Muslim-Convert CIA Official Who Directed Hunt for Bin Laden Is Being Removed from Post

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united states of americaThe head of the CIA’s Counter­terrorism Center, who presided over the agency’s drone campaign and directed the hunt for Osama bin Laden, is being removed from his post, officials said, a watershed moment as the CIA turns its focus to a new generation of extremist threats.

The move, part of a major reorganization under [suspected Muslim] CIA Director John Brennan, ends a nine-year tenure during which the center was transformed into a paramilitary force that employed armed drones to kill thousands of suspected terrorists and militants but also killed an unknown number of civilians.

As the architect of that campaign, the CTC chief came to be regarded as an Ahab-like figure known for dark suits and a darker demeanor. He could be merciless toward subordinates but was also revered for his knowledge of terrorist networks and his ability to run an organization that became almost an agency unto itself. He embodied a killing-centric approach to counter­terrorism that enraged many Muslims, even though he is a convert to Islam.

Because he remains undercover, The Washington Post has agreed to withhold his full name. He has been publicly identified in the past by both his actual first name, Mike, as well as that of his CIA-created identity, Roger.

U.S. officials said that Roger is expected to remain at the CIA in a new assignment which has yet to be determined and that he is being replaced by an agency veteran who has held a series of high-level positions, including running the CIA’s operations in Afghanistan. His name is Chris. (Read more from “CIA Official Who Directed Hunt for Bin Laden Is Being Removed from Post” HERE)

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Obama Caves to Key Iranian Demands as Nuke Deal Comes Together [+video]

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WatchThe Obama administration is giving in to Iranian demands about the scope of its nuclear program as negotiators work to finalize a framework agreement in the coming days, according to sources familiar with the administration’s position in the negotiations.

U.S. negotiators are said to have given up ground on demands that Iran be forced to disclose the full range of its nuclear activities at the outset of a nuclear deal, a concession experts say would gut the verification the Obama administration has vowed would stand as the crux of a deal with Iran.

Until recently, the Obama administration had maintained that it would guarantee oversight on Tehran’s program well into the future, and that it would take the necessary steps to ensure that oversight would be effective. The issue has now emerged as a key sticking point in the talks.

Concern from sources familiar with U.S. concessions in the talks comes amid reports that Iran could be permitted to continue running nuclear centrifuges at an underground site once suspected of housing illicit activities.

This type of concession would allow Iran to continue work related to its nuclear weapons program, even under the eye of international inspectors. If Iran removes inspectors—as it has in the past—it would be left with a nuclear infrastructure immune from a strike by Western forces. (Read more from “U.S. Caves to Key Iranian Demands as Nuke Deal Comes Together [+video]” HERE)

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“Summoning the Demon”: Robots with Artificial Intelligence May Eventually Turn People into Pets [+video]

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elonRobots will use humans as pets once they achieve a subset of artificial intelligence known as ‘superintelligence’.

This is according to SpaceX-founder Elon Musk who claims that when computers become smarter than people, they will treat them like ‘pet Labradors’.

His comments were made in a recent interview with scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who added that computers could choose to breed docile humans and eradicate the violent ones.

Elon Musk has already likened artificial intelligence to ‘summoning the demon’.

But in his latest interview, Musk said his fears revolve around something known as superintelligence. . .

Musk also said humanity needs to be careful about what it programs superintelligent robots to do. (Read more from “Robots with Artificial Intelligence Could Turn People into Pets? [+video]” HERE)

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Guess Which State is Increasing Protections for Life and Which One is Expanding the Culture of Death‏

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WombBy Ben Johnson. Kansas will become the first state in the country to ban a procedure in which unborn children are dismembered in the womb, [when] Gov. Sam Brownback signs a bill that recently passed the state legislature.

The state House passed a ban on dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions, called dismemberment abortions in common parlance, by 98-26 on Wednesday.

The Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act, which had already passed the state Senate in February 31-9, now heads to Gov. Brownback’s desk.

Brownback, a staunch defender of life, is expected to sign the act into law.

