The Privatisation of Irish Politics

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Militarisation of politics and privatisation of politics go hand in hand!

You could expand on that - it might lead to somewhere interesting.

Reagan bush and bush jnr all privatisation right wingers tied to oil and the military.
Ganley has a private polituical party, and is a military contarcter for US navy, Airforce, and Army as well as Guatanemo Guards from Louisiana and the National Guard grunts fighting in Iraq.

His ambitions are for a federal Europe with him and his bootboys at the helm.

The private ring of capital he now has his sights on, (Alabania 'been there done them') getting a sniff at EU money through political grants, political donations and if they get their way they will have control of the whole thing.

Hey Cookie did RTE say Ganley owned Glenrock Holdings?
ok they did.

Does he still own it?

Auditor #9 wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Militarisation of politics and privatisation of politics go hand in hand!

You could expand on that - it might lead to somewhere interesting.

I agree it is a good observation. Certainly, we have seen a privatisation of war, in the past couple of decades, with the growth of companies like Halliburton/Kellog Browne & Root (KBR), playing key roles in military supply and logistics, and indeed Rivada, in the communications, intelligence and disaster management sphere. What role have these companies developed in setting policy, or making military decisions?

Frightened Albanian wrote:

The quoted is procurment for US airforce amendments for 2008. It is integral to their program to have such devices as Ganley's company makes. See the pdf fro details.
Gun aimers,

plus
Can we take it as an official Libertas position that Kevin O'Connell and Libertas are not spying on people?

Quote :

He is a well qualified and highly respected criminologist who has
held high positions in both the London Met and Europol. If you're going
to run head first into some pathetic attempt to smear him I suggest you
stop there.

First I don(t smear I interrogate and report facts and omissions , Secondly he certainly has come into focus for enquiry and thirdly if he is a spooked out type of guy I will want to know who was and is pulling his strings.
As he was and is in a position to call old pals in his various former agencies he would certainly be someone to watch re Libertas black ops and vitriolic smears.

Did he investigate Frightened Albanian, Kev Bar, People Korps etc?

FA - there is no evidence that I know that Rivada makes anything much in the way of arms devices. They are not big into R and D unless things have changed in the recent past. As far as I recall, they assemble packages of off the shelf communications equipment, like blackberries, and get them working together as a secure emergency communications system.

cookiemonster wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Balls cookie, do they not bring their toys to Iraq?

No. You don't seem to understand, Rivada specialised in communications for first responders in public safety disaster response stutations.

Cookiemonster, how much do you know about what happened in Hurrican Katrina? The "First Responders" came out to defend private property, and herded people into the Convention Centre without food and water. The whole thing was a ghastly disaster that damaged Bush's reputation in the US more even than the Iraq invasion.

Anticoalition wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Militarisation of politics and privatisation of politics go hand in hand!

You could expand on that - it might lead to somewhere interesting.

I agree it is a good observation. Certainly, we have seen a privatisation of war, in the past couple of decades, with the growth of companies like Halliburton/Kellog Browne & Root (KBR), playing key roles in military supply and logistics, and indeed Rivada, in the communications, intelligence and disaster management sphere. What role have these companies developed in setting policy, or making military decisions?

There's also the Privatisation of Peace or communities anyway. We have a thread here somewhere on the Cloughjordan Commune. This a way of saying there are homogenous groups out there who have organised themselves and taken some action, however big or small scale.

The theme of the potential or actual privatisation of militarism is a on a scale I'm not sure I want to contemplate this morning however.

Anticoalition wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Militarisation of politics and privatisation of politics go hand in hand!

You could expand on that - it might lead to somewhere interesting.

I agree it is a good observation. Certainly, we have seen a privatisation of war, in the past couple of decades, with the growth of companies like Halliburton/Kellog Browne & Root (KBR), playing key roles in military supply and logistics, and indeed Rivada, in the communications, intelligence and disaster management sphere. What role have these companies developed in setting policy, or making military decisions?

In the case of the Bush adminstration, the interests overlapped in all kinds of ways.

http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/

cactus flower wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

The quoted is procurment for US airforce amendments for 2008. It is integral to their program to have such devices as Ganley's company makes. See the pdf fro details.
Gun aimers,

plus
Can we take it as an official Libertas position that Kevin O'Connell and Libertas are not spying on people?

Quote :

He is a well qualified and highly respected criminologist who has
held high positions in both the London Met and Europol. If you're going
to run head first into some pathetic attempt to smear him I suggest you
stop there.

