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Fox News Joins the Parade of Fools (UPDATE)

* Bumped Up *

Add Megyn Kelly and Monica Crowley to the list of morons repeating the lie that Hillary Clinton ordered diplomats to spy on the UN. Kelly had Crowley on to comment on the Wikileaks lie that Hillary Clinton “authorized” spying against the United Nations. There is no excuse for this kind of irresponsible, stupid claim. Can these bimbos read? Now I realize that Fox is not the only one pushing this issue. Other mental midgets like David Corn and Jack Shafer also insist that Hillary crossed a line and must go. But do you think Fox would entertain this argument if the Secretary of State in question was Condi Rice? No and hell no!

UPDATE–Add the name of Dick Morris to the list of the brain dead. It is clear that the hooker he hired years ago sucked every brain from his body.

I never imagined that so many supposedly smart, informed people could be so abjectly stupid and simple minded. Let me walk you thru this systematically. Here’s the first paragraphs of the cable in question (the remainder is printed at the end of my piece). Read it for yourself, reprinted in its full glory (also linked here).

Date 2009-07-31 20:24:00

Source Secretary of State

Classification SECRET//NOFORN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 24 STATE 080163

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2034
TAGS: PINR, KSPR, ECON, KPKO, KUNR
SUBJECT: (S) REPORTING AND COLLECTION NEEDS: THE UNITED
NATIONS

REF: STATE 048489

Classified By: MICHAEL OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).

1. (S/NF) This cable provides the full text of the new
National HUMINT Collection Directive (NHCD) on the United
Nations (paragraph 3-end) as well as a request for continued
DOS reporting of biographic information relating to the
United Nations (paragraph 2).

Let me help you interpret this message.

The person who classifies the message is the person actually responsible for the message. In this case it is the Acting Director of the Operations section of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Owens probably did not actually draft the message. More likely that was handled by one of the junior officers in INR. However, OWENS is the one who signed this message out. It was not sent to the Office of Secretary of State Clinton before it was released.

Second and most importantly, this message is simply FORWARDING A DOCUMENT THAT ORIGINATED IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. Got that? This was not a State Department initiative. State is simply acting as a letter carrier for the intelligence community.

What is the “National HUMINT Collection Directive?” There are experienced intelligence officers (folks drawn from CIA and DIA principally) who work for the Director of National Intelligence and have the task of updating or creating intelligence collection plans for human assets. Our intelligence officers in the field do not come up with their own list of information they should gather. Nope. It is a highly bureaucratized process. They are given a prioritized list of the information Washington wants. That is what this cable is.

And to put a finer point on this, the CIA officer in charge in an overseas assignment is evaluated by how well they do in getting human assets to provide the information requested.

Take a look at the subsections of the first paragraph of this cable:

A. (S/NF) The NHCD below supercedes the 2004 NHCD and
reflects the results of a recent Washington review of
reporting and collection needs focused on the United Nations.
The review produced a comprehensive list of strategic
priorities (paragraph 3) and reporting and collection needs
(paragraph 4) intended to guide participating USG agencies as
they allocate resources and update plans to collect
information on the United Nations. The priorities should
also serve as a useful tool to help the Embassy manage
reporting and collection, including formulation of Mission
Strategic Plans (MSPs).

B. (S/NF) This NHCD is compliant with the National
Intelligence Priorities Framework (NIPF), which was
established in response to NSPD-26 of February 24, 2003. If
needed, GRPO can provide further background on the NIPF and
the use of NIPF abbreviations (shown in parentheses following
each sub-issue below) in NHCDs.

C. (S/NF) Important information often is available to
non-State members of the Country Team whose agencies
participated in the review of this National HUMINT Collection
Directive. COMs, DCMs, and State reporting officers can
assist by coordinating with other Country Team members to
encourage relevant reporting through their own or State
Department channels.

This is a routine cable sent out when the NHCD is updated. I guarantee you that Condi Rice and every other Secretary of State since Henry Kissinger had such a cable go out with their name attached. The cable ends with the name of the Secretary of State:

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN
CLINTON

As noted in a previous piece every single cable that leaves Washington, DC carries the name of the Secretary of State (or the acting Secretary). 99.9% of these cables are not written by nor reviewed by the Secretary. She is too damn busy to get bogged down in that kind of detail.

The fools on the left and the right need to do some quick self-education. Hillary is getting blamed for simply doing her job. Those calling for her resignation ought to be permanently banned from any punditry for egregious stupidity.

Here’s the actual collection plan. It tells you clearly what the reporting priorities are and the information the intel analysts want in order to meet the needs of policy makers:

2. (S/NF) State biographic reporting:

A. (S/NF) The intelligence community relies on State
reporting officers for much of the biographical information
collected worldwide. Informal biographic reporting via email
and other means is vital to the community’s collection
efforts and can be sent to the INR/B (Biographic) office for
dissemination to the IC.

B. (S/NF) Reporting officers should include as much of the
following information as possible when they have information
relating to persons linked to : office and

STATE 00080163 002 OF 024

organizational titles; names, position titles and other
information on business cards; numbers of telephones, cell
phones, pagers and faxes; compendia of contact information,
such as telephone directories (in compact disc or electronic
format if available) and e-mail listings; internet and
intranet “handles”, internet e-mail addresses, web site
identification-URLs; credit card account numbers; frequent
flyer account numbers; work schedules, and other relevant
biographical information.

3. (S/NF) Priority issues and issues outline:

A. Key Near-Term Issues
1) Darfur/Sudan (FPOL-1)
2) Afghanistan/Pakistan (FPOL-1)
3) Somalia (FPOL-1)
4) Iran (FPOL-1)
5) North Korea (FPOL-1)

B. Key Continuing Issues
1) UN Security Council Reform (FPOL-1)
2) Iraq (FPOL-1)
3) Middle East Peace Process (FPOL-1)
4) Human Rights and War Crimes (HRWC-3)
5) UN Humanitarian and Complex Emergency Response
(HREL-3)
6) Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMDN-5H)
7) Terrorist Threat to UN Operations (TERR-5H)
8) Burma (FPOL-1)

C. UN Peace and Peacebuilding Operations
1) Africa (FPOL-1)
2) Outside Africa (FPOL-1)
3) Policy Issues (FPOL-1)

D. UN Security Council
1) Procedures and Dynamics (FPOL-1)
2) Sanctions (FPOL-1)

E. UN Management
1) UN Leadership Dynamics (FPOL-1)
2) Budget and Management Reform (FPOL-1)

F. UN General Assembly Tactics and Voting Blocs (FPOL-1)

G. Other Substantive Issues
1) Food Security (FOOD-3)
2) Climate Change, Energy, and Environment (ENVR-4)
3) Transnational Economic Issues (ECFS-4H)
4) Arms Control and Treaty Monitoring (ACTM-4)
5) Health Issues (HLTH-4)
6) Terrorism (TERR-5H)
7) Trafficking, Social, and Women’s Issues (DEPS-5H)

STATE 00080163 003 OF 024

H. Intelligence and Security Topics
1) GRPO can provide text of this issue.
2) GRPO can provide text of this issue.
3) Foreign Nongovernmental Organizations (FPOL-1)
4) Telecommunications Infrastructure and Information
Systems (INFR-5H)

15. Collection requirements and tasking

(Agriculture is the Department of Agriculture; Commerce is
the Department of Commerce; DHS is the Department of Homeland
Security; DIA/DH is Defense Intelligence Agency/Defense
HUMINT; Energy is the Department of Energy; DNI/OSC is the
Open Source Center of the Director of National Intelligence;
FBI is the Federal Bureau of Investigation; HHS is the
Department of Health and Human Services; Navy is the Navy
HUMINT element; NCS/CS is the CIA’s Clandestine Service;
OSC/MSC is the Map Services Center of OSC; State is the
Department of State; TAREX (Target Exploitation) collects
information using HUMINT Methods in support of NSA’s
requirements; Treasury is the Department of Treasury; USAID
is the U.S. Agency for International Development; USSS is the
U.S. Secret Service; USTR is the U.S. Trade Representative;
WINPAC is the Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation, and
Arms Control Center.)

A. Key Near-Term Issues

1) Darfur/Sudan (FPOL-1).
– Views of United Nations (UN) member states on contributing
troops and air transportation equipment, such as helicopters,
to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the African Union
(AU)-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
– Details of deployments of troop contributor countries to
UNMIS/UNAMID.
– Details on actions and views of UN personnel deployed in
UNMIS/UNAMID.
– Views of UNSC members on the success or failure of
UNMIS/UNAMID.
– Operational plans of UNMIS/UNAMID from both the UN
Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York, and
UNMIS/UNAMID in Sudan.
– Details of diplomatic engagement between UNMIS/UNAMID
Special Envoys for the Darfur Peace Process in Sudan, and the
Sudanese government or Darfur rebel groups.
– Views of member states on UN activities in Sudan
(including Darfur).
– Divisions between UN member and UN Secretariat assessments
of the situation on the ground as it affects UN action.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Libya,
Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Sudan, Turkey, Uganda,

STATE 00080163 004 OF 024

Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, European Union (EU), UN

2) Afghanistan/Pakistan (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of key UN leaders and member states
regarding the ongoing operations of the UN Assistance Mission
in Afghanistan (UNAMA), including force protection in
Afghanistan.
– Information on plans and intentions of UN leadership or
member states affecting elections in Afghanistan.
– Reactions to and assessments of security threats directed
at the UN or aid personnel attempting to render humanitarian
assistance.
– Plans and intentions of key member states and Secretariat
leadership concerning Afghan political and economic
reconstruction, including efforts to combat warlords and drug
trafficking.
– Afghan, Pakistani and Iranian intentions or reluctance to
secure and safeguard UN and nongovernmental organization
(NGO) personnel (international as well as locally-hired
staff).

