Tag Archives: State Department

WFB’s Bill Gertz: Obama Administration ‘Trying to Play Down’ Missing Libyan Airliners

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Posted on September 3, 2014

By Larry O’Connor:

Washington Free Beacon senior editor Bill Gertz appeared on WMAL radio in Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning to discuss his exclusive story on 11 missing airliners from the Tripoli airport.

“(U.S. Intelligence is) concerned they could be utilized in a 9/11-style attack,” Gertz said of the planes. “If they don’t use them in suicide attacks, they could also be used to transport some of these Islamist groups to expand their reach.”

“It seems like the State Department, the Obama administration, is trying to play down these reports, but the people I talked to were fairly concerned about them,” Gertz said. “Again, they are trying to locate these jets. I don’t think the CIA has a full handle on where all of the aircraft from the airlines were. There are a number of airports in the region that are within close distance to Tripoli International, so they’re obviously looking at these places and trying to get a count of how many aircraft are there.”

When co-host Brian Wilson asked specifics with regard to how Gertz’s sources responded to the reports of the missing jets by saying the “can’t confirm” the reports, Gertz explained that “can’t confirm” in this context was not meant as a denial, but “they’re trying to play down by saying ‘well, we can’t confirm them.’ That’s kind of bureaucrat speak within the United States government.”

“You have to understand the politics of Libya right now,” Gertz said.”You have a congressional inquiry spinning up to look at the 2012 terrorist attack at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi. So that would be my only speculation as to why they’re playing it down.”

Also see:

Hillary’s Heart…..it’s bad

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http://www.drudgereport.com/flashek.htm

 

BOOK: HILLARY HAS BAD HEART
Sun Jun 22 2014 18:01:30 ET

*Exclusive**

A new provocative work by bestselling author Ed Klein claims Hillary Clinton’s health problems are much more severe than she has publicly revealed!

“She had managed to keep her medical history secret out of fear that, should it become public, it would disqualify her from becoming president,” writes Klein in BLOOD FEUD.

BLOOD FEUD hits the street this week [it ranked #89 on AMAZON Sunday afternoon.]

Page 193

The true story of what happened to Hillary, which is being recounted in these pages for the first time, was radically different from Reines’s version.

To begin with, Hillary fainted while she was working in her seventh-floor office at the State Department, not at home, as Reines told the media. She was treated at the State Department’s infirmary and then, at her own insistence, taken to Whitehaven to recover. However, as soon as Bill appeared on the scene and was able to assess Hillary’s condition for himself, he ordered that she be immediately flown to New York–Presbyterian Hospital in the Fort Washington section of Manhattan. When Reines subsequently released a statement confirming that Hillary was being treated at the hospital over the New Year’s holiday, it naturally intensified speculation about the seriousness of her medical condition.

While she was at the hospital, doctors diagnosed Hillary with several problems.

She had a right transverse venous thrombosis, or a blood clot between her brain and skull. She had developed the clot in one of the veins that drains blood from the brain to the heart. The doctors explained that blood stagnates when you spend a lot of time on airplanes, and Hillary had clocked countless hours flying around the world.

To make matters worse, it turned out that Hillary had an intrinsic tendency to form clots and faint. In addition to the fainting spell she suffered in Buffalo a few years before, she had fainted boarding her plane in Yemen, fallen and fractured her elbow in 2009, and suffered other unspecified fainting episodes. Several years earlier, she had developed a clot in her leg and was put on anticoagulant therapy by her doctor. However, she had foolishly stopped taking her anticoagulant medicine, which might have explained the most recent thrombotic event.

“The unique thing about clotting in the brain is that it could have transformed into a stroke,” said a cardiac specialist with knowledge of Hillary’s condition.

Page 195

According to a source close to Hillary, a thorough medical examination revealed that Hillary’s tendency to form clots was the least of her problems. She also suffered from a thyroid condition, which was common among women of her age, and her fainting spells indicated there was an underlying heart problem as well. A cardiac stress test indicated that her heart rhythm and heart valves were not normal. Put into layman’s language, her heart valves were not pumping in a steady way.

When the author attempted to contact the Clintons’ cardiologist, Dr. Allan Schwartz, he refused to comment, which made it impossible to determine the exact nature of Hillary’s medical status or its long-term significance. However, sources who dis- cussed Hillary’s medical condition with her were told that Hillary’s doctors considered performing valve-replacement surgery. They ultimately decided against it. Still, before they released Hillary from the hospital, they warned Bill Clinton: “She has to be carefully monitored for the rest of her life.”

