Glenn Greenwald: Such accountability for high-level government officials is inconceivable in the US, highlighting its culture of impunity. - A US State Department official on Monday "expressed concern" about what he called "a 'climate of impunity' over abuses by police and security forces" - in Egypt. The official, Michael Posner, warned that failure to investigate Egyptian state agents responsible for "cruel treatment of those in their custody" - including torture - creates "a lack of meaningful accountability for these actions". Last week, I wrote that "I've become somewhat of a connoisseur of US government statements that are so drowning in obvious, glaring irony that the officials uttering them simply must have been mischievously cackling to themselves when they created them," and this American denunciation of Egypt's "climate of impunity" almost certainly goes to the top of the list. After all, Michael Posner works for the very same administration that not only refused to prosecute or even investigate US officials who tortured, kidnapped and illegally eavesdropped, but actively shielded them all from all forms of accountability: criminal, civil or investigative.

AWIP: Italian court convicts 3 in absentia for 2003 CIA kidnapping of Egyptian terror suspect in Milan

The most significant point in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night was a passing and euphemistically worded reference to his program of extra-judicial drone assassinations. “Where necessary, through a range of capabilities, we will continue to take direct action against those terrorists who pose the gravest threat to Americans,” he declared. Every congressman, senator, cabinet member, Supreme Court justice and general in the House chamber knew that with that statement Obama was defending his asserted power to secretly order the assassination of anyone in any part of the world, including American citizens. The president went on to make clear he was intent on making state murder a permanent and completely institutionalized government function. His administration, he said, had worked “tirelessly to forge a durable legal and policy framework” to guide such operations. He went on to indicate he might be open to suggestions for giving the assassination program a fig leaf of “transparency” and legality, pledging to “engage with Congress to ensure… our targeting, detention and prosecution of terrorists remains consistent with our laws and system of checks and balances…” That such a statement could be made before a joint session of Congress, to the general approbation of those in attendance, underscores the crucial aspect of the real state of the American union that received no mention in Obama’s address or any of the media commentary—the catastrophic state of American democracy.

Stephen Lendman: America's Deplorable State of the Union - Obama's annual State of the Union addresses reflect beginning-to-end doublespeak duplicity. Empty rhetoric signals business as usual. Policy prioritizes corporate empowerment, rewarding rich elites, letting popular needs go begging, funding America's war machine, and cracking down hard on non-believers. Obama does what his supporters thought impossible. He governs to the right of George Bush.

John Glaser: In State of the Union, Obama Misleads on Foreign Policy - In his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, President Barack Obama misleadingly announced the gradual resolution of the war in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of another 34,000 US troops in 2013. But Obama is overselling this withdrawal: by the end of this year, the number of troops in Afghanistan will be about equal to the number that were there when Obama was elected. This is only a “withdrawal” because he decided to triple troop levels in an ill-advised military surge.

NYDailyNews.com:President Obama targets new gun control laws in State of the Union speech

A US/NATO air strike killed 10 civilians, mostly women and children, in a raid on a Taliban hideout in a remote region of eastern Afghanistan, local officials said Wednesday. - "Five children, four women and a man were killed in the raid," Kunar provincial governor, Sayed Fazulullah Wahidi, told AFP. A spokesman for NATO forces said they were investigating the allegations. Three Taliban commanders, including a notorious Al-Qaeda-linked militant leader called Shahpoor, were also killed in the raid, district governor Abdul Zahir said. The air raid was in support of a ground operation by US-led coalition and Afghan forces in a Taliban-controlled valley in the insurgency-plagued region, Zahir said. "The civilians were killed in the air raid," he said. It was not clear if the owner of the targeted house was a member of the Taliban or a civilian, but the Taliban were visiting when the home was attacked, Zahir added.

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday narrowly approved the choice of Chuck Hagel to serve as President Barack Obama's next defense secretary, sending the controversial nomination to the full Senate. - Hagel's nomination cleared the committee in a straight party line 14 to 11 vote. No Republicans backed the former Nebraska GOP senator, a decorated Vietnam veteran who has come under fire on a range of issues relating to American foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, declared that he could not "in good conscience support this nomination because ... it is sending the worst possible signal to our friends [Israel] and our enemies [none] alike."

I am a Black student and I criticized a Black law Professor named Joanne St. Lewis in a youtube clip. I asked Professor St. Lewis to kindly respond to my video with comments or corrections which I would have posted to my blog. However, she did not respond, rather her lawyer Richard Dearden sent me a notice of libel.

Summary of incident surrounding the video: In 2008 the student union released a public report about systemic racism at the University of Ottawa. The University asked a Black professor expert to assess the student report in a responding public report. The expert found that there was no basis for affirming systemic racism at the University of Ottawa. I emailed the Black professor, Joanne St. Lewis, to discuss her report since I was a stakeholder in her conclusions about systemic racism at the University of Ottawa. Professor St. Lewis failed to respond to over half a dozen of my emails and when she finally responded, she advised me that she was on sabbatical and could not meet with me. Since Professor St. Lewis was hired by the university president (a white man) and since she essentially dismissed the allegation there was systemic racism at the University of Ottawa, I described her actions as acting as the university president’s “house negro”. Furthermore, I used the definition of “house negro” as postulated by Malcolm X.