Countries: Afghanistan, Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa
Rica, Croatia, France, Iran, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Pakistan,
Russia, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
Terrorist Groups: Taliban
International Organizations: EU, UN, World Bank

3) Somalia (FPOL-1).
– UN plans and potential to expand, reinforce, or replace
the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) and African Union
(AU) Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
– Plans and intentions of UN leadership, the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations, and member states to deploy a UN-led
maritime force to monitor piracy off the coast of Somalia.
– Willingness of member states to pledge troops or air
transport to a possible UN or multinational force in Somalia.
– Views of Somali population on the deployment of a UN or
multinational peacekeeping force in Somalia.
– Details of diplomatic engagement between UN envoys and
Somali government or Somali opposition officials.
– Information on World Food Program activities in Somalia.
– Details of UN Development Program (UNDP)-Somalia training
Transitional Federal Government police officers and Alliance
for the Reliberation of Somalia officials in the Joint
Security Force.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, China, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico,
Russia, Somalia, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, NATO, UN

4) Iran (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of the UN Secretary General (SYG),

STATE 00080163 005 OF 024

Secretariat staff, or member states to address efforts by
Iran to develop, test, or proliferate nuclear weapons.
– Positions and responses of member states to future
International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) Director
General reports on Iran,s Implementation of Safeguards and
relevant provisions of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
– Specific plans and activities of the UK, France, Germany
(EU-3), and Russia with respect to IAEA policy toward Iran.
– Plans and intentions of key UN leaders and member states,
especially Russia and China, regarding human rights in Iran,
sanctions on Iran, Iran,s arming of HAMAS and Hizballah, and
Iran,s candidacy for UN leadership positions.
– Plans and intentions of Perm 5, other key member states,
coalition partners, and key Secretariat officials concerning
sanctions against Iran.
– Member support/opposition/subversion of US positions
regarding Iranian sanctions.
– Iranian diplomatic efforts with the IAEA and UN member
states to avoid passage of additional sanctions and effective
implementation of existing sanctions, as well as its efforts
to end UNSC involvement in Iran’s nuclear program by
returning Iran’s nuclear file to the IAEA.
– Information on Iran,s activities as chair of the UNDP and
within the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
– Development and democratization activities of the UNDP in
Iran; details about the UNDP Resident Coordinator,s
relationship with Iranian officials.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Libya,
Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
Terrorist Groups: HAMAS, Hizballah (Lebanese)
International Organizations: EU, IAEA, UN
Non-State Entities: West Bank and Gaza Strip

5) North Korea (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of UNSC members, especially the P-5,
to consider additional resolutions against North Korea and/or
sanctions under existing resolutions.
– Information on the plans and actions of UNSC members to
address efforts by North Korea to develop, test, or
proliferate nuclear weapons.
– UN views on food aid to North Korea, designating it as a
nation in famine, and misuse of aid.
– North Korean delegation views and activities;
instructions/plans of delegation officials on North Korean
WMD-related issues.
– Development and democratization activities of the UNDP in
North Korea.
– Details about the UNDP Resident Coordinator,s
relationship with North Korean officials.
– Biographic and biometric information on ranking North
Korean diplomats.

STATE 00080163 006 OF 024

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, Burma, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, North Korea, Russia,
Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, IAEA, UN

B. Key Continuing Issues

1) UN Security Council Reform (FPOL-1).
– Positions, attitudes, and divisions among member states on
UN Security Council (UNSC) reform.
– Views, plans and intentions of Perm 5 and other member
states on the issue of UNSC enlargement, revision of UNSC
procedures or limitation of Perm 5 privileges.
– International deliberations regarding UNSC expansion among
key groups of countries: self-appointed frontrunners for
permanent UNSC membership Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan
(the Group of Four or G-4); the Uniting for Consensus group
(especially Mexico, Italy, and Pakistan) that opposes
additional permanent UNSC seats; the African Group; and the
EU, as well as key UN officials within the Secretariat and
the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Presidency.
– Willingness of member states to implement proposed reforms.
– Reactions of UN senior leadership towards member
recommendations for UNSC reform.

Countries: Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Libya, Mexico,
Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, UN

2) Iraq (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of the Perm 5, other key member
states, coalition partners, and key Secretariat officials
concerning Iraqi political and economic reconstruction, the
UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), and internal Iraqi
boundaries.
– Plans and intentions of the International Organization for
Migration to assist with the reintegration of internally
displaced persons and refugees.
– Extent to which member states will support or subvert US
positions regarding Iraqi objectives, including
reconstruction efforts.
– Information on plans and intentions of the SYG,
Secretariat staff, or member states affecting elections in
Iraq.
– Iraqi actions to convert UNAMI to a Chapter 6 mission.
– Iraqi attitudes toward the UN.
– Reactions to and assessments of security threats directed
at the UN or aid personnel attempting to render humanitarian
assistance.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Iraq, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam

STATE 00080163 007 OF 024

Terrorist Groups: Insurgents in Iraq, Iraqi Shia Militants
International Organizations: EU, UN, World Bank

3) Middle East Peace Process (FPOL-1).
– Details on views, plans and intentions of key Secretariat
decision-makers, member states and influential blocs and
coalitions on UN engagement and role in the Middle East Peace
Process (MEPP), including implementation of the roadmap.
– Indications that a UNGA special session on the Middle East
might be reconvened.
– Developments within the UN system that would further the
Arab-Israeli peace process.
– Details about Quartet (EU, UN, US, and Russia) MEPP plans
and efforts, including private objectives behind proposals
and envoy negotiating strategies.
– Strategy and plans of SYG special envoy regarding US
positions, Quartet plans, and other (EU, Russia, UK) special
envoys.
– Indications member states or donor countries might scale
back UN peacekeeping presence in or aid donations to the
Middle East.
– Plans of the SYG or member states to pressure the US on
the MEPP.
– Views, plans and tactics of the Palestinian Authority,
including its representative to the UN, to gain support in
the UNSC, UNGA, or UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for its
strategies and positions on Palestinian-Israeli issues,
including from Russia and EU countries, especially France,
Germany, and UK.
– Views of Secretary General,s Special Envoy and UNSC on
possible settlement of the Shab’a Farms dispute to include
Syria/Lebanon border demarcation.
– Secretariat views regarding water management as part of
the Middle East Peace Process, including domestic and
regional competition for allocation.
– Quartet views on Syria’s policies and approach toward
Israel and Palestinians and on Syrian motives behind and
efforts to subvert or support Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations.
– UN efforts to influence negotiating positions on
territorial boundaries, water resources and management, and
right of return.
– Views, plans and tactics of HAMAS to gain support in the
UNSC or UNGA for its strategies and positions on
HAMAS-Israeli issues, and on HAMAS-Palestinian Authority
issues, including from Russia, China, Iran, and EU countries,
especially France, Germany, and the UK.
– Information on UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
activities in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West
Bank, and its relations with HAMAS/Hizballah.
– Plans and intentions of member states to support/oppose US
priority to reduce the number of Middle East resolutions.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,

STATE 00080163 008 OF 024

Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Spain, Syria, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
Terrorist Groups: HAMAS, Hizballah (Lebanese)
International Organizations: EU, UN
Non-State Entities: Palestinian Authority, West Bank and
Gaza Strip

4) Human Rights and War Crimes (HRWC-3).
– Plans and policies of UN leaders, member states, and
foreign NGOs to promote human rights.
– Plans and intentions of member states toward the
International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and other
UN-related courts and tribunals dealing with human rights
issues.
– Plans and intentions of UNHRC members to support or oppose
US policies in the UNHRC.
– Views of UNSC and other member states on Zimbabwe,s
government policies on human rights, humanitarian assistance,
democracy, and candidacy for any UN leadership positions.
– Views and intentions of UNSC, UN human rights entities,
and members regarding Sri Lankan government policies on human
rights and humanitarian assistance; UN views about
appointing a Special Envoy for Sri Lanka.
– Plans and perceptions of member states toward
establishment of new measures to prevent genocide, crimes
against humanity, war crimes, and other systematic human
rights abuses.
– Plans and intentions of member states toward proposals and
resolutions supported by the US or like-minded states,
including those advancing democracy; women’s rights,
particularly implementation of UNSC Resolutions 1325 and
1820; those pertaining to children in armed conflict; or
those condemning human rights abuses in individual countries.
– Information on reactions of member states to resolutions
designed to promote democracy, human rights and reforms in
the Muslim world.
– Perceived success or failure of abilities and priorities
of the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
(OHCHR), and efforts by member states to undermine OHCHR
independence.
– Views, intentions and tactics of UNHRC members regarding
reform and the role of the US.
– Member state support for/opposition to objectives of human
rights, refugee, development, and emergency relief agencies.
– Plans and intentions of member states or UN Special
Rapporteurs to press for resolutions or investigations into
US counterterrorism strategies and treatment of detainees in
Iraq, Afghanistan or Guantanamo.
– Degree of coordination by and among human rights agencies,
especially between the UN Human Rights Council, the OHCHR,

STATE 00080163 009 OF 024

the UNGA Third Committee, the UN Economic and Social Council,
and the International Labor Organization.
– Plans and agenda for upcoming UNGA Third Committee and
UNHRC sessions and world human rights conferences,
particularly plans by developing countries to stymie
criticism of their human rights records through procedural
motions or influencing votes.
– Plans of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to
sponsor resolutions or conventions in the UN restricting
freedom of speech under the rubric of criminalizing
“defamation of religion.”
– Details of UNHRC and OHCHR budget shortfalls.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, China, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Cuba, France, Georgia, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon,
Libya, Mexico, North Korea, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Sudan, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
International Organizations: AU, EU, Human Rights Entities
and War Crimes Courts, ICC, OIC, UN

5) UN Humanitarian and Complex Emergency Response
(HREL-3).
– Information on the planning and execution of responses to
humanitarian emergencies by UN member states and Secretariat;
indications US assistance may be requested.
– Efforts of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
World Food Program (WFP), UN Development Program (UNDP), UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO),
and other UN entities to respond to and to coordinate
activities in humanitarian or refugee crises, including
environmental disasters.
– Views of UN Secretariat, UNSC members, and key member
states on UNRWA.
– Details on effectiveness of UNHCR and OCHA leadership.
– Information on ability of UN to gain/not gain humanitarian
access to troubled areas, especially in light of security
concerns.
– Location of humanitarian facilities, including GPS
coordinates, and number of personnel.
– Details of friction between UNHCR, OCHA and UN Security
Coordinator Headquarters and field offices.
– Level of cooperation and coordination or lack thereof
between UN aid agencies and non-UN aid programs.
– Interoperability and willingness to work with US
coalitions in humanitarian assistance operations; willingness
to provide support despite security threats.
– Indications of donor fatigue.
– Status of and member support for/opposition to efforts by
UNHCR to refocus organization’s work and to redistribute
programs to other agencies.
– Details on UNHCR funding shortfalls.
– Perceived ability of the UNDP to coordinate an effective
UN presence in each country and to promote democratic

