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Wikileaks revealed Friday that Afghanistan is the second of two countries, the first being The Bahamas, to have every phone call recorded by the NSA.
My personal opinion: While this may not come as a surprise to many (given Afghanistan's recent history and strategic location) one must not forget the ramifications of having an NSA hub in the Middle-East, as that may have been a contributing factor to Hamid Karzai's animosity towards America and its continuing involvement in Afghanistan.
Another note: I was the first person to guess the country here, based on an unusual experience years ago as outlined in the linked post -- I was told in a bong shop by the daughter of an NSA employee stationed in Afghanistan years ago!
Cf SN's earlier story: Wikileaks Threatens to Name NSA-target
(Score: 4, Insightful) by anubi on Saturday May 24 2014, @11:35AM
Sounds like the NSA is going after tax evasion as well.
Now, it has been my observation that high-up buddy-buddies like Marie Antionette ( "Let them eat cake") and Leona Helmsley ( "Only the little people pay taxes" ) are in cahoots with the LawMakers to keep the little people down. The little people see through it, but for now, there is nothing they can do about it but get mad. When they get too mad, they get uncontrollable and the rich have a helluva time hanging onto their property, often losing their heads in the resulting melee. ( Of course, a lot of poor people lose their heads as well ).
It is well known that Al Capone, notorious gangster in the 1920's USA, got loose left and right from everything but tax evasion.
I have seen American LawMakers making all sorts of law trying to tell sovereign entities how to run their country so that American business interests are protected - especially in the cases of patent and copyright law, but it seems they have done little to reign in the "tax havens" to protect the interests of the American TaxPayer. This apparent camaraderie between the wealthy and our LawMakers has eroded the confidence of the American public in their own government.
We like to say we are a democracy, but as far as I am concerned, there is overwhelming evidence that our government has deteriorated into a bunch of whores selling out to the highest bidder. I am quite disgusted with the lot of 'em. I have not figured out what to do about it, as "they" seem to be in a position to offer me my choice of evils. There is little on the ticket I want and would love to see a "none of the above" option on the ballot.
I believe the Government would go a long way toward re-establishing credibility with the American people when our Government cracks down on multinational entities gaming the system as hard as they crack down on other countries for messing with American copyrights and the like.
It seems the Bahamas and lots of those Caribbean Islands are hotbeds of gaming international tax laws, as well as a few of those European countries who provide safe haven for people gaming the tax law of their home country, while all the time expecting the police forces and armies of the countries (whose taxes they are avoiding) to protect their business interests.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 1) by ilPapa on Saturday May 24 2014, @12:05PM
I'd say it was more likely they're trying to protect tax evasion.
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by ls671 on Saturday May 24 2014, @12:38PM
> Sounds like the NSA is going after tax evasion as well.
Well they might but you can be sure money transits through there for other purposes than tax evasion and maybe that's what they are interested in.
Everything I write is lies, including this sentence.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Angry Jesus on Saturday May 24 2014, @03:17PM
> There is little on the ticket I want and would love to see a "none of the above" option on the ballot.
Vote for the third party candidate that most closely represents what you think is important. If the big parties see little parties "stealing" votes they will move to co-opt some of the policies of the more successful little parties. Even if there were a "none of the above" that wouldn't signal what specifics you are displeased with so there would be no pressure to change what you think is important.
There is no easy and definitive way to fix what's wrong, it will be a battle of inches. We didn't get where we are now over-night, don't give up because we can't fix it over-night either.