From: owner-roc-digest@lists.xmission.com (roc-digest) To: roc-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: roc-digest V2 #123 Reply-To: roc-digest Sender: owner-roc-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-roc-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk roc-digest Thursday, April 30 1998 Volume 02 : Number 123 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 09:45:06 -0500 (CDT) From: Subject: IP: Globalization Has Not Severed Corporations' National Links (fwd) - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 07:59:30 -0500 From: believer@telepath.com To: believer@telepath.com Subject: IP: Globalization Has Not Severed Corporations' National Links - ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. - ----------------------- Source: New York Times April 30, 1998 Globalization Has Not Severed Corporations' National Links By LOUIS UCHITELLE For nearly three years, Caterpillar Inc. has been banging its head against the Clinton administration door, trying to get government-sponsored loans for the sale of its big earthmovers to China. Beijing is buying them by the dozens to build the giant Three Gorges Dam, which the administration considers damaging to the environment. So the Chinese have turned to suppliers in Japan and Europe, where governments are less concerned about the environment and more forthcoming with credit. "We've only managed to sell the Chinese a few off-highway trucks," a Caterpillar official said. That is hardly the description of a giant multinational ranging unfettered across the world. For all the talk of economic globalization, the process is still in an early stage. A few multinationals, such as IBM, Royal Dutch/Shell or Imperial Chemical Industries, are ahead of the pack in spreading their revenues, research, financing, stockholders and management over many countries. But the majority are more like Caterpillar in America, Mitsubishi Corp. in Japan or Volkswagen in Germany. For all their interest in overseas sales and investment, nationality still binds them to home. "What we have is United States, European and Japanese corporations trying to dress in global clothing," said William W. Keller, executive director of the Center for International Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "But if you conceive of globalization as being the rootlessness of corporations, that is a paradox. You don't have corporations without states attached to them. When they need help, you find out who they really belong to." Many corporations have invoked the competitive pressures of an increasingly borderless global economy as the reason for moving operations and jobs abroad and to press for other concessions. But a proliferation of treaty negotiations in recent months, aimed at setting rules for the global economy -- most of them favorable so far to business -- has raised a fresh question: just how untethered are these companies and who, therefore, should have a voice in the rule-making? "We have to keep separate that the mobility of corporations has increased from the notion that we are living in a completely seamless integrated world market that gives national government no bargaining power to set standards," said Dani Rodrik, an economist at Harvard. "The latter has not happened." Some want to stop the process of globalization. But others, including a re-energized American labor movement, are more interested in setting international rules of the road. Indeed, 12 different rule-making negotiations are currently under way. Most are inspired by the North American Free Trade Agreement and the treaty that set up the World Trade Organization, in which the United States and 116 other nations agreed essentially to recognize WTO rulings as having the power of national law. Several of the agreements now being discussed would require Senate ratification and would be similarly binding. That would push the setting of global rules beyond the voluntary guidelines that have characterized most such agreements since World War II. "Thus far, the corporations, more than any other group, are shaping the new global regulations," said Raymond Vernon, a Harvard Business School economist. "It is not that they are abandoning their countries for a global identity. They are simply pushing abroad and arguing that if the obstacles are cleared away, they will produce enough for everyone and raise all boats." The recent surge in rule-making brings out strange bedfellows. Corporate America and the AFL-CIO find themselves on one side, favoring an international stage, while the most visible advocates of those who want the rules made in America include Pat Buchanan, the conservative commentator and politician, and Ralph Nader, the liberal consumer advocate. "Rather than international negotiations, the rules should be written through Congress, where you can have discussion and debate," Nader said. As an example, he argued, Congress can no longer effectively ban imports of products made with child labor. American corporate executives see in the new wave of rule-making not only the elimination of remaining trade barriers but also the removal of restrictions on investment abroad and greater freedom to purchase foreign companies. For Nader and Buchanan, however, these are hidden tools to make the shifting of jobs abroad that much easier. Buchanan advocates protective tariffs to keep companies at home, while Nader would discourage job-shifting by canceling tax breaks, imposing a "social tariff" and prohibiting Export-Import Bank loans for exports that contain too many foreign parts. The bank once financed only those exports manufactured entirely in the United States. But it has relaxed that rule in recent years and now, for example, provides credits to customers of Boeing Co. to purchase aircraft that have as much as 15 percent "foreign content," and sometimes more. Bucking such trends is futile, says AFL-CIO president John Sweeney. He calls the Nader-Buchanan approach simplistic. "It is a very good feeling to tell the workers we are going to bring all the jobs back," he said, "but it is not realistic." With that in mind, the American labor movement has joined Corporate America in embracing global rule-making. Instead of waging a losing battle to keep jobs at home, the AFL-CIO is demanding a seat at the rule-making table, with only limited success. The intention is to preserve labor standards at home by raising them abroad. That would be done by writing into every agreement a ban against child and prison labor, as well as guarantees that foreign workers can assemble freely and engage in collective bargaining. "If you can get rid of repression, workers can negotiate their