STATE 00080163 010 OF 024

governance.
– Plans and ability to care for and protect internally
displaced persons.
– Communications and logistics problems.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: Economic-Societal Entities,
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN, World Health
Organization

6) Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMDN-5H).
– Plans and intentions of member states to address threats
to international security from the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction.
– Views of member states on tactical and substantive aspects
of resolutions pertaining to missile proliferation, missile
defense, nuclear disarmament, the IAEA, and Israel’s nuclear
program.
– Information from key Secretariat decision-makers, key IAEA
Secretariat staff, member states, or influential blocs or
groups, such as the Nonaligned Movement (NAM), the OIC, or
the Group of 77 (G-77), on the role of the UN on nuclear
proliferation or addressing the expansion of capabilities to
produce or use weapons of mass destruction.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, Burma, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, IAEA, International Arms
Control Organizations, OIC, UN

7) Terrorist Threat to UN Operations (TERR-5H).
– Plans and intentions of Secretariat and member states to
respond to individuals affiliated with terrorist groups or
state sponsors of terrorism threatening the safety or
security of domestic and overseas UN personnel, facilities,
protectees, or installations.
– Evidence of relationship or funding between UN personnel
and/or missions and terrorist organizations.
– Debate in Secretariat, UNSC counterterrorism bodies
(subcommittees), UN agencies and among member states about
measures for funding of security for UN domestic and overseas
facilities, operations, and personnel.
– Host-country intentions to secure and safeguard UN and NGO
personnel.
– Reactions to and assessments of terrorist acts directed at
the UN, UN personnel, UN protectees, or domestic and overseas
UN installations, including foreign UN missions in New York.
– Details of UN efforts to acquire, collect, assess and
disseminate threat information within the US and overseas.
– Plans of UN security offices to upgrade security at UN

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domestic and overseas UN facilities.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN

8) Burma (FPOL-1).
– Views of UNSC and member states on Burma,s policies and
actions on human rights, humanitarian assistance, democracy,
and attempts to play a larger UN role.
– Plans and intentions of the Special Adviser to the UN
Secretary General on Burma regarding future interaction with
Burma and engagement with UN member states.
– Plans and intentions of the SYG on Burma; level of trust
in his Special Adviser.
– Views of Burmese officials on the SYG, on his Special
Adviser on Burma, and on key countries in the UN.
– Role of the UN in Burmese elections.
– Development and democratization activities of UNDP in
Burma; details about the UNDP Resident Coordinator,s
relationship with Burmese officials.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, Burma, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia,
Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, UN

C. UN Peace and Peacebuilding Operations.

1) Africa (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of UN leaders and member states
regarding peace operations, especially in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Chad/Central African
Republic, Burundi, Cote d,Ivoire, and Liberia.
– UN peacekeeping plans and intentions regarding military
operations against rebels based in the eastern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
– Early warning information available to the Secretariat on
potential threats to peace and security.
– UN views on the role of AFRICOM in African conflict
resolution and post-conflict capacity building.
– UN expectations of US military involvement in African
peacekeeping missions and how this may influence UN
willingness to establish, curb, or end missions.
– Extent to which UN peace operations in Africa are
straining the resources of the UN and member states; impact
of current operations on future operations and readiness.
– UN views on peacekeeping mission creep and pressures to
expand the UN role in African conflict zones, either in the
form of more comprehensive “peacemaking” mission mandates or
in areas where security threats demand more aggressive and
timely UN-led multilateral intervention.
– Details on views of the UN Department of Peacekeeping

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Operations on operational plans, including the ability of the
UN and its member states to build capacity in Africa,
including by working with the AU or other regional
organizations and NGOs.
– Efforts by China, France, Iran, and others to gain
influence in Africa via UN peace operations.
– Information on extent of support and capabilities for
peace operations by the AU and the Economic Community of
Western African States (ECOWAS).
– Official stance on deploying HIV positive troops and
actual practice.
– Degree to which official peacekeeping reporting matches
unofficial communications of events; views on those
discrepancies.
– Views of African states that host peacekeepers regarding
UN peacekeeping troops and troop contributing countries.
– Attitudes and intentions of Ghana and Rwanda concerning UN
peace operations in Africa and perception of their relative
ability to contribute to such efforts.
– Attitudes of other African States to Ghana/Rwanda
participation and leadership.

Countries: Austria, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo, Cote d,Ivoire,
Democratic Republic, Costa Rica, Croatia, Egypt, Ethiopia,
France, India, Japan, Jordan, Liberia, Libya, Mexico, Nepal,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa,
Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
International Organizations: AU, EU, ICC, NATO, UN
Non-State Entities: Lord,s Resistance Army

2) Outside Africa (FPOL-1).
– Plans and intentions of UN leaders and member states
regarding ongoing peace operations outside Africa.
– Willingness of UN leaders and member states to support UN
peacekeeping efforts and utilize preventive diplomacy in
areas of potential conflict.
– Views of member states on and plans to respond to the
US-backed G-8 plan to expand global peace operations
capabilities.
– Views and positions of key member states and Secretariat
toward proposed resolutions, mandates, peacekeeping issues,
and US-sponsored initiatives.
– Information on whether member states will utilize
references to the ICC to condition support for peace
operations.
– Information on deployment benchmarks, pre-deployment
screening, and supply and logistic shortfalls in peace
operations.
– Ability to obtain pledges and deploy capable military
forces, including surge capabilities.
– Views of UNSC members, the Secretariat, and key member
states on Haiti,s government policies and actions on human
rights, humanitarian assistance, and democracy.

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– Views and positions of UNSC members, the Secretariat, and
key member states regarding the UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) and peacekeeping in Lebanon.

Countries: Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,
Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nepal, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Uganda,
Uruguay, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, ICC, NATO, UN

3) Policy Issues (FPOL-1).
– UN member views, plans, and intentions concerning the
capability of the UN to organize, lead, and carry out new,
complex military operations and civilian police operations.
– Information on Secretariat or member views on or
initiatives for peace operations reform.
– Information on the appointment of SYG special
representatives for new peace or political operations.
– Scope, objectives, command structures, rules of
engagement, and threat environment for proposed peacekeeping
activities, including transportation and communications
infrastructures and any available maps.
– Types, number, and capabilities of troops, equipment, and
materiel that countries are willing to contribute.
– Information on interoperability of equipment and material
available for logistic support.
– Information on turf battles between the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations, Department of Field Support, and
Department of Political Affairs over control of peace
operations.
– Information on turf battles between logistic and military
sides of peace operations.
– UN member views on reform of the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations.
– Information on troop contributing countries’ tendency to
follow orders given by troop contributing country commanders
vice UN field commanders.
– Influence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) and the Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNCHR) on including human rights and refugee
concerns within peace operations mandates.
– Host government views and concerns about UN policies
toward that country.
– Influence of UN security coordinator on operational
planning; field personnel reaction to UN security directives.
– Capability/plans for Standby High-Readiness Brigade
(SHIRBRIG) deployments.
– Details on peacekeeper abuse of women and children;
national and UN responses.
– Changes in ability of member states, especially member
states of EU, AU and ECOWAS, to contribute troops to peace
operations, including for economic, social, and operational
reasons.
– Details on contributions of member states (in kind,

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personnel, or financial).

Countries: Austria, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, China, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, India, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, Libya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia,
Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda,
Uruguay, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, UN

D. UN Security Council

1) Procedures and Dynamics (FPOL-1).
– Plans, intentions, and agendas of UNSC members and
Secretariat on issues that come before the UNSC, especially
voting intentions of UNSC members and priorities or frictions
among the Perm 5.
– Plans and intentions of UNSC members to support or oppose
US policies in the UNSC.
– Specific views and positions of key member states on
US-sponsored initiatives, initiatives with implications for
the US, and other proposed resolutions and mandates.
– Plans, intentions, views, positions, lobbying, and tactics
of regional groups, blocs, or coalitions on issues before the
UNSC, especially those that do not include the US
(particularly the Africa Group, AU, EU, NAM, G-77, Rio Group,
Arab League, the OIC, and the Group of Latin America and
Caribbean Countries (GRULAC).
– Differences in the positions of member states, differences
between UN missions and their capitals, internal procedures
for determining voting instructions, and voting instructions
to delegations.
– Priorities, plans, and intentions of new member states
joining the UNSC, and influences on them by regional groups,
blocs, or coalitions on issues before the UNSC, especially
those that do not include the US (particularly AU, EU, NAM,
G-77, Rio Group, Arab League, and the OIC).
– Plans and intentions of member states of regional groups
regarding UNSC candidacy.
– Biographic and biometric information on UNSC Permanent
Representatives, information on their relationships with
their capitals.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, OIC, UN

2) Sanctions (FPOL-1).
– UNSC member plans, intentions, and views toward sanctions
issues, especially during negotiations of sanctions
resolutions.
– Willingness of and efforts by UN member states to violate
sanctions.
– Perceived and actual impact of sanctions on target

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governments, individuals, entities, as well as on civil
population.
– Plans, intentions, and agendas of UNSC sanctions committee
members.
– Plans, intentions, and agendas of UNSC sanctions committee
expert groups and their ability to support sanctions
monitoring.
– Pressure to limit scope and length of new sanctions,
especially from coalitions and regional groups.
– Views and actions of the Secretariat or member states with
regard to sanctions, including to bolster UN ability to
support sanctions implementation and to address violations.
– Views of target government on sanctions imposed on it.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone,
Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, UN

