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Qwest Punished by NSA for Non-Cooperation
nightcats writes "According to a story from the Rocky Mountain news, Qwest has received retaliatory action from the NSA for refusing to cooperate in the Bush administration's domestic data-mining activity (i.e., spying on Americans). 'The [just-released government] documents indicate that likely would have been at the heart of former CEO Joe Nacchio's so-called "classified information" defense at his insider trading trial, had he been allowed to present it. The secret contracts - worth hundreds of millions of dollars - made Nacchio optimistic about Qwest's future, even as his staff was warning him the company might not make its numbers, Nacchio's defense attorneys have maintained. But Nacchio didn't present that argument at trial. '"
I love how today is "politics trolling" on slashdot.
This politics section was the worst idea since New Coke or the Apple Newton.
"Basically, the government was using lucrative contracts as an incentive for cooperation with various other less palatable projects."
There are plenty of other aspects the corruption. The free movie "Zeitgeist" explains the 3 main parts of U.S. government corruption: Zeitgeist (2007).
The Zeitgeist movie is very poor in some places, such as the opening sequences, and excellent in most places.
Part 1 of the Zeitgeist movie gives an example of how people are controlled by myths. Without people who call themselves "Christians", but are actually just suffering from the mental illness called anger, George W. Bush could not have been elected, or stayed in office. The "Christians" have a moral rule, "You will not kill", that they follow only when they please. The "Christians" were easily controlled by Karl Rove, who had George W. Bush say that he is one of them. Belief in myth caused millions of U.S. citizens not to think independently, and allows their anger to be manipulated easily.
Part 2 of the Zeitgeist movie discusses how people who control government use fear to get more control. Laws that required centuries to build are now being thrown away with as little awareness by citizens as can be designed. The Zeitgeist movie uses the bombing of the World Trade Center is used as an example of creating fear to get control. Those who want more information about how corrupters use fear can watch the free 3-Part BBC movie about how those who want corruption gain more control: The Power Of Nightmares: The Rise Of The Politics Of Fear (2004). BBC Article about the movie: The Power of Nightmares. Wikipedia Link: The Power of Nightmares.
Part 3 of the Zeitgeist movie explains briefly how and why the U.S. government is pursuing a policy of hyper-inflation of the dollar now. In fact, a small number of people control U.S. monetary policy.
Zeitgest, the movie, is free and can be downloaded using a BitTorrent client, burned to a CD (a DVD is not necessary), and most modern DVD TV players will play it.
Don't expect emerging consciousness of very difficult subjects like those in the movie Zeitgeist to be free of error. The movie correctly says that "resurrection after 3 days" is part of many ancient myths, with an astrological background. However, the movie also speculates that Jesus Christ may never have existed. That's beside the point. In fact, whether Jesus Christ existed or not, many people in the world thought that the new ideas of someone called Jesus and someone called Paul of Tarsus were an improvement over what they had before. Even many people who do not claim to be part of a religion think that.
Those movies are an excellent and entertaining way to start learning about U.S. government corruption for those who don't know about the corruption, and want to know what is happening and why.
It is difficult for the average person to believe that someone who already has a lot of money would kill others simply because he wants more money. However, people from rich families often grow up believing that it is acceptable for them to kill people to get what they want.
Those who invest in weapons and the manipulatable parts of the oil business, such as Cheney and the Bush family, control the government to get more money and get more power.
I am surprised at how much conflict of interest is allowed in the U.S. government. Why are weapons and oil investors like Cheney and Bush allowed to decide about starting wars in countries that have oil? (Afghanistan may not have oil, but oil investors want to build a pipeline through Afghanistan.)
A "smoking gun"? For what?
That the "government did 9/11"?
Come the fuck on.
And as to your "any pointers you have would be great", do a little fucking research yourself, asshole. There were hordes of surveillance and datamining programs of all kinds, long before Bush and 9/11, and many were significantly enhanced or created under Clinton.
People like you make me almost physically ill. Get a fucking grip on reality.
You can start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHELON
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANCHORY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Assistance_for_Law_Enforcement_Act