[–] Blacksmith21 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
People forget that State is part of the Intelligence Community (IC). Diplomats are often spies. Not the ambassadors. Most of them are idiots.
[–] VoatisCIA [S] 1 point -1 points 0 points (+0|-1) ago
Link to thegoldwater article Via 4chan board: http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/170715567
The 4chan thread discussing this article is used to link to this post is to include the comments and most importantly the reasons why the DNA is so vital to evil actors- look at what this Anon says: " ...Anonymous (ID: GZhfwdm5) 05/06/18(Sun)19:27:01 No.170718639
170715772 # Intel agencies have a habit of collecting DNA, finger prints and other specific identifiers like, obviously, voice recordings and eye scans. Why? They can be used for hundreds of different things.
If a UN diplomat turns on you and you'd like to switch him out, you could have him framed for a crime. And fingerprints, eyescans, voice recordings, etc can be used to gain access to restricted buildings, rooms, etc, etc.
The better question would be, why on earth wouldn't you collect their DNA?"
[–] flyingcuttlefish 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
also - people don't realize that only the sec. of state can approve foreign weapons sales.... that fact plays a big part in the Clinton Foundation pay-for-play scandal.
[–] Are_we_sure 3 points -3 points 0 points (+0|-3) ago (edited ago)
This is completely false. Um, do you think the Secretary of State has more power that the President? Do you think only one person signs off on foreign weapons sales? Rex Tillerson can just say let Saudi Arabia buy $700 million of weapons? Anything they want off the lot?
Arm sales are an instrument of US foreign policy and occur according to laws set by Congress. There's an inter-agency process about approving foreign arms sales. Congress must be notified of sales over a certain dollar value and can block these arms sales by passing legislation or pass resolutions condemning the sale. State and DOD handle the details, but the State Department is acting on behalf of the President when they approve a sale.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) oversees most government-to-government arms transfers and the commercial export licensing of U.S.-origin defense equipment and technologies, consistent with the Arms Export Control Act, the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and other statutory authorities and relevant international agreements.
The specific unit that looks into all this is Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers
The process is first a country must send a formal request.
This request is reviewed by the government....is the country on approved for this type of Sale, etc
Congress has to be notified for big sales. The notification limit is higher for NATO members and close allies. : The submission by the Department of State (on behalf of the President) of a preliminary or informal notification of a prospective major arms sale 20 calendar days before the executive branch takes further formal action.
That arms sale pay to pay is a whole lotta bullshit, it only works if you don't understand the above process and think one person approves US arms sales AND if you cherry pick the evidence.
Ireland gave a big, big donation and its arms sales went down 33% Algeria gave a small donation and its arm sales went up 400% Morocco gave a big donation and its arm sales stayed the same. Brunei gave the same as Algeria and its arms sales plunged 80%
A pay to play scheme would be consistent and if you paid more you should expect bigger payouts. Morocco gave 8 times what Algeria gave. Ireland gave 20 times.
It's almost like the donations to the Clinton Foundation had no effect at all on US foreign policy.
This is the type of deceptive bullshit political actors can get anyway with when people don't understand the details of how something actually works. Most everybody does not know how uranium is licensed or how the CFIUS board works or how arm sales get approved, so they have the complete jump on people and can frame routine actions into a scandal.
[–] racmo 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
bombshell- kudos to you