E. UN Management

1) UN Leadership Dynamics (FPOL-1).
– SYG’s management and decision-making style, and his
influence on the Secretariat.
– Plans, measures and efforts undertaken by the SYG and
subordinates on US political and bureaucratic objectives for
UN management.
– Role and influence of Secretariat and other key officials
with SYG and other UN system agencies.
– Views of and brokering by key officials on major issues.
– Changes in and appointment and selection process for key
officials of Secretariat, specialized agency, committee,
commission, and program officials in New York, Geneva,
Vienna, and other UN system cities, to include special
assistants and chiefs of staff.
– Personalities, biographic and biometric information,
roles, effectiveness, management styles, and influence of key
UN officials, to include under secretaries, heads of
specialized agencies and their chief advisers, top SYG aides,
heads of peace operations and political field missions,
including force commanders.
– Relations between key UN officials and member states.
– Views of member states on the next SYG race, to include
preferred candidates and candidates lacking UN member support.
– Views of UNSC members and other member states on Cuban,
Iranian, or Syrian candidacy for any UN leadership positions.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Syria,
Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN

2) Budget and Management Reform (FPOL-1).
– Plans, measures and efforts undertaken by the SYG and

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subordinates on US political and bureaucratic objectives for
UN management.
– Perceptions of member states of the effectiveness of the
Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and the Joint
Inspection Unit (JIU) to combat waste, fraud, mismanagement,
and corruption.
– Effectiveness of the OIOS, in light of the review of the
OIOS mandate.
– Plans and moves to implement OIOS recommendations.
– SYG’s view of the role of the OIOS.
– Secretariat attitudes toward and evidence of corruption in
UN agencies and programs, and willingness to implement
measures to reduce corruption.
– Plans and intentions of UN member states or the
Secretariat to address corruption issues at the UN and UN
agencies.
– Plans and intentions of UNDP Executive Board members to
push for or block management reform proposals.
– Plans and intentions of UNDP Executive Board members or
senior UNDP managers to address potential or actual cases of
corruption or mismanagement by field missions, including
efforts to cover up waste, fraud, or abuse.
– Internal complaints by UNDP staff about waste, fraud, or
abuse and efforts by UNDP management to respond to them.
– Plans and intentions of Board members, such as Iran, to
push for increased UNDP funding for programs in their own
countries or those of their friends.
– Degree of independence from UN headquarters of UNDP
Resident Coordinators in the field and perceptions of field
staff on UN aid consolidation reforms under the “One UN”
Program.
– Efforts by the G-77 Board members to develop common group
platforms, especially on budget and management reform issues.
– Developments in the implementation of the performance
based personnel system and contractor reform.
– Plans, intentions, and agendas of UN specialized agency
executive committees.
– Impact and effectiveness of whistle-blowing provisions on
the UN reform process.
– Attitudes of UN staff and member states towards extending
a common whistle-blower protection program to all UN funds
and programs.
– Indications of pressure by member states or groups to
increase or control growth in the budget.
– Secretariat and member attitudes towards changes in the
scale of assessments.
– Options under consideration to resolve financial problems.
– SYG views on and plans for responding to Government
Accountability Office reports calling on the UN to more
effectively implement results-based budgeting, and make
further progress on management reform.
– Secretariat and member attitudes and plans to improve the
UN budget process.
– Status and use of advanced information systems to

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streamline UN processes.

Countries: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China,
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Japan, Libya,
Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN

F. UN General Assembly Tactics and Voting Blocs (FPOL-1).
– Plans, intentions, views, positions, lobbying, and tactics
of regional groups, blocs, or coalitions on issues before the
General Assembly, especially those that do not include the
US, i.e., the Africa Group, AU, EU, NAM, G-77, Rio Group,
Arab League, the OIC, and the GRULAC.
– Details of bargaining on votes or candidacies and attempts
to marginalize or undermine proposed or planned US positions
or policy initiatives.
– Information on the EU agenda in the UNGA, especially as it
relates to US priorities in the First, Third, and Fifth
Committees.
– Information on efforts by the EU or other member states to
secure additional voting rights in the UN and its specialized
agencies.
– Lobbying by member states for committee membership
assignments or vice presidencies.
– Information on current and likely future leadership of
regional groups, blocs, and coalitions.
– Differences over positions between UN missions and their
respective capitals.
– Voting instructions to delegations on key resolutions.
– Plans, intentions, and agendas of key committee chairs;
member views of issues that come before these committees.
– Efforts of Third World countries to moderate, via NAM and
G-77, Third World positions on development, defamation of
religion, or human rights issues.
– Intentions of UN members to use non-UN bodies and working
groups to bypass perceived UN bureaucracy.
– Perceptions of member states of the viability and
potential impact of the US-backed Democracy Caucus.
– Biographical and biometric information on key NAM/G-77/OIC
Permanent Representatives, particularly China, Cuba, Egypt,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan,
Uganda, Senegal, and Syria; information on their
relationships with their capitals.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Japan, Libya,
Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, South Africa,
Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: AU, EU, OIC, UN

G. Other Substantive Issues

1) Food Security (FOOD-3).
– Status and proposals related to the UN Comprehensive

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Framework for Action to address the global food crisis.
– WFP activities and proposals related to reforming donor
food aid policies and establishing a new standing global fund
to address regularly occurring food crises.
– WFP and FAO plans and proposals regarding the impact on
food prices and food security of the growing use of ethanol
and biofuels.
– Internal UN responses to international calls for reform of
FAO and WFP.

Countries: Afghanistan, Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Haiti, Iraq, Japan, Libya,
Mexico, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, Sudan,
Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
International Organizations: FAO, UN, World Animal Health
Organization
Non-State Entities: Palestinian Authority, West Bank and
Gaza Strip

2) Climate Change, Energy, and Environment (ENVR-4).
– Country preparations for the December 2009 Copenhagen UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Meeting.
– Developments related to other UNFCCC meetings and
discussions on a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol.
– Perceptions of key negotiators on US positions in
environmental negotiations.
– Developments on the Montreal Protocol, including reactions
to US efforts to limit hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
– Indications that member states working through the UN and
its specialized agencies are/are not fostering environmental
cooperation, partnerships and capacity building between and
among member states and regional and sub-regional
organizations.
– Monitoring of and compliance with UN-sponsored
environmental treaties; evidence of treaty circumvention.
– Information on adherence to member states’ own national
environmental programs, including protection, monitoring, and
cleanup efforts.
– Efforts by treaty secretariats to influence treaty
negotiations or compliance.
– Information on the Convention on Biological Diversity,
particularly on access, benefit sharing and bio-safety.
– Information on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,
including potential efforts to modify or amend its provisions.
– Information on excessive maritime claims, including those
relating to ridges.
– Information on efforts to develop a mechanism to add
chemicals to the list of persistent organic pollutants.
– Information and perceptions on the strategic approach to
international chemicals management, especially efforts of the
EU’s management program.
– Information on participation in and compliance with the UN
Basel Convention.
– Status of efforts to set standards to promote

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environmental protection, including protection of forests,
desertification, and invasive or endangered species.
– Efforts within the UN to protect water resources, and to
promote development of alternative sources of energy.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, UN

3) Transnational Economic Issues (ECFS-4H).
– Information on efforts by UN member states or
organizations to promote or obstruct regulatory reform,
including banking and financial reforms, transparency,
international law, trade, development, and foreign direct
investment to reflect the Monterrey anti-poverty consensus
and the Millennium Development Goals.
– Plans, intentions, and tactics of the UNGA President
regarding international financial problems; views of member
states regarding these plans.
– Plans and intentions of member states to support US
priorities related to economic freedom and promotion of
democracy.
– Secretariat or member plans to develop multilateral
economic, trade, or development agreements impinging on US
interests.
– Efforts by member states and the Secretariat to reconcile
international differences over globalization, especially the
perceived impact of globalization on human rights, labor, and
environmental issues.
– Member positions on UN decisions, plans, and activities
concerning environmentally sustainable economic growth
through market economies, free trade, private investment, and
efficient multilateral development assistance.
– Efforts to expand the global compact involving
corporations committed to observing human rights,
environmental, and labor standards.
– SYG’s views and statements on trade issues and efforts to
influence future World Trade Organization rounds.
– Plans and intentions of UN member states that may impact
freedom of navigation.
– Information on international taxation initiatives.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, FAO, International
Financial Institutions and Infrastructures, UN, World Bank,
World Trade Organization

4) Arms Control and Treaty Monitoring (ACTM-4).
– Plans, tactics, timetables, and draft proposals for the
Eighth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and especially

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information related to the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East
and a Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone initiative, from
interested individual member states (especially China, Cuba,
Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, and South Africa) and
like-minded groups such as the NAM and the New Agenda
Coalition (Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South
Africa, and Sweden).
– Member state views of the major problems facing the NPT;
whether or under what conditions states would consider
withdrawing from the NPT.
– Member views on and responses to US plans and policies on
missile defense and positions on a Fissile Material Cutoff
Treaty, particularly those of Russia, China, and Pakistan.
– Information on IAEA plans for safeguards, international
fuel banks, or other nuclear fuel supply arrangements, and
meetings of the Board of Governors at the IAEA.
– Member views on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
(CTBT); prospects for country ratifications and entry into
force.
– Member plans for plenary meetings of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group; views of the US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation
Initiative.
– Readiness of member states to reform the agenda of the UN
General Assembly’s First Committee; proposals prepared by
member states for the First Committee.
– Views of key delegations on US proposals on land mines.
– Tactical and substantive information regarding periodic
arms control meetings in New York, Geneva, Vienna and
elsewhere, including the Biological Weapons Convention, the
Chemical Weapons Convention, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) review process, UN experts group on missiles,
and meetings on conventional arms.
– Plans and intentions of member states to introduce new
arms control or proliferation prevention measures or make
significant changes to existing agreements.
- Member or Secretariat plans to address WMD proliferation,
safeguards, arms control and disarmament, or other threat
reduction efforts.
– Foreign attitudes on UN-sanctioned arms control
negotiations.
– Biographic and biometric data on, and positions of key UN
arms control interlocutors, especially candidates for the
position of Director General of the IAEA, and the heads of
other international institutions.