First I don(t smear I interrogate and report facts and omissions , Secondly he certainly has come into focus for enquiry and thirdly if he is a spooked out type of guy I will want to know who was and is pulling his strings.
As he was and is in a position to call old pals in his various former agencies he would certainly be someone to watch re Libertas black ops and vitriolic smears.

Did he investigate Frightened Albanian, Kev Bar, People Korps etc?

FA - there is no evidence that I know that Rivada makes anything much in the way of arms devices. They are not big into R and D unless things have changed in the recent past. As far as I recall, they assemble packages of off the shelf communications equipment, like blackberries, and get them working together as a secure emergency communications system.

That is a narrow view of what you can do with a blackberry.
What about directing airstrikes?

Frightened Albanian wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

The quoted is procurment for US airforce amendments for 2008. It is integral to their program to have such devices as Ganley's company makes. See the pdf fro details.
Gun aimers,

plus
Can we take it as an official Libertas position that Kevin O'Connell and Libertas are not spying on people?

Quote :

He is a well qualified and highly respected criminologist who has
held high positions in both the London Met and Europol. If you're going
to run head first into some pathetic attempt to smear him I suggest you
stop there.

First I don(t smear I interrogate and report facts and omissions , Secondly he certainly has come into focus for enquiry and thirdly if he is a spooked out type of guy I will want to know who was and is pulling his strings.
As he was and is in a position to call old pals in his various former agencies he would certainly be someone to watch re Libertas black ops and vitriolic smears.

Did he investigate Frightened Albanian, Kev Bar, People Korps etc?

FA - there is no evidence that I know that Rivada makes anything much in the way of arms devices. They are not big into R and D unless things have changed in the recent past. As far as I recall, they assemble packages of off the shelf communications equipment, like blackberries, and get them working together as a secure emergency communications system.

That is a narrow view of what you can do with a blackberry.
What about directing airstrikes?

Eh, I think you can blow up subways with farming products and household cooking items, FA ...

Yes but the National guard don't bring 10 10 20 to Iraq with them

Why go up a total blind alley? What difference does it make if it is communications and munitions? Same difference if it is used by State forces.

Agreed they are US military suppliers FULL STOP

Frightened Albanian wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

The quoted is procurment for US airforce amendments for 2008. It is integral to their program to have such devices as Ganley's company makes. See the pdf fro details.
Gun aimers,

plus
Can we take it as an official Libertas position that Kevin O'Connell and Libertas are not spying on people?

Quote :

He is a well qualified and highly respected criminologist who has
held high positions in both the London Met and Europol. If you're going
to run head first into some pathetic attempt to smear him I suggest you
stop there.

First I don(t smear I interrogate and report facts and omissions , Secondly he certainly has come into focus for enquiry and thirdly if he is a spooked out type of guy I will want to know who was and is pulling his strings.
As he was and is in a position to call old pals in his various former agencies he would certainly be someone to watch re Libertas black ops and vitriolic smears.

Did he investigate Frightened Albanian, Kev Bar, People Korps etc?

FA - there is no evidence that I know that Rivada makes anything much in the way of arms devices. They are not big into R and D unless things have changed in the recent past. As far as I recall, they assemble packages of off the shelf communications equipment, like blackberries, and get them working together as a secure emergency communications system.

That is a narrow view of what you can do with a blackberry.
What about directing airstrikes?

Cactus, I think the Alabanian might have a point...communications/drones .... drones/missiles. All remote control death devices need to phone home.
But back to the long arm of O'Connell.

Cookie have you answered the Albanian's question whether Declan's new spook is spying on contributors?

If he is, well hello hello hello he will be terribly confused.
Unlike Declan's world, I , and would hazard at strong guess about others too, don't do things for money.
We are not trying to improve our standing with any military/industrial complex whether they be neo-con drone merchants or KGB timber mafia.

On what Rivada does, I have posted previously at length - a "small business" that supplies packages of "off the shelf" technology linked up to provide a secure "interoperable" network between devices like mobiles and blackberries in an emergency situation - hurricanes, riots, civil disturbances etc.

The set up is written of rather dismissively by Tech sites in the communications business.

The heaviest weight aspect of Rivada is the list of Military Personnel in its management and Board.

Quote :

The heaviest weight aspect of Rivada is the list of Military Personnel in its management and Board

They certainly are part of the packgage. Why?Because it is a specialist military supplier and they have the contacts to get the orders and write the specs to fit contracts.


.

O'Connell would seem like a likely candidate alright him being a communications man too.