Developing…

U.S. Marine held in Mexican prison on weapons charge; mom calls for release

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U.S. Marine held in Mexican prison on weapons charge; mom calls for release

By Nick Valencia, CNN
updated 8:02 AM EDT, Fri May 9, 2014
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi says he accidentally crossed into Mexico on March 31
  • He had three weapons with him and was arrested in Mexico on a weapons charge
  • His mother and lawmakers are urging the State Department to get involved
  • Lawmakers have also written to the Mexican attorney general’s office

(CNN) — For more than a month, a U.S. Marine and Afghanistan war veteran has been held in a Tijuana, Mexico, prison, fighting for his release after being charged with a crime he says he did not commit.

Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi said he accidentally crossed into Mexico around 10 p.m. on March 31 with three personal firearms while on his way to meet friends in San Ysidro, California.

Tahmooressi, 25, had recently moved to the area to get treatment for his post-traumatic stress disorder and was “essentially living out of his truck,” his mother, Jill, told CNN.

He is currently being held in the La Mesa penitentiary in Tijuana on a weapons charge and awaits a May 28 court date, according to the Mexican attorney general’s office.

“I accidentally drove into Mexico with 3 guns … a rifle (AR-15), a .45 cal pistol and a 12 gauge pump shotgun with no intensions (sic) on being in Mexico or being involved in any criminal activities,” Tahmooressi wrote in a statement of innocence to U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter. “I have rights to all 3 weapons. They are under my name … Please help me.”

Hunter, a California Republican, is among several lawmakers who have recently begun petitioning for Tahmooressi’s release. Last week, Hunter wrote a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, urging him to get involved.

Also, in a bipartisan congressional letter addressed to Mexico’s attorney general on May 8, Hunter wrote:

“Mexico’s Attorney General is in a position to deal with Andrew’s case and ensure its quick resolution … it is necessary that the AG intervene and expedite proceedings at the very least. And so far there’s been no validation from Mexico that Andrew didn’t make a directional mistake at the border.”

The Mexican attorney general’s office confirmed Tahmooressi’s arrest on a weapons charge but could not offer more details about his case.

“Mother’s Day is Sunday. If I can have my baby home on Sunday, that would be the greatest gift a mother could ever ask for,” Jill Tahmooressi said in an interview from Miami.

“The brutality of being … unjustly in a foreign prison is worse than any experience I had with him serving two tours in Afghanistan,” she said. “He was willing to die for his country as a Marine. Where is his country now when he needs it the most?”

It is difficult for the U.S. State Department to quantify how many arrests are due to accidental crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, a spokeswoman told CNN, but Andrew Tahmooressi’s case is not all that unique.

In 2012, former Marine Jon Hammar was on his way to a surfing trip with friends when he was arrested while carrying an antique shotgun across the Mexican border checkpoint in Brownsville, Texas.

His mother told CNN that her son was arrested and held for more than three months even though he had registered his weapon with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents before his trip.

“The press coverage led to his release,” Olivia Hammar said in a phone interview. “It’s an illegitimate (court) process (in Mexico). There’s no oral arguments. You’re guilty until you’re proven innocent. Unfortunately, the only way to deal with that is … if the (U.S.) State Department is not going to do something about it, then you have to go to the public and force them to do something about it. In our case, that’s what moved things along.”

In a daily press briefing this week, CNN asked State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki about Tahmooressi’s case, but she declined to comment, citing “privacy concerns.”

Meanwhile, Tahmooressi’s family is determined to secure his release.

In the weeks since his arrest, they have held rallies across the United States, done media interviews and promoted a whitehouse.gov petition to draw attention to his imprisonment.

“The affect (sic) of this unjust incarceration on a decorated combat Marine is despairing,” the petition said.

As of Thursday evening, it had garnered nearly 12,500 signatures, about 87,500 short of the 100,000 required to get a response from the White House.

Report: State Department Stockpiles Massive Quantities of Explosives: “C4, Liquid Explosives, Blasting Caps, Detonating Cords”

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Report: State Department Stockpiles Massive Quantities of Explosives: “C4, Liquid Explosives, Blasting Caps, Detonating Cords”

Mac Slavo
May 12th, 2014
SHTFplan.com

Comments (155)
Read by 8,283 people

Composition-C4(Wiki Commons: Inserting blasting caps into composition C4 explosives)

In recent years it has come to light that the Department of Homeland Security has amassed an arsenal that includes billions of rounds of ammunition, high-powered assault rifles, riot gear and armored vehicles. But according to a new report from WND, they’re not the only ones preparing for a future conflict that may involve law enforcement, military and intelligence assets.