Countries: Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Japan, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, South
Africa, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, IAEA, International Arms
Control Organizations, NATO, OSCE, UN

5) Health Issues (HLTH-4).
– UN, WHO, and other international organizations,

STATE 00080163 021 OF 024

forecasts, expected impacts, plans, proposals, key studies,
and reactions to major health crises and other health-related
issues, including efforts on disease eradication, improving
health standards and access to care and medicine, and
programs to monitor and respond to emerging infectious
disease outbreaks and other disasters or emergencies.
– Information on deliberations in the UN and other
international health organizations on health issues and the
policy positions and objectives of member states and key
figures, including compromises, insertions, and items omitted
in published declarations and studies.
– Information on international health organizations,
relationships and interactions with countries and other
organizations, including relationships with regional offices
or subsidiaries.
– Details on limits and restrictions placed on international
organizations to investigate reports of diseases that pose an
international threat, including restrictions placed on the
nationality of members of investigation teams.
– Details on disease transparency, particularly indications
about inconsistent reporting of outbreaks to appropriate
international organizations and delivery of specimens to WHO-
and FAO-affiliated laboratories, and including discussions or
agreements impacting the publicly disclosed occurrence of
diseases.
– Details of discussions related to the accessibility of
HIV/AIDS drugs (antiretroviral drugs or ARVs).
– Details related to the availability, accessibility, and
regulation of health care, particularly medications,
vaccines, and counterfeits.
– Member state attitudes toward maintenance of smallpox
stocks.
– Information on global counterfeit medications to include
surveillance, countermeasures, and research and development
issues.
– Details on efforts to implement health-related Millennium
Development Goals.
– Details on corruption in international health
organizations or the corrupt use of goods and services
provided for health issues by bilateral and multilateral
donors and international health organizations, including WHO,
UNAIDS, FAO, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis,
and Malaria.
– Details on irregularities in Global Fund fundraising,
spending, and treatment of whistle blowers.
– Personalities, biographic and biometric information,
roles, effectiveness, management styles, and influence of key
health officials, to include the Director General of the WHO,
head of UNAIDS, the Pan American Health Organization, under
Secretaries, heads of specialized agencies and their chief
advisers, and top aides.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,

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Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, FAO, UN, World Animal Health
Organization, WHO

6) Terrorism (TERR-5H).
– Information on plans and intentions of UN bodies and
member states to respond to or address within UN fora the
worldwide terrorist threat.
– Structure, plans and key figures of UN counterterrorism
strategy.
– Information on plans and activities of UNSC,s four
counterterrorism sub-bodies.
– Plans and intentions of member states to address terrorism
by implementing anti-terrorism legislation as called for
under resolutions, particularly as they relate to tracking
financial transactions.
– Views of member states on US policy toward terrorism.
– Efforts of member states to support or oppose activities
undertaken by UN specialized agencies such as the
International Maritime Organization and the International
Civil Aviation Organization to improve maritime and airline
security.
– Information on UN support for technical assistance to
member states to combat terrorism, particularly in Africa.
– Views of member states about inclusion or exclusion of
terrorism against Israel in counterterrorism efforts and
definition of terrorism.
– (For further requirements, see the NHCD on Terrorism
Threats to US Interests at Home and Abroad, July 13, 2005.)

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN

7) Trafficking, Social, and Women’s Issues (DEPS-5H).
– Plans and intentions of member states to support or oppose
US priority to combat trafficking and exploitation of men,
women, and children.
– Member state perceptions of ability of UN Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC) to follow through on strategies to
support women and children through UN specialized bodies.
– Information on member efforts to combat organized crime,
narcotics trafficking, and trafficking in persons.
– Plans and intentions of member states to address
reproductive issues, including the aims of the EU vis-a-vis
the US, GRULAC, Arab, and OIC nations.
– Member state perceptions or plans regarding efforts to
reconcile religious differences worldwide.
– Information on reforms undertaken within the UN
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and future plans of the organization.
– Member views on education initiatives.

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Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, OIC, UN

H. Intelligence and Security Topics

1) GRPO can provide text of this issue and related
requirements.

2) GRPO can provide text of this issue and related
requirements.

3) Foreign Nongovernmental Organizations (FPOL-1).
– Influence of key UN-affiliated foreign NGOs on UN
decision-making.
– Efforts of foreign NGOs to undermine US policy initiatives.
– Foreign NGO role in, views toward, and influence on UN
policies and activities on globalization, justice, human
rights, the environment, and
family/women/children/reproductive issues.
– Ability and capacity of foreign NGOs to assist refugees,
displaced persons, and victims of disasters through the UNHCR
and WFP.
– Ability and capacity of foreign NGOs to support the UN
Environmental Program or national efforts with environmental
protection, pollution monitoring, and cleanup efforts.
– Contacts between foreign NGOs and Secretariat staff that
could involve sharing of confidential data.
– Foreign efforts to strip US or foreign NGOs of UN
affiliation and to block US or foreign NGOs seeking UN
affiliation.
– Efforts by member states-*particularly China, Cuba,
Israel, Russia, and Islamic countries*-to obtain NGO
affiliation for organizations supporting their policies.
– Efforts by organizations affiliated with terrorist
organizations or foreign intelligence organizations to obtain
NGO affiliation with the UN.
– Efforts by the EU through the Arhus convention to place
NGOs on UN bureaus; reactions of member states to those
efforts.
– Role of NGOs at the Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees (OHCR), OHCHR, and UNHRC in the Third Committee of
the UNGA.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: EU, OIC, UN

4) Telecommunications Infrastructure and Information
Systems (INFR-5H).
– Current technical specifications, physical layout, and
planned upgrades to telecommunications infrastructure and

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information systems, networks, and technologies used by top
officials and their support staffs.
– Details on commercial and private VIP networks used for
official communications, to include upgrades, security
measures, passwords, personal encryption keys, and types of V
P N versions used.
– Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of key officials,
as well as limited distribution telephone numbers/directories
and public switched networks (PSTN) telephone directories;
dialing numbers for voice, datalink, video teleconferencing,
wireless communications systems, cellular systems, personal
communications systems, and wireless facsimiles.
– Information on hacking or other security incidents
involving UN networks.
– Key personnel and functions of UN entity that maintains UN
communications and computer networks.
– Indications of IO/IW operations directed against the UN.
– Information about current and future use of communications
systems and technologies by officials or organizations,
including cellular phone networks, mobile satellite phones,
very small aperture terminals (VSAT), trunked and mobile
radios, pagers, prepaid calling cards, firewalls, encryption,
international connectivity, use of electronic data
interchange, Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP), Worldwide
interoperability for microwave access (Wi-Max), and cable and
fiber networks.

Countries: Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vietnam
International Organizations: UN
CLINTON

Destination

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RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 9893
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 8737
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 8905
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2969
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 7784
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 5364
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 8154
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHI-1B/CLM//DP//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC//NHTC//

  • guest

    Thank you for addressing this issue, yet again. There are too many fools out there, left and right.

  • surfered

    Your spitting in the wind, Larry.  Fox News doesn’t care about your facts because Mrs. Clinton is a Democrat and Fox News is Republican TV.

  • Guest

    >> Clinton, like predecessor Condoleezza Rice, signed orders instructing U.S. foreign service officers to spy <<

    It’s truly the height of absurdity to tie these cables to Hillary or Condeleeza, even to hint that Clinton or Rice was personally involved in such low-level intelligence requests. Mind-boggling misreporting!

    Anybody who has ever worked in USG foreign affairs — at an American embassy, at State, at the Arms Control agency, at the Pentagon, etc. — can tell you that every time the Dept. of State sends an official message to an overseas post, the “cable” always is “signed” at the bottom with the surname the Secretary of State or, at least by his/her deputy when the SecState is out of the country. Moreover it’s a printed surname, not an actual signature, and it doesn’t give a first name or initial.

    Literally millions of these cables go out every year. It’s entirely insignificant that every cable has a name like Clinton, Rice, Kissinger or Albright at the bottom.

    The journalistic irresponsibilty in the stories on this matter is huge, about as bad as I’ve ever come across, and Fox News and the rightwing blogosphere seem about as guilty as the leftwing media.

    Was this an operation to get rid of Hillary Clinton prior to 2012? If so, it was a massive blunder. She can now resign to announce that she is exploring a run for the Presidency. Zing. He’s in the hot seat now worse than ever.

  • FLDemFem

    OT, but important. Obama  has banned drilling in the eastern Gulf for 7 years. And he is going to look “with utmost caution” at drilling in “sensitive” places in AK. Well, there goes any recovery in the Gulf states’ economies. Thanks, Obummer, you are living up to your name!

  • seattlegonz

    It’s worse than that, surfered. The rest of the media is doing it too because Obama is so threatened by Hillary. It is criminal that these cables are being discussed by any American media, and that Hillary is being blamed is beyond absurd.

    I hate the media and what it has become. We need an underground press that will investigate left and right equally.

  • Peggy Sue

    Thank you, Larry.  It’s heartening to know there are still a few voices of reason out there and here in the blogosphere.  It’s been a ridiculous feeding frenzy.  If anything, it provides a glaring example that our so-called news outlets and “journalists” are simply into repeating “the message/mantra” of the day.  There’s no research or thought in most of these releases, just a continued hyped-up delivery.  There are exceptions but the more reasoned comments get drowned out by the flash mob and their bull horns.

    And this is why I continue to haunt NQ. 

  • seattlegonz

    What’s hysterical, FLDem is that drilling in central and western gulf has been approved. (This was the way it was under Bush, no drilling in the east gulf and the atlantic coast, but central and western gulf okay.) Hmmm…I don’t know, but I think that if you’re going to allow central and western gulf drilling you might as well allow eastern because if there’s a blow out, the east gets the oil anyway.

    And, his AK deal is probably the backroom deal made with the senator elect as a condition of her filing as a write-in and to urge her to caucus with democrats. But, I’d be wary if I were her, because those rigs will blow up before the next election in alaska…I’m guessing.

  • Craig Della Penna

    Thanks, Larry, for  “Diplomatic Cables 101″ too bad the talking heads can’t read.

  • Samb

    Hilary jumped the shark for me along time ago, let her swing in the wind.
     
    Can you post Megan Kelly’s and Monica Crowley’s
    remarks so I can see why you think they are bimbos?
     
    I would like to judge for myself.
    ;)

  • Samb

    Hilary jumped the shark for me along time ago, let her swing in the wind.
     
    Can you post Megan Kelly’s and Monica Crowley’s
    remarks so I can see why you think they are bimbos?
     
    I would like to judge for myself.
    ;)

  • Mr. Natural

    Any organization which DIDN’T seek this information would be derelict in its duty to the nation, and largely a waste of taxpayer resources, IMO.

