The Eagle Has Crash-Landed

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president...
is morally treasonable to the American public

--Theodore Roosevelt

Freedom of speech is always under attack by Fascist mentality,
which exists in all parts of the world, unfortunately
--Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Terrorism has replaced Communism as the rationale
for the militarization of the country, for military adventures abroad,
and for suppression of civil liberties at home.
It serves the same purpose, serving to create hysteria
--Howard Zinn
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''The Pentagon’s new intelligence undersecretary is recommending the Defense Department shut down a controversial classified database that has been criticized for improperly collecting information on anti-war groups and citizens,'' so reports Army Times (''DOD May Shut Down TALON Database.'')

The database TALON — or the Threat and Local Observation Notice — has been under critical review since it was publicly disclosed in December 2005. It was developed by the Air Force after 9-11.

''Anti-war groups and other organizations, including a Quaker group — the American Friends Service Committee — protested after it was revealed that the military had monitored anti-war activities, organizations and individuals who attended peace rallies.''

Of course, peaceniks are a devilishly clever bunch. What could be less patriotic than opposing war?

''The TALON reports. . .are compiled in a large database and analyzed by an obscure Pentagon agency, the Counterintelligence Field Activity. CIFA is a three-year-old outfit whose size and budget are secret.''

This intelligence gathering in the CONUS is illegal, yet DoD is still ''bringing it on.'' It may shut it down, but if it does so, it will only be at the behest of the Pentagon's new intelligence undersecretary, James R. Clapper, Jr., who says the bad publicity regarding the trampling of civil liberties is a bit of a bummer for the department.

Why is the American taxpaying public allowing the DoD to use our money to illegally spy upon us-- honest, hardworking citizens?

Being anti-war does not mean one is conducting criminal activity, unless exercising the First Amendment has been put in a head-lock recently.

The American taxpayer is not the threat.