“Because of the Kansas legislature’s strong pro-life convictions, unborn children in the state will be protected from brutal dismemberment abortions,” said Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, which has made banning dismemberment abortions a national legislative focus. (Read more from “Guess Which State Protects and Values Life and Which One is Expanding the Culture of Death‏” HERE)

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New York State Assembly Passes Dangerous Expansion of Abortion in the Third Trimester

By National Right to Life News Today. Today in a vote of 94-49 the New York State Assembly approved passage of AB 6221, the extreme stand-alone 10th point from the previously packaged 10-point Women’s Equality Act, which would expand third-trimester abortions and allow non-doctors to perform abortions.

Since 2013, abortion advocates had held the Women’s Equality Act hostage to this single dangerous bill, refusing to break the 10-point bill up. This session, however, the will of the voters was finally heard, and the stand-alone bills have been considered.

“Expanding cruel and brutal third-trimester abortions has long been a goal of the anti-life lobby who never met an abortion they didn’t like,” said Lori Kehoe, New York State Right to Life executive director. “With no regard for the fully developed unborn baby who is violently dismembered, or otherwise killed, the New York State Assembly once again put the abortion lobby above New York State women and their children.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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Family: Son Shoots Himself After Eating Marijuana Candies [+video]

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Photo Credit: CBS Denver

Photo Credit: CBS Denver

The family of a Tulsa man who shot himself Saturday night in Keystone is blaming his suicide on his ingestion of edible marijuana candies.

“It was completely a reaction to the drugs,” Kim Goodman said about her son Luke’s Saturday night suicide.

Luke Goodman’s death is now the third death in Colorado linked to marijuana edibles.

The 23-year-old college graduate was in the midst of a two-week ski and snowboard vacation with family members. Saturday afternoon he and his cousin, Caleb Fowler, took a bus from Keystone to Silverthorne where Fowler says they bought $78 worth of edibles and marijuana . . .

When the young men got back to Keystone, Fowler said they began ingesting the edible pot. He said his cousin favored some peach tart candies, each piece of candy containing 10 mg of the active ingredient in marijuana, the recommended dose for an adult consuming an edible. (Read more from “Man Shoots Himself After Eating Marijuana Candies [+video]” HERE)

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How Crashing Drones Are Exposing Secrets About U.S. War Operations [+video]

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military-droneCrashing drones are spilling secrets about U.S. military operations.

A surveillance mission was exposed last week when a Predator drone crashed in northwest Syria while spying on the home turf of President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. officials believe the drone was shot down, but they haven’t ruled out mechanical failure. Regardless, the wreckage offered the first hard evidence of a U.S. confrontation with Assad’s forces.

The mishap in Syria follows a string of crashes in Yemen, another country where the U.S. military keeps virtually all details of its drone operations classified.

Yemeni tribesmen have reported three cases in the past 15 months in which U.S. drones have fallen from the sky, pulling back the curtain on likely surveillance targets. Air Force spokesmen said they could not confirm any crashes in Yemen, but Air Force records obtained by The Washington Post show the dates match up with official acknowledgments of accidents that occurred in classified locations.

Since January 2014, the Air Force has reported 14 crashes of Predator and Reaper drones that either destroyed the aircraft or inflicted more than $2 million in damage. Three of the accidents took place in Afghanistan, but six happened elsewhere in classified or undisclosed sites, a sharp increase from prior years. (Read more from “How Crashing Drones Are Exposing Secrets About U.S. War Operations [+video]” HERE)

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California Loosens Sex Offender Residency Restrictions

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ChainsCalifornia will alter its 8-year-old ban preventing all registered sex offenders from living near schools or parks, state officials announced Thursday, instead imposing the restriction only on pedophiles and others whose sex crimes involved children.

The state corrections department said it is changing its policy in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that found the blanket prohibition unconstitutional. The high court ruled this month that restrictions imposed by California voters in 2006 go too far to limit where sex offenders can live.

Parole agents can still force sex offenders to live more than 2,000 feet from schools and parks where children gather, as required by the ballot measure commonly known as Jessica’s Law. But they will have to make the decision for individual cases.