This matter is very dear to my heart and I am not willing to be silenced by a potential lawsuit. In addition, I am student who lives below the low income cut off and I cannot afford legal representation, as such, I am hoping that through public support and exposure Professor St. Lewis will rethink her position on suing me. Thank you for your time. Kindest Regards, Hazel Gashoka

Joanne St. Lewis vs. Denis Rancourt (website). Joanne St. Lewis vs. Denis Rancourt (Video)
U OF O WATCH: St. Lewis v. Rancourt - In A Nutshell. Denis G. Rancourt on A.W.I.P.

A retired Spanish couple has committed suicide after receiving an order to evict their home on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca due to unpaid debts. - Authorities said the 68-year-old man and the 67-year-old woman, who took an overdose of prescription drugs on Tuesday in their home, stated in a suicide note that they have killed themselves because they were unable to pay their debts and were soon going to be evicted. Hours after the suicides, Spain’s parliament voted in favor of reviewing the country's tough mortgage and eviction laws. The legislation pending in the house would allow bankrupt homeowners to write off their debts by giving up their property. However, the discussions could last for months or even years before any amendments are made. Under the current law, evicted homeowners are still liable to repay huge amounts even though the value of their house has plunged during the past four years. In November 2012, Spain's government passed a two-year moratorium on evictions in response to popular protests and reported suicides. The moratorium, however, has stipulations that cover a very limited number of Spanish families.

BBC: A man burns himself to death outside a job centre in France after being declared ineligible for unemployment benefit

Forced to delete David Attenborough's 'alarmist' warming claims from final show of Africa series. - Speaking over footage of Mount Kilimanjaro, Sir David made the assertion that 'some parts of the continent have become 3.5C hotter in the past 20 years'. However, figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that since 1850 global temperatures have risen by 0.76C, causing widespread concern among viewers. The comment, first broadcast in the final episode of the Africa series last Wednesday, was removed from Sunday night’s repeat of the show. A BBC spokesman said: 'There is widespread acknowledgement within the scientific community that the climate of Africa has been changing as stated in the programme. 'We accept the evidence for 3.5 degrees increase is disputable and the commentary should have reflected that. 'Therefore that line has been removed from Sunday's repeat and the iPlayer version replaced.' Many took to Twitter to dispute the fact, asking where the data came from. The BBC initially defended the claim, saying it was taken from a report by Oxfam and the New Economics Foundation, but in turn this report suggested the figure had come from a report by Christian Aid. This report however, says the data came from a 'conversation with authors; February 2006,' and the report's authors have not responded to question over its validity. Experts have also questioned the figure, with Dr Tim Osborn of the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit telling the Guardian: So I would say that our data do not support the claim of 3.5 degC warming in the last 20 years in some regions of Africa.'

A former Los Angeles police officer accused of three murders has been surrounded by police inside a mountain cabin after shooting deputies during a fierce gunfight, reports say. - On Tuesday evening, Christopher Dorner exchanged fire with police in the US state of California's Big Bear Lake area, injuring two officers. One of the injured later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. US television news networks showed dozens of SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) officers surrounding a cabin in a rural area outside Big Bear Lake, a ski resort about 130 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Los Angeles. The 33-year-old former Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) fugitive was firing at police and using smoke grenades. He has sworn not to be taken alive.

Russia Today: 'Burn it Down' – Dorner's hideout deliberately torched by LAPD as dramatic manhunt ends - US Police were heard on Los Angeles TV and over LAPD audio yelling to burn down fugitive ex-cop Chris Dorner’s cabin, revealing a deliberate, considered plan to torch the building in which Dorner was believed to be hiding. Local news channel Kcal9 has played a recording in which police were heard to yell “burn this mother*****r down,” and another shouting, “f*****g burn this mother*****r,” as Dorner was barricaded inside his hideout. The news followed an LAPD audio recording in which a police officer is heard to say, “Alright, we're gonna go ahead with the plan with the burners,” and continued, saying, “like we talked about,” as his colleague confirmed he is in agreement.

George Ciccariello-Maher & Mike King: The Execution of Christopher Dorner
PressTV: Manhunt for Christopher Dorner leads to shootout
PolicyMic: Chris Dorner: Ex LA Cop Was in Shootout With Authorities, Likely Died in Fire

A major manhunt has been underway in the Los Angeles area for Chris Dorner, the former LAPD officer, Navy reservist, and trained marksman who is the prime suspect in the murder of three people, including the daughter of an LAPD captain (who previously represented him in a disciplinary proceeding) and her fiance. A lengthy Facebook message attributed to Dorner vows that he will continue to kill not only members of the LAPD but also their children and spouses until he receives a public apology for what he believes was his unfair firing. Surveillance drones are now being used to try to locate him. LAPD are so apprehensive that they have already mistakenly shot at innocent people when they saw vehicles resembling the one they thought belonged to Dorner. Authorities suspect he's hiding in "the icy wilderness" of Big Bear east of Los Angeles which, reported AP, is "filled with thick forests and jagged peaks, that creates peril as much for Dorner as the officers hunting him."

Paul Craig Roberts: Obama’s Expanding Kill List