  • FLDemFem

    Well, here is another story that is OT, and a shocker. We, through the Fed, loaned $9 trillion to the banking industry between 2008 and 2009. These are described as “overnight” loans. They claim it has all been paid back, with  interest. I seem to be OT a lot today. No open thread, I guess.

  • FLDemFem

    Well, here is another story that is OT, and a shocker. We, through the Fed, loaned $9 trillion to the banking industry between 2008 and 2009. These are described as “overnight” loans. They claim it has all been paid back, with  interest. I seem to be OT a lot today. No open thread, I guess.

  • tigaroo

    I watched the interview today between Megan and Monica.  I did not take away the same opinion you did. 

  • Samb

    I wish I had seen this interview,
    I can’t go on one persons impression.
    More information is needed.

  • HC123

    I would vote Hillary over Oblahblah in a primary, but I think shes lost me in a general – she and Bill are in too deep with the current regime.

    I am very much a “buck stops here” gal, Clinton is running state and Obama is running the executive – if there is real blame let it be apportioned accordingly.

    All that said, so what if Clinton DID sign this crap (no, I havent bothered reading all one million pages of it) - do people really think foreign policy is all tea parties and ribbon cutting?

    I generally find Megyn Kelly to be surprisingly smart for a really attractive blonde.  

  • HC123

    Although its an attractive prospect, she wont primary Obama.

  • momule

    Sorry, Larry – Megyn Kelly is a looker, but she is nobody’s bimbo. That lady is sharp as a tack. And I say that as a lapsed Dem, who never heard of her a few months ago  and was very pleasantly surprised when I started watching her.
    I have decided I must be a confirmed conspiracy theorist, because as this came out I told my husband I thought they were out to neuter Hillary. There had already been rumors of things that might happen in the 2012 primaries with her being promoted by disenchanted Dems. Now this comes down the pike. So Gibbs comes out to ”defend” her, but there is no explanation of the kind that you have so eloquently written here. Why? How long would it have taken him to clarify the situation?
    Does the phrase “slowly twisting in the wind” ring a bell? 

  • sybilll

    Larry, thank you for explaining.  Der Spiegel was the place I saw the direct attribution to Hillary.  You understand the inner-workings of these matters, whereas an average Jane like me does not.  To me, the report was damning towards Hillary.  And, I’ll say again, the fact that this was not reqeusted to be redacted by the WH, I think Obama sabotaged her.  That’s what my gut tells me.  I trust my gut. 

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    “I generally find Megyn Kelly to be surprisingly smart for a really attractive blonde. ”

    Please tell me this is a joke.  Megyn is an atty, btw, so not just a pretty face.

    LARRY – thank you so much for this.  I believe Time Magazine was the first one to run with Assange’s claim that Hillary should resign for this alleged espionage (which I agree is horse pucky).

    Earlier on Fox, Christine O’Donnell had been singing Clinton’s praises for the way she has handled this whole debacle, claiming she has shown more (I am paraphrasing here) righteous indignation at what Assange has done to this country than Obama has.  She went on to say she would LOVE to see Hillary go up against Barry in 2012, along with some other very complimentary things.

    The problem as I see it, Larry, is that most people haven’t the foggiest how State or the Intelligence community in general do business as usual.  How could we?  So something like this comes out, has Clinton’s name on it, and a feeding frenzy ensues.  Again, not just on Fox – Time started all of this, and last time I checked, it was far from a conservative “news” source…

    Anyway – THANK YOU – I so appreciate your perspective on this!

  • HC123

    No, its not a joke.

    I find Ms. Kelly to be very intelligent and I am aware of her resume.

    She is also a very attractive blonde who just did a pinup style type photoshoot for a (rated G) mens publication. Her news coverage has always been professional, and conducted while professionally attired as far as I know.

    Being that attractive and also that smart is actually a rare combination on television, at least from my perspective. It may be rare on planet Earth as well.

  • boonies

    Other mental midgets like David Corn and Jack Shafer also insist that Hillary crossed a line and must go,…..
    Think maybe ,Larry , that IS the reason all of this is coming out ?To derail HRC as a in-party threat for 2012?
    Sort of a Sarah Palin treatment?

  • HC123

    I am glad I got rid of television, This stuff is ridiculous.

  • seattlegonz

    there are others, like you, who don’t think she will, and there are others that think she will. And, then there are others who think that Obama won’t run again…prefering to live off the dole and the adulation that is more easily attributed to post presidents. He could regain his adoring fan base and continue to work to destroy Hillary.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    Thanks, HC123 0 I didn’t know if you were being sarcastic or not.  Hard to tell sometimes in comments, you know?  :)

    And yes, I do think she is intelligent.  I have seen what she must have been like when she was a practicing attorney, too – wow.  She does not back down, and she generally asks good questions.  I missed this particular segment, though, and it hasn’t shown up yet at Fox’s videos.  If it does, I’ll get a link.

  • seattlegonz

    What? Only unattractive people are smart? I’m so confused…hmm, maybe because I’m attractive. No, not so much. I must be one of the unattractive and stupid ones. Darn.

    HC…seriously, to write that someone is surprising smart for an attractive blonde. Yeah, I find that offensive, too. Ms. Kelly is attractive, and smart, but not surprisingly so.

  • seattlegonz

    I meant to say she’s blonde, attractive and smart, but not surprisingly so.

  • Yttik

    I’ve heard quite a lot of praise for Hillary from the oddest places lately. Newt Gingrich praised her, Christine Odonnell praised her. These leaks don’t portray the narrative that the media seems to want, of Hillary being incompetent, far from it. People are genuinely impressed that she has been putting America’s interests first. It sounds kind of funny that that would pleasantly surprise anybody, but we’ve had a president lately who has made us wonder if he even likes America, let alone cares about her best interests. To actually see some genuine work happening at the State Dept is kind of refreshing.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    I had to go back and look at HC’s comments afterreading yours, Seattle.  At least HC qualified it to those who are on tv, FWIW. 

    And I am with you – she is all of those things, and not surprisingly so.

  • BIINKY

    I thought some people were making a mountain out of a mole hill anyhow.  This stuff was pretty boring for me to go through but I’m glad you cleared it up, not for me but for those making it an issue.  Thanks, Larry.

  • seattlegonz

    Yeah, Amy…I hope and think the comment was just meant to be that she is smart and beautiful.

    It was the throwing in of blonde and surprising that caused me to be offended. Really, when the statement is phrased to read: “she’s surprisingly smart for a really attractive blonde” I’m going to be offended whether or not the person is talking about tv personnel or a woman on the street. I just don’t know how to read it any other way.

  • Hokma

    This so-called issue of spying on U.N. Diplomats, have not we always done that – particularly since they do reside in our country?

    This Wikileaks dump may have been embarrassing but I really did not learn that much that I did not alreedy have suspicions about or read about(i.e. Saudi Arabia wanting the U.S. or Israel to attack Saudi Arabia.

    But the initial dump about a year ago was worse because may have affected the lives foreign nationals who either spied for us or helped us liberate countries.

  • Noogan

    Great moments in journalismEditors Weblog - USA Today has only five reporters covering Congress, but 27 covering entertainment news, the Gannett Blog reported, after its editor Jim Hopkins obtained copies of newsroom flow charts dated October 21-22. The document showing the distribution of staff shows that as well as the five staff allocated to Congress/Politics, there are another six assigned to White House/Legal, another four to Federal and five to Economy/Jobs. This total number covering political issues is still less than the 27 focused on entertainment however, which accounts for by far the largest group. 

  • Noogan

    Great moments in journalism

    Editors Weblog - USA Today has only five reporters covering Congress, but 27 covering entertainment news, the Gannett Blog reported, after its editor Jim Hopkins obtained copies of newsroom flow charts dated October 21-22. The document showing the distribution of staff shows that as well as the five staff allocated to Congress/Politics, there are another six assigned to White House/Legal, another four to Federal and five to Economy/Jobs. This total number covering political issues is still less than the 27 focused on entertainment however, which accounts for by far the largest group. 

  • Khan Krum
  • Noogan

    She won’t. 

  • seattlegonz

    I’m not saying she will…I’m just laughing because everyone talks about the future as if they can see it. Bobo could die of a heart attack tomorrow (no, I’m not advocating or plotting murder, nor am I expressing a racist desire to have this come to pass) and, I don’t know what Hillary would do then. I doubt there’s a huge desire on the part of the dem party for Biden to be the incumbent nominee, and I don’t think Michelle would succeed as a candidate in place of the deceased husband.

    I don’t know the future. And as surely as you say she won’t, others say she wants to and might. (No, no one I’ve heard has said for sure she will…but, I love how agitated it gets people to posit the idea.)

    We’ll see.

  • Dean

    White E T@pe

  • margaret

    Thanks for shedding light on this idiocy for us Larry.  I appreciate your insightful analysis.

  • Agent X

    Ridiculous!

  • HC123

    It boggles my mind how much time people spend being offended. I guess it gives people “street cred” in 2010. On behalf of all babe-a-licious genius attorney cum tv anchors,  I am deeply offended.

    How many people as good looking as Ms. Kelly do you find to be smart?

    How many of those are on American TV? Doing news?

    Now compare that number to the number people who are hired just because they are good looking, have shiny hair, and can read a teleprompter.

    Its about a million to one.

     So yes, the first time I saw Ms. Kelly I was surprised.

    Pleasantly so, which doesnt happen much these days.

  • seattlegonz

    Well HC you didn’t qualify that you were talking about tv personalities until afterward, but it’s really beside the point isn’t it?

    It’s the stereotype of the dumb blonde that is offensive.

  • Reddragon22

    Larry, you need to be out there on TV and anyplace with a big megaphone (1) explaining this in simple terms, (2) showing how ignorant these pundits are and that they should not be out there making fools of themselves, and (3) raising the question of their agenda.

    Please don’t focus on Megyn Kelly (pick Stengel and these other Hillary-haters) — she is one of the very few woman-identified news anchors and commentators, she reacts like a woman who actually cares about women to the atrocities that liberal media types distance themselves from, she never took shots at Hillary, and she took on the issue of honor killings, doing an hour-long special that the liberal media would not touch. Even if she didnt get this issue right, dont throw her into the same pot as the media slime who do The One’s dirty work.  