He's concerned about law enforcement communications between Europe and North America and that the current practices are not using the fullest capability of the technology available.

studiorat wrote:

O'Connell would seem like a likely candidate alright him being a communications man too.

He's concerned about law enforcement communications between Europe and North America and that the current practices are not using the fullest capability of the technology available.

Did that feeling come over him after he met Ganley?

This whole thing is looking more and more like a joint US / British military Operation, with Ganley as the Trojan Horse. I'd love a still image of Ganley hiding the US flag just before the interview with German TV. Looks like he is British first, US second, Irish third and anti-EU over all.

studiorat wrote:

O'Connell would seem like a likely candidate alright him being a communications man too.

He's concerned about law enforcement communications between Europe and North America and that the current practices are not using the fullest capability of the technology available.

He was employed by Ganley, after starring in Ganley's Security & Safety conferences when still a British and European bureaucrat. His task was supposedly to tell Ganley if there was a conspiracy to destroy his 'political credibility'. Well, the job wouldn't have lasted very long if he said 'No' would it? But it does sound very convincing if you have a man of O'Connell's credentials saying there is a conspiracy.

It would be a good idea to investigate all the military and security contracts that were awarded to or by participants in the Ganley's conferences. We already know Ganley and Rivada got a big fat contract in Louisiana, after the Hurricane and the conference that Senator (Military) Mary Landreau spoke at. What was the procurement process there?

In other words, who is in the Rivada Golden Circle?

Anticoalition wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

Frightened Albanian wrote:

Militarisation of politics and privatisation of politics go hand in hand!

You could expand on that - it might lead to somewhere interesting.

I agree it is a good observation. Certainly, we have seen a privatisation of war, in the past couple of decades, with the growth of companies like Halliburton/Kellog Browne & Root (KBR), playing key roles in military supply and logistics, and indeed Rivada, in the communications, intelligence and disaster management sphere. What role have these companies developed in setting policy, or making military decisions?

WAR IS JUST A RACKET

The following is an excerpt of a speech, delivered in 1933, by Major General Smedley Butler, former Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

Quote :

“War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and in nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we’ll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns six percent over here, then it bets restless And goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

I wouldn’t go to war again as I have done to defend some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things that we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn’t a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its “finger men” to point out enemies, its “muscle men” to destroy enemies, its “brain men” to plan war preparations, and a “Big Boss” - Supernationalistic Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military than to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of our country’s most agile military force - the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from a Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscleman for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just a part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all members of the military profession, I never had an original thought until I left the service. My mental facilities remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico - especially Tampico - safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. I was rewarded with honors, medals, and promotions. Looking back on it, I feel that I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”

http://blog.joerogan.net

While that's undeniably true of US military actions in South America both then and now, it doesn't establish a general case that all war is racketeering.

ibis wrote:

While that's undeniably true of US military actions in South America both then and now, it doesn't establish a general case that all war is racketeering.

That may be true, but the last decade has been a massive rise in private military contractors providing services to the US Military, and taking an ever-increasingly direct role in military operations. Halliburton often arrive at advance positions, and set up bases, before the troops even arrive.

SEC Charges Former CEO of Kellogg, Brown & Root, Inc. with Foreign Bribery

Quote :

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that it charged former KBR executive Albert Jackson Stanley with violating the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and related provisions of the federal securities laws. The Commission alleges that over a ten-year period, Stanley and others participated in a scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials in order to obtain construction contracts worth more than $6 billion. The contracts were awarded to a four-company joint venture of which The M.W. Kellogg Company, and later KBR, was a member.

Anticoalition wrote:

ibis wrote:

While that's undeniably true of US military actions in South America both then and now, it doesn't establish a general case that all war is racketeering.

That may be true, but the last decade has been a massive rise in private military contractors providing services to the US Military, and taking an ever-increasingly direct role in military operations. Halliburton often arrive at advance positions, and set up bases, before the troops even arrive.

That's very brave of them, then.

Anticoalition wrote:

SEC Charges Former CEO of Kellogg, Brown & Root, Inc. with Foreign Bribery

Quote :

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that it charged former KBR executive Albert Jackson Stanley with violating the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and related provisions of the federal securities laws. The Commission alleges that over a ten-year period, Stanley and others participated in a scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials in order to obtain construction contracts worth more than $6 billion. The contracts were awarded to a four-company joint venture of which The M.W. Kellogg Company, and later KBR, was a member.

You know, this bit has nothing to do with either war or Halliburton. Is it a random attack of citationitis?