Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases

Public attention and Congressional review, writes Barry, should focus on the increasing militarization of border control, especially in the management of the border drone program. …

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it is the “leading edge” of drone deployment in the United States. Since 2005, DHS has been purchasing Predator drones – officially called unmanned aerial systems (UAS) – to “secure the border,” yet these unarmed Predator drones are also steadily creeping into local law enforcement, international drug-interdiction and national security missions – including across the border into the heart of Mexico.

DHS will likely double its drone contingent to two dozen unmanned UAS produced by General Atomics as part of the border security component of any immigration reform. The prominence of border security in immigration reform can’t be missed. The leading reform proposal, offered by eight US senators, is the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 – which proposes to spend $6.5 billion in additional “border security” measures, mostly high-tech surveillance by drones and ground surveillance systems.

Most of the concern about the domestic deployment of drones by DHS has focused on the crossover to law-enforcement missions that threaten privacy and civil rights, and that, without more regulations in place, the program will accelerate the transition to what critics call a “surveillance society.” Also alarming is the mission creep of border drones, managed by the DHS’ Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agency with increasing interface between border drones, international drug interdiction operations and other military-directed national security missions.

The prevalence of military jargon used by US Customs and Border (CBP) officials – such as “defense in depth” and “situational awareness” – points to at least a rhetorical overlapping of border control and military strategy. Another sign of the increasing coincidence between CBP/Office of Airforce and Marine (OAM) drone program and the military is that the commanders and deputies of OAM are retired military officers. Both Major General Michael Kostelnik and his successor Major General Randolph Alles, retired from US Marines, were highly placed military commanders involved in drone development and procurement. …

Read in full: www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/16422-drones-over-the-homeland-from-bo

US President Barack Obama plans to lay out on Thursday his administration’s evolving counterterrorism policies, from the controversial use of drones to efforts to close the notorious US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a White House official has said. …

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Obama’s use of military drone aircraft to attack extremists has drawn fire and increased tensions in countries like Pakistan and been criticized by human rights activists in the United States.
The president will “discuss our broad counterterrorism policy, including our military, diplomatic, intelligence and legal efforts” at National Defense University in Washington, the official was quoted as saying in media reports.
The speech comes amid renewed scrutiny of counter-terror coordination after April’s attack at the Boston Marathon, a lengthy hunger strike among more than half of Guantanamo’s detainees, and the administration’s pursuit of leakers of classified information to an American news agency. He had planned to deliver it earlier in May, but the speech was delayed as the administration worked to respond to recent events and refined its policies, the official said.
Obama plans elaborate on “the state of the threats we face, particularly as Al Qaeda core has weakened but new dangers have emerged,” the official was quoted as saying. He will also “discuss the policy and legal framework under which we take action against terrorist threats, including the use of drones” and “will review our detention policy and efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.”
The president will also “frame the future of our efforts against Al Qaeda, its affiliates and adherents.” The official described the speech as an effort by Obama to follow through on the pledge he made in his State of the Union address in February. The president said then that he will “continue to engage Congress to ensure not only that our targeting, detention and prosecution of terrorists remains consistent with our laws and system of checks and balances, but that our efforts are even more transparent to the American people and to the world.” …

Read in full: www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/20-May-2013/obama-to-speak-on-gitmo-drones

Published on 28 Apr 2013

NATO’s top officer has called for more financial help from the EU in order to keep the alliance afloat. NATO has suffered cuts amounting to 45 billion dollars, which equals Germany’s entire military budget. The Western alliance’s popularity among European soldiers is also nose-diving as their number in the bloc has plummeted. NATO’s survival now depends almost entirely on US spending, which makes up almost 75% of its budget.
RT contributor Afshin Rattansi says the alliance’s global activities actually do more harm than good.

These photos were taken by Tim Habard at the weekly Tuesday night demonstration (6-8 pm) at the American base NSA Menwith Hill (UK) – 28 March 2013. There has been a demonstration here every week (except four) for nearly 14 years.

Tim Habard cycles every month from a city called Leeds – about 25 miles away from Menwith Hill.

The upside down flag (used by CAAB as a symbol of protest and authorised by the High Court London in 1998) says: THE COST OF US BASES

PLEASE NOTE: MORE MILITARY LAND BYELAWS PROPOSED

We have just been notified by the MOD Byelaws Review Team that the Secretary of State for Defence proposes to make byelaws at USAF Barford St John near Oxford. This American base is not far from USAF Croughton and is an annex to this base. There have never been Military Land byelaws at Barford St John. See this website for details: http://tx0.org/4xg The usual procedure applies (see below re USAF Croughton proposed byelaws) for anyone who would like to object/make comments. We strongly urge you to do so.

We are examining and researching the proposed byelaws. It is somewhat mystifying as to why this particular base has been chosen.
We will be asking questions in Parliament about this.

PLEASE NOTE:

Proposed Military Land byelaws at USAF Croughton (Bedford/Northants)

Some documents and details here: http://tx0.org/4xg

There are no byelaws at Croughton and the base is covered by section 128-131 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 so it is somewhat puzzling why byelaws are proposed when they are not used!

There is a worrying clause which extends certain powers (e.g. to remove trespassers) to non-police employed on the base. See Byelaw number 11 which gives power to remove but not arrest. There have been no arrests, charges or prosecutions relating to US bases for many years as many of them are legally flawed.

Copies of the proposed byelaws can be obtained by email: DIO-byelawsreviewteam@mod.uk
writing to: Byelaws Review Team MOD PO Box 349 Aldershot GU11 2WZ
or leaving message on 01252 361986 requesting a copy.

We are researching this, in the process of asking Parliamentary Questions and will keep you informed as to progress.
Anyone can object and we encourage you to do so. There are 50 days to do this from 13 December 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to publishing delays on the new website the consultation period has exceptionally been extended (as from 10 December 2012) for a further 10 days from 50 to 60 days.

The following Military Land byelaws pertinent to US bases due to be reviewed (announced sometime ago) are:
(for accuracy please substitute USAF for RAF except for Fylingdales)

RAF Alconbury (byelaws were declared invalid in 1993)
RAF Croughton (USF) [never been any byelaws]
RAF Fairford (USF) [never been any byelaws]
RAF Feltwell (USF) [never been any byelaws]
RAF Fylingdales
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Menwith Hill
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Molesworth