  • HC123

    Well then by all means remain deeply offended. You seem quite determined to be so.

  • seattlegonz

    No, not at all. I just wanted to explain so you could understand why a comment about it being surprising that a beatiful blonde woman was smart is offensive.

  • TeakWoodKite

    “I never imagined that so many supposedly smart, informed people could be so abjectly stupid and simple minded.”

    Oh, but they have the smartest POTUS “eva” for an example, no don’t they?

    Larry, with a laundry list memo like the one posted above, are enough Human resources to even respond to a tenth of it?

    It is so byzantine, my will to retain what I read goes down to next to zero. Frankly, Private Manning must quite mad if he even read even a fraction of them. Absolutely mind numbing.

  • TeakWoodKite

    “I never imagined that so many supposedly smart, informed people could be so abjectly stupid and simple minded.”  
     
    Oh, but they have the smartest POTUS “eva” for an example, now don’t they?  
     
    Larry, with a laundry list memo like the one posted above, are enough Human resources to even respond to a tenth of it?  
     
    It is so byzantine, my will to retain what I read goes down to next to zero. Frankly, Private Manning must quite mad if he even read even a fraction of them. Absolutely mind numbing

  • TeakWoodKite

    “I never imagined that so many supposedly smart, informed people could be so abjectly stupid and simple minded.”    
       
    Oh, but they have the smartest POTUS “eva” for an example, now don’t they?    
       
    Larry, with a laundry list memo like the one posted above, are enough Human resources to even respond to a tenth of it?    
       
    It is such byzantine reading, my will to retain what I read goes down to next to zero. Frankly, Private Manning must quite mad, if he even read even a fraction of them. Absolutely mind numbing. I think the stupidity you are witnessing is a form of self preservation. Instinctually, one knows if they were to dive in and actually read it all, they would end up mad as a hatter.

  • TeakWoodKite

    “I never imagined that so many supposedly smart, informed people could be so abjectly stupid and simple minded.”      
         
    Oh, but they have the smartest POTUS “eva” for an example, now don’t they?      
         
    Larry, with a laundry list memo like the one posted above, could there ever be enough Human resources available, to even respond to a tenth of it?      
         
    It is such byzantine reading, my will to retain what I read goes down to next to zero. Frankly, Private Manning must quite mad, if he even read even a fraction of them. Absolutely mind numbing. I think the stupidity you are witnessing is a form of self preservation. Instinctually, one knows if they were to dive in and actually read it all, they would end up mad as a hatter.

  • DM

    Larry, thank you for informing us about how the beauraucracy works.  It’s easy for someone like me to read a cable and though I would immediately know that Hillary did not write the cable, I would have suspected it’s her policy that the staff is following.  Now I see that it’s “U.S. foreign policy” that it’s like a big animal that might be tweeked from one administration to the other, but not materially changed.

    Good to know.  Disclosure of the content of the cables is not a good thing, but understanding our government is.  So maybe something good will come out of all these disclosures.

  • TeakWoodKite

    As some else mentioned she is also pregnant. LOL.

  • DM

    Larry, thank you for informing us about how the bureaucracy works.  It’s easy for someone like me to read a cable and though I would immediately know that Hillary did not write the cable, I would have suspected it’s her policy that the staff is following.  Now I see that it’s “U.S. foreign policy” that it’s like a big animal that might be tweeked from one administration to the other, but not materially changed.  
     
    Good to know.  Disclosure of the content of the cables is not a good thing, but understanding our government is.  So maybe something good will come out of all these disclosures.

  • guest

    Hillary needs to be concerned right now with simply continuing effectively in her job and trying to ensure that international negotiations, treaties, etc.. don’t grind to a snails pace. If back room diplomacy where two countries or parties tell each other things in confidence that may not be the official public view being promoted by one side or the other (and this is done all the time to make for smother and less acrimonious negotiations) can no longer be trusted then we are in for a much harder time in the future with each party not willing to let the other know where they truly stand and or what they are willing to actually give in on.

    All the WikiLeaks info reveals is that diplomacy works like we would expect it to. It’s all very interesting to read, but the people supporting the release are pretty much anarchists looking to shake things up for no particular goal.

  • EllenD

    the “cable” always is “signed” at the bottom with the surname the Secretary of State

    What are these “cables” actually? Encrypted e-mails? Because still calling these messages cables sounds anachronistically silly, like saying they are smoke signals.

  • Mr. Natural

    Nothing makes something so interesting as its being none of your business, does it?

    If you have never originated, received, transmitted or handled formal, written message traffic, especially in a DoD or other USG environment, your opinion on these cables has as much value as a fart in a williwaw.

    Yes, I have, have, have and do (20+ years), and will probably do so again.

  • guest

    You might have a low opinion of the diplomatic ways but without back room deals just about every treaty in the world avoiding wars, ending war, arms control, etc.. would not exist today! Why because no one would know what the other side is willing to settle for and if they actually said what they really are ready to settle for publicly the hardliners on the left and the right would move to block thing immediately and there would never be any progress

    And if you take a look at some of what has been released concerning North Korea, NONE of it has any scandal NONE of it has to do with any cover up or sources or methods, but all of it has to do with diplomatic efforts by USA, China, SK, Japan to let each other know were they all really stand and what the center can live with and how little China actually knows about NK.

    Now due to this leak you will see the right (and perhaps the far left) block even more the efforts to diffuse or end the situation, you will also see the little influence China had over NK (that is apparent by these leaks) reduced even further you can now bet that if the NK leadership was paranoid before and set on Nukes after reading this stuff they will be even more impossible to deal with.

    The Japanese PM said ‘‘very problematic.’’ well in the NK case it is more like “disastrous”.

  • CentralMass

    This was insiniuated about the Gulf spill, yet Haliburton has admitted to, at BP’s request, using  inadequate drilling mud and not perfroming adequate testing of it prior to the incident.

  • Noogan
  • creeper

    This was a quote on Criminal Minds last night:  In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.  George Orwell.

  • Guest
  • wodiej crackerdawg

    Good grief, day 3 of Fox news bashing.  Let’s move on.

  • HC123

    Move on, or I guess focus on the interesting part -how a kid with a CDRW of Lady Gaga was able to obtain so much stuff.

    But that doesnt have anything to do with Hillary so its probably less interesting to our “news” outlets.

    Take heart, I am sure if they could blame Bush or Sarah Palin they would.

  • guest

    This is what they don’t want you to know:

    “In its first months in office, the Obama administration sought to protect Bush administration officials facing criminal investigation overseas for their involvement in establishing policies the that governed interrogations of detained terrorist suspects. A “confidential” April 17, 2009, cable sent from the US embassy in Madrid to the State Department—one of the 251,287 cables obtained by WikiLeaks—details how the Obama administration, working with Republicans, leaned on Spain to derail this potential prosecution.”

    http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/12/wikileaks-cable-obama-quashed-torture-investigation

    http://www.harpers.org/archive/2010/12/hbc-90007836

  • Noogan

    It’s a Wikileaks World. Get Used to It.

    http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12035

  • politicsisdirty

    So Larry, the buck stops where?..

  • american
  • BIINKY

    Speaking of Fox News, politics in general, Kirsten (?last name) is one of the least informed commentators I’ve seen at Fox.  Anyone else noticed?

  • wodiej crackerdawg

    Fox news bashing Day 3….

  • wodiej crackerdawg

    they have to have fair and balanced….. :-P

  • wodiej crackerdawg

    good grief, why are you posting that trash?

  • wodiej crackerdawg

    they already blame blame Bush and Sarah.

  • wodiej crackerdawg

    they already blame Bush and Sarah.

  • Tamara Cracker
  • american

    not trash…. true.  read it.

  • bamalv

    no one is worse than alan colmes (the defender of all obama blunders).  if barry was caught on tape torturing puppies and kittens, colmes would defend him .and when he cant, he blames bush. same goes for juan williams and penny lee, among others.  they must all get their talking points from the same place every day..from W.O.R.M (what obama really meant). if barry is sooo brilliant, why does everyone have to explain what he meant?

  • Larry Johnson

    Tamara,
    Who wrote “only Fox?”  I sure didn’t.  You are completely full of shit and dishonest in your criticism.  Please pull your head from your ass.

  • stodghie

    it is TRASH! TRASH TRASH!

  • beyond_words

    Myself as well HC123. I don’t bother with the propaganda msm at all now and most programs these days aren’t worth it. Discovery channel, some sci-fi channels or other forms of entertainment are ok but normally I usually just use teh boob toob to watch dvd movies nowadays.

  • BIINKY

    Looks like Palin trashin to me.  Politicususa is a far left (my judgement) rag almost totally devoted to trashing Sarah Palin.  Sarah Jones is the author of the article linked, and her bio tells us she is educated, but does not tell us where she got her degrees…hmmm.

    The site Politicususa even has a subheader (whatever they’re called) devoted entirely to Sarah Palin.  Boy, are the progressives frightened of this woman!

    Since Sarah Palin is deemed to be a traitor for her public criticism of Obama and his administration, it follows that the majority of the American citizen are traitors also.  

    We have many American traitors posting on this site, and of course all who support and/or participate in the Tea Party are traitors also.  I believe I’m in good company!

  • cookiegramma

    I agree with you here. i actually went back and read the reports about manning and when he had the access. It seems that he was already busted for the offense against another when he gained this access. Why was his security clearance not withdrawn? Someone else is also responsible for the failure to protect the information from Manning. I would like to know why this person has not been punished.

  • cookiegramma

    Wow, sensitive aren’t you Larry. I thought that thsi site started out as a group of persons with similar complaints about how the Democrat leadership had handled the whole primary season. Now I find that the group is attacking each other from inside and threatening to do what the Democrat party is doing, imploding from inside due to ego and an unwillingness to listen to other opinion. Sad.

  • seattlegonz

    The comment didn’t have anything to do with other opinions though…it was a snide sarcastic comment incorrectly attacking Larry as being biased, and only fox focused, in his post.

    The comment that Larry responded to does represent, however, the infighting that is growing here as we prepare for 2012 and Hillary democrats and republicans begin to separate from each other. With a few exceptions neither “side” wants Obama however I’m not sure that there’s consensus on who is the best candidate to replace him. And, some of the Obama fans come here to agitate both sides.