The U.S. State Department has now joined the mix, having recently placed purchase orders for everything from plastic and liquid explosives to detonating cords and fuse igniters. It’s not clear what the State Department, whose responsibility is to oversee international relations and  foreign policy via embassies around the world, intends to do with hundreds of pounds of explosives that are likely to be shipped outside of the United States, but it’s clear that whatever the mission may be, it’s not exactly peaceful.

State’s specific mode of distributing the explosive materials remains unclear, as its Diplomatic Pouch Policy explicitly prohibits the shipment of explosives through DPM/U.

…

State specifically is purchasing – and sending to Sterling, Virginia – 450 pounds of C4 M112 explosives, nearly 2,600 containers of liquid explosives, 188 feet of “linear-shaped charges” and more than 8,000 blasting caps via Solicitation No. FY14-GC-273.

A separate procurement, Solicitation No. FY14-GC-281, calls for 225 pounds of C4 plastic explosives, five pounds of C2 “sheet explosives” and 144 bottles of high-energy liquid explosives. Thousands of additional feet of detonating cord – plus 18,000 feet of military-grade safety fuses and hundreds of blasting caps and fuse igniters – are likewise part of this order.

A third procurement, Solicitation No. FY14-GC-282, seeks another combination of C4 block, sheet and liquid explosives with accompanying caps, igniters and related blasting equipment.

Finally, an array of “explosive entry systems,” “blasting tubes” and inert C4 and dynamite are sought under Solicitation No. FY14-GC-272.

State separately is buying hundreds of thousands of rounds of live 9mm “ball” ammunition as well as a lesser amount of non-lethal simulated ammo.

Full reports at WND

Coupled with recent revelations that individuals with ties to terrorism and extremists movements are being allowed into the United States, one can’t help but wonder what the State Department is up to.

Would it be out of the question to suggest that some of these explosives are destined to be delivered into the hands of organizations in the middle east and elsewhere that could use them against western-friendly targets? Of course, the State Department, like the ATF during Operation Fast and Furious, will be sure to track the delivery and transfer of such munitions, so concerns that we’re supplying terrorists with weapons and bombs are probably unfounded.

Maybe it’s just us, but we’re somewhat bewildered at the fact that a law abiding American purchasing a few boxes of ammunition and paying cash can be red flagged as a terrorist, while the actual terrorists (like Mexican drug cartels, et. al.) are being armed by our very own government and purposely kept off of terrorist watchlists that are designed to prevent their entry into America.

Somethin’ just ain’t right.

US State Dept. issues travel warnings

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Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

Turkey
September 06, 2013

1. The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Turkey that the U.S. Consulate General in Adana has been authorized to draw down its non-emergency staff and family members because of threats against U.S. government facilities and personnel. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens defer non-essential travel to southeastern Turkey.

2. On September 6, the Department of State permitted the drawdown of U.S. government non-emergency personnel and family members from the U.S. Consulate General in Adana, Turkey. U.S. citizens seeking to depart Turkey are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. There are no plans for charter flights or other U.S. government-sponsored evacuations.

3. U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Turkey should be alert to the potential for violence. We strongly urge U.S. citizens to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. There have been no direct attacks on U.S. citizens.

4. Review your personal security plans, remain aware of your surroundings, including local events, and monitor local news media for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance, take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security, and follow instructions of local authorities.

5. We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens and nationals traveling to or residing in Turkey enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens and nationals without Internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling signs you up to receive updated information about areas abroad and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or consulate to communicate with you or your designated contact in case of emergency.

6. Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or a regular toll line at +1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

7. You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. Download our free Smart Traveler App, available through iTunes and the Google play market to have travel information at your fingertips.

8. Contact information for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey:

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara is located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, tel: (90)(312) 455-5555, fax (90)(312) 468-6131.

The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul is located at 2 Uçsehitler Sokaği, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, tel: (90)(212) 335-9000, fax (90)(212) 335-9102.

The U.S. Consulate in Adana is located at 212 Girne Bulvarıı, Güzelevler Mahallesi, Yüreğir, tel: (90)(322) 346-6262, fax (90)(322) 346-7916.

The Consular Agency in Izmir can be reached at tel: (90)(232) 464-8755, fax (90)(232) 464-8916.

State Department Warning taking attention off of CIA-Benghazi leak?

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Yes, I think so.
Absolutely the timing of this was incredible.  All of a sudden a CIA connection on the ground in Benghazi comes to light, and within a few hours there’s a sudden and inexplicable “State Department Warning” and closure of embassies World Wide on Sunday.

Very interesting.