The March 2 ruling applied only to registered sex-offender parolees in San Diego County, but prison officials will apply the ruling statewide. Some local governments outside San Diego County also have begun repealing their local residency restrictions in response to the high court’s ruling. (Read more from “California Loosens Sex Offender Residency Restrictions” HERE)

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Why Everyone is Wearing Yellow Today for This Little Boy [+video]

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SethWhat started as a way to put a smile on a 5-year-old’s face has become an international phenomenon beyond his mom’s wildest dreams.

Seth, who was born without an immune system, has a big smile, an even bigger personality and a simple message: Wear yellow [today] on March 27 to show him support.

Seth’s disorder, called severe combined immunodeficiency, is also known as the “bubble baby” disease because children like Seth must live in extremely clean environments.

Leanne (occasionally joined by Seth’s dad, Nik) has been keeping supporters updated on Seth’s condition through her blog. He is due for another bone marrow transplant in about five weeks, she said, when he’s well enough. His first transplant in 2010 was unsuccessful.

She’s thankful for the supportive responses her blog has gotten, she said. (Read more from “Why Everyone is Wearing Yellow Today for This Little Boy [+video]” HERE)

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Report: DEA Thoroughly Corrupted, Federal Agents Had ‘Sex Parties’ with Prostitutes Hired by Drug Cartels

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DEADrug Enforcement Administration agents allegedly had “sex parties” with prostitutes hired by local drug cartels overseas over a period of several years, according to a report released Thursday by the Justice Department’s watchdog.

The report did not specify the country where the parties occurred, but a law enforcement official familiar with the matter identified it as Colombia.

Seven of the 10 DEA agents alleged to have participated in the gatherings — most of which took place at an agent’s “quarters” leased by the U.S. government — admitted to having attended the parties, the report found. The agents, some of whom had top-secret security clearances, received suspensions of two to 10 days.

Former police officers in Colombia also alleged that three DEA supervisory special agents were provided with money, expensive gifts and weapons from drug cartel members, according to the report.

“Although some of the DEA agents participating in these parties denied it, the information in the case file suggested they should have known the prostitutes in attendance were paid with cartel funds,” according to the 131-page report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. (Read more from “Report: DEA Agents Had ‘Sex Parties’ with Prostitutes Hired by Drug Cartels” HERE)

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New Yorker Under Fire For Describing Ted Cruz With Racist Term

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Mr CruzBy B. Christopher Agee. Soon after he became the first 2016 presidential hopeful to formally announce his candidacy, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz became the subject of numerous media reports. One such article, penned by the New Yorker’s John Cassidy, described the Tea Party favorite as he believes “many Americans” see him.

Cruz “is the uppity loudmouth who, in the fall of 2013, less than a year into his first term as a senator, helped bring the federal government to a halt.”

Of course, many Americans believe the term ‘uppity’ has racial connotations and using it against the Hispanic Cruz is tantamount to a slur.

After radio host Rush Limbaugh referred to the “uppity-ness” of Michelle Obama following her chilly reception at a NASCAR event, The Wire published an article titled: “Yep, ‘Uppity’ Is Racist.”

The entire piece served as an effort to support the headline’s claim while disparaging Limbaugh and those who supported him. Despite the fact that the author’s most reliable source appeared to be an entry on the website Urban Dictionary that claims the word ‘uppity’ is “often followed by the n-word,” a certain segment of the population obviously believes the term is steeped in racial discrimination. (Read more from “New Yorker Under Fire For Describing Ted Cruz With Racist Term” HERE)

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Ted Cruz Bashed by Fox Hosts, Appears Later on Hannity

By Joshua M. Patton. One of Fox News’ conservative big dogs Eric Bolling, during a long segment on Cruz’s announcement, started by saying that Cruz is inexperienced.

“I love the Constitutional conservative in him,” Bolling said, “I think he would be a great president, but I just don’t think he is ready yet.” He then compared him to Barack Obama, since both of them have only spent two years in the Senate before running for President.

Cruz spent the entire hour with Hannity on his show last night, especially since the host is known for his softball, puff-piece candidate interviews. (Read more from this story HERE)

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