    I’m not sure how we navigate our way through this working together to remove Obama from office.

  • Tamara Cracker

    My head is out of my ass Larry.
    It’s YOU who are acting like an ass.  
    But hey, it’s your site, so you can do what you want!

    If this whole leak is such a non-issue, why don’t you call Larry King and tell them why?  Why don’t you get on the air?  They know you, and they come to you as an expert in these matters.
    Call them up and set them straight!

    I’ve heard a few pundits saying that this “leak” is a non-issue,
    but MOST pundits(across all news venues) think it’s a big deal.  

    Are you saying that this leak is not going to affect diplomatic relations at all?  If it’s such a non-issue, then why is everyone from the left and the right making such a damn deal about it?

  • seattlegonz

    I think they might be making a big deal of it because they’re either obamastations, or republican stations and they come together on wanting to kneecap Hillary so she won’t be a threat to them in 2012.

    I don’t think it will work, though…and might end up making her stronger and leave them looking like fools.

  • guest

    For this place to work the site owner and authors need to take the lead to discourage unnecessary levels of personal vitriol. Incivility is not necessary to making most legitimate points; it rarely persuades thoughtful readers; and it is not productive of long-term constructive results.  No one has ever been persuaded by an uncivil tone. The litmus test I use is a person’s willingness to ask, “What if I’m wrong?” People who can’t engage with that question honestly are generally not worth the breath it takes to communicate with them.

  • seattlegonz

    I agree with you. But, I think the snide sarcastic personal attacks are vitriol as well. Many think because they are coy and passive aggressive that they can claim to do nothing wrong. Obama is the master of that…little finger flip here, chuckle there, never ever doing anything against anyone.

    Because of Obama I have much less patience with passive agressive insults and the people who hide behind their “I didn’t do anything” smiles.

  • Michelle

    creeper<img src=”//cdn.js-kit.com/images/icon10-external-url.png”/> In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.  George Orwell.
    My favorite show of all time, I love the quotes they start and end with. Everyone I told to watch the show ended up becoming hooked also and I do issue my standard warning that it is very graphic (mentally) and the crimes are truly horrible. In many ways the BAU must be like the Dept of State taking bits of information from here and there and trying to deduce all the pieces of the puzzle. All of the folks at State from the agents in the field to the top are looking out for the best interests of our country, in these cases ignorance is not bliss. I doubt they bat a thousand every time but I’m sure they try.

  • Steve1

    Hillary Clinton, 2012!

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  • Larry Johnson

    Cookie,
    I take exception with a dishonest criticism.  If I had only singled out Fox then my comment would have been wrong and inappropriate.  But Tamara claimed I wrote something which I didn’t.  I expect honest disagreement.  I have no patience for Tamara’s type of bullshit snark.

  • stodghie

    seattle, i think hillary is not the main target behind this whole pathetic dog and pony show.  make her stronger? hmm i am not so sure. and please understand i voted in the primary for her. there is a lot of baggage here. if i had to choose between obummer and hillary, there is no doubt hillary. i sincerely hope she has learned to fight and keep right on fighting when she is in the right. see what giving up has done to us?

  • politicsisdirty

    Its trash.

  • politicsisdirty

    We were united towards one goal: vote Obama out of office

    My proposal is just to work together until our goal is attained then we can start arguing against each other.

  • jj

    Larry J, was Charlie railroaded?


    Lyndon LaRouche: Obama Gets His Revenge on Charlie Rangel; There Goes the Dem

    At 6:00 yesterday evening, the 80-year-old war hero and 40-year veteran Roosevelt Democratic leader of the US Congress, Charlie Rangel, was forced to stand in the well of the House to be dressed-down by the discredited Speaker (or, Squeaker) of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
    Pelosi’s handmaiden Zoe Lofgren, the chairman of the “Ethics” Committee, was forced from the start to address the fact that the extreme penalty of censure had never been used for simple, innocent rules violations, as in this case. She said, “We’re making precedent here; we have to be held to a higher standard.”
    “Does that mean we hang Pelosi?” asked LaRouche.
    Rangel’s brief opening remarks recounted, in total understatement, his heroic rescue of surrounded American troops in Korea just 60 years ago, not in order to appeal for sympathy, as he said, but to recall that after that engagement, he had vowed never to complain of anything in his life, but instead to dedicate it wholly to improving the quality of life of Americans, and, to the extent possible, of all humanity.
    Rangel admitted he had broken some rules, but noted that no one had accused him of any concealment, any falsehood, or any self-enrichment. Censure has never been invoked in such a case.
    “If you’re making precedents here, what about fairness?”
    He introduced Virginia Democrat Bobby Scott, who made a major speech in defense and organized the other speakers defending Rangel. Scott, a dissenting member of the Ethics Committee, gave an effective rapid-fire speech in defense, showing fully that censure had never been used in such a case, and that numerous Congressmen convicted of real, rather than procedural offenses, had been treated far more leniently, like Republican leaders Gingrich and DeLay. Censure had been reserved for the most extreme cases of financial and sexual corruption. The lead counsel for the Ethics Committee had admitted that Rangel was innocent of any corruption or self-enrichment. The only previous Congressmen cited for tax violations were ones who had gotten bribes and not paid taxes on them. Republican leaders DeLay and Gingrich had subverted the rules to their own profit, and were found guilty of concealment, lying, and obstructing investigations, yet neither was censured, and Gingrich even remained Speaker after his conviction.
    The most effective defenders were Republican Peter King from Long Island, New York, and Democrat Charlie Gonzales of Texas. King said, “I’ll vote against this; the findings don’t warrant censure; this is an extraordinary procedure to use in this case.”
    “It’s President Obama’s revenge,” said LaRouche, “and we should call it that. And God will punish Obama for this.”

  • FranSC

    Monica Crowley has on occasion said some positive things about Hillary, especially when it became clear HRC could not win the 2008 nomination.  But with all this recent talk about her running for POTUS again makes many of the pundits on FoxNews crazy.  So they have to start the bashing ‘just in case’.  Dick Morris is about the most disgusting one of all.  However, he can’t get away with that crap on Greta – she will not stand for it, cuts him off at the pass, criticizes him for making such statements and changes the subject.  So, I’m sure he would just as soon skip Greta’s knocking him down to size. The most predictable thing about Morris is his voracious negativity about both Clintons, but Hillary in particular. 

    I was pleased, though, this week to hear Newt Gingrich contradict Hannity about Hillary and this Wikileaks disgrace.  He said, “I’m very pleased that Sec Clinton is involved in trying to stop these damaging secrets being released and most of all I’m very happy that  *someone* in the 0bama Admin is standing up for America. 

    I was surprised to hear that from him, but I’ve also noticed that Gingrich doesn’t seem to criticize the Clintons like so many at FoxNews are prone to do.  I understand that he had a good working relationship with Bill Clinton after the ’94 midterm elections when the repubs took the house and NG became the Speaker. 

    I actually think he and Bill became closer and friendlier than either one of them ever admits to, perhaps trying to recreate the Reagan/Tip O’Neil team or the Johnson/Dirkson team. But also, Newt is very proud of his role in helping bring Pres. Clinton to the middle right to accomplish such things as welfare reform as well as balancing the budget.  To take away from the Clinton presidency could tarnish his own performance.  Newt has no problem with the well-deserved criticism of 0bama –  up one side and down the other.

  • FranSC

    I saw the interview with Megyn and Monica.  Megyn was just asking the questions and not participating in Monica’s all-out hysterical attack on Hillary saying among other things, “She has accomplished nothing in her role as SoS.” 

    I like Megyn Kelly very much.  Monica Crowley is not a bimbo in my opinion (and I would never refer to any woman using that term.)  But I would say Monica Crowley is a partisan hack on occasion.   

  • FranSC

    I agree, Amy.  I think people like you and I object to the wording, “she is *surprisingly* attractive for a blonde” could just as easily mean, “she is surprisingly intelligent for a woman” which we would rail against.  People like us hold other’s feet to the fire for not walking the walk or talking the talk or at least saying it right. 

    There are things you just don’t say when you are a women’s rights advocate.  Many still don’t get it and it’s up to us to keep them on the straight and narrow of this highly sensitive subject.  If they are a “believer” in women’s rights, once corrected, will never make the same mistake again.  It’s a job somebody has to do to educate.

  • FranSC

    Oh, HC123, come on, you need to hear this so you won’t put it that way again.  No one is born knowing these things.

    One other thing about Megyn Kelly -  she is the only person alive that can beat O’Reilly at his own game, primarily because he won’t ‘allow’ anyone to one-ups him.  Did you hear their fierce debate on Supreme Court Justice Ruth G. Ginsburg??  Kelly articulately defended Justice Ginsburg (the biggest liberal on the court), talking over Bill,  fast as lightening, leaving O’Reilly in the dust.   O’Reilly has *lots* of respect for Megyn Kelly!  

  • FranSC

    Of course, the word around DC is that 0bama and company are scared to death of the Clintons and Hillary in particular.  I assume that’s “scared to death” she may run against this making-it-up-as-he-goes-along know-nothing.

  • seattlegonz

    Hey, Stodghie…I understand what you’re saying, but Hillary was practically the only person making a case against Obama. I don’t see her as giving up, as much as she was told by the “super delegates” that they weren’t going to support her and she wouldn’t win the nomination. I mean, primaries are the work of the party and the party gets to conduct itself anyway it wants to. She continued to fight against Obama for months after she was told to quit…it came down to the fact that she didn’t have the delegates needed.

  • seattlegonz

    she had the delegates, not the super delegates.

  • stodghie

    seattle, for sure hillary was stabbed in the back. my feelings about that are still angry. however i have watched the demise of the democratic party into this far left group of (in my view)loonies with people like reid and pelosi. i ask myself is there anything left for her to lead. that is not a snarky question, it is a real question in my mind. jmo it will take decades to establish the democrats after the mess that o has created helped by pelosi reid and others.

  • mboy

    Larry Johnson writes:
     ”The fools on the left and the right need to do some quick self-education. Hillary is getting blamed for simply doing her job. Those calling for her resignation ought to be permanently banned from any punditry for egregious stupidity”. 

    LOL!