsenal, a pilot-less helicopter intended to fly cargo missions to remote outposts. This is the first time a chopper version of a drone designed for transport has ben used operationally. Two unmanned models of the Kaman K-MAX helicopters and a team of 16 company technicians and 8 Marines are conducting a 6-month evaluation program for the new craft at Camp Dwyer, a Marine Corps airfield in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand Province.

“0xOmar”: You won’t find me

—Saudi hacker tells Ynet report revealing his identity is wrong, says: If a stupid student thinks he can find me in eight hours, what will Mossad do?

—Hacker has blamed Israel before of committing genocide.

January 6, 2012—Hours after an Israeli student claimed to have uncovered the identity of the hacker who leaked the personal details of tens of thousands of Israelis, “0xOmar” tells Ynet in an email exchange that they got the wrong person, adding that “No one is going to arrest me, it’s not possible.” Omar stated that his next targets include military contractors and Israeli SCADA systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition).

Deputy FM threatens “forceful response” to cyber attacks

—Ayalon hints at aggressive Israeli reaction to online leak of credit card numbers belonging to thousands of Israelis. “U.S. announced that any attack on its cybernetic space would be considered a declaration of war,” he tells cultural forum

January 7, 2012—After an Israeli student claimed to have uncovered the identity of a hacker who leaked the personal details of thousands of Israelis, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Israel will view such cyber attacks as “acts of terror” and will “retaliate forcefully against hackers who undermine Israel’s cybernetic sovereignty.”

Israel treating hackers like terrorists

January 8, 2012—The message from Deputy Foreign Minister Dany Ayalon came after a self-defined “Saudi hacker” from a cabal known as “group-xp” published details of more than 6,000 Israeli credit cards online that “the U.S. has announced that any attack on its cybernetic space would be considered a declaration of war and that it would go as far as firing missiles to respond to such an attack. This is a good criterion for us all.” Israel said that it will respond to cyber-attacks in the same way it responds to violent terrorist acts, by striking back with force against hackers who threaten the Jewish state.

Perry: “I would send troops back into Iraq”

January 7, 2012—Rick Perry said he would send U.S. troops back to Iraq at a Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire on Saturday. This is the not the first time that the Texas governor has been critical of President Obama’s foreign policy in Iraq, but it is the first that he has suggested sending troops back after their withdrawal last month. Perry was bolder Saturday night on stage, citing Iran as a potential problem in Iraq.

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This link roundup originally appeared at LegitGov.org.

  Spencer Mandel: The Cradle of Conflagration: The End (and Beginning) of the War for Iraq: Have all our expenditures in blood and money bought a more stable society in Iraq? More
 
  Bill McKibben: Armed With Naïvete: Why it’s time to stop being cynical and start getting angry. More
     
  Robert Reich: The Decline of the Public Good: Even Margaret Thatcher would be appalled by the privatization of American society. More
 
  Jonathan M. Ladd: Why Is Everyone Mad at the Mainstream Media?: When and why did Americans stop trusting the media? Jonathan M. Ladd offers some ideas in his new book. More

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