own conditions," Sweeney said. The administration included the AFL-CIO prescription in a bill now before Congress asking for $18 billion in new U.S. financing for the International Monetary Fund. The language has survived so far in the House and Senate. The treaty talks draw little public attention. They range from negotiations to eliminate tariffs on products such as cellular phones and computers to high-level talks between European and American business executives to develop common product standards that would then be incorporated into binding treaties. The World Trade Organization, born in the tariff-cutting Uruguay Round agreement, plays a big role in this process, setting new standards, reducing more tariffs and eliminating other barriers to trade and investment. "This is about international commerce," said Diane Sullivan, director of international trade at the National Association of Manufacturers. "Labor and the environment are not excluded, but they are not at the center of the WTO's concerns." These outsiders are clamoring to make their views known in the negotiations for a treaty that is to be called the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. The agreement is being negotiated under the umbrella of the 29-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Government negotiators, most representing major industrial powers, have met periodically at the organization's headquarters in Paris. The last session took place in mid-April. The group's main goal is to produce a binding treaty that would give foreign corporations a legal status equal to that of domestic companies, establish rules for prompt and sufficient payment in cases of expropriation and give foreign companies equal bidding rights in privatizations of state enterprises. The United States already has a number of similar, bilateral agreements, but this would be the first multilateral treaty. And it is drawing fire from Nader and others, including labor, which is pressing for a greater say in the talks. As a result, the early May target date for completing an agreement has been postponed at least six months to allow for "consultation and assessment," the organization said this week. Acknowledging the pressure, Alan Larson, assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, who represents the United States in the negotiations, said: "There is strong support for measures in the treaty that would advance this country's environmental goals and our agenda on international labor standards. This treaty will not interfere with the ability of the United States to regulate in a normal and nondiscriminatory fashion to protect the environment or worker safety or health." Faced with such regulation, Rodrik of Harvard argues, corporations will not decamp. "We exaggerate how effectively corporations can evade national rules," he said. Indeed, many top executives of U.S. multinationals see their companies as essentially American in identity. That was evident in interviews with a half-dozen of them, and in the replies of others to a letter from Nader, who has been campaigning for shareholders to recite the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, in the company's name, at each annual meeting. The pledge would be a gesture of corporate loyalty to the United States in return for the tax breaks and other advantages that companies receive. None of the 45 corporations that replied to Nader have agreed to such a proposal. Many argue that it would interfere with efforts to be good corporate citizens elsewhere in the world. Yet most spoke of their companies as essentially American in their management, their headquarters, ownership and workers. "It would be difficult to disassociate ourselves from America, even if we wanted to do so," Steve Burrow, president of Anheuser-Busch Cos.' international operation, said in an interview. "Our packaging is even red, white and blue, and the American eagle is part of our image. But our obligation is to our shareholders, and our international operation is an important part of increasing share value." All of these themes and conflicts run through Caterpillar's effort to get low-interest credit. The company has moved about 25 percent of its production abroad; the rest is concentrated in the Midwest, where management and research is also centered. But overseas sales are rising rapidly, and the corporate goal is to have 75 percent of sales from abroad by 2010, up from 50 percent today. The Export-Import Bank plays a significant role in this strategy, already providing low-interest credits for $300 million of Caterpillar's $19 billion in annual revenue. If sales for the Three Gorges project on the Yangtze River in China were to be similarly financed, the total would be $350 million or more. Capital, of course, now flows relatively easily around the world, making loans available practically everywhere. But when Caterpillar is competing to sell diesel engines to Zambia, gold mining equipment to Russia and earthmovers to China, the global lenders are not so quick to offer low-interest loans. So it and other multinationals continue to turn to their home governments. "In really tough, high-risk, high-opportunity markets, a government will always have greater leverage for repayment than a bank," said William C. Lane, a Caterpillar executive in Washington. "You really have to have someone in your corner." Copyright 1998 The New York Times Company ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the message: subscribe ignition-point email@address or unsubscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Apr 98 09:49:11 PST From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Re: GSL> Instant Checks (fwd) On Apr 30, chairman@GunsSaveLives.com wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] PERSONAL OPINION I would like to throw out for thought and discussion some ideas about "instant check" records. I will not address here the problem that the checks will not be instant but will enshrine a waiting period, that the system will quickly be turned into a basis for curtailing gun shows and private sales, or a host of other problems with it. This deals with the destruction of records. If you have heard it, bear with me. #1 NO instant check system run by the feds (and most states) can EVER have the records destroyed legally. Absorb this. The Federal Records Act and many court decisions following have repeatedly been upheld as requiring that records be kept. Federal records (including computer transactions) are federal property. They are governed by the Records Act. THEY MUST KEEP THEM. Now, a simple principle of law that everybody understands says that if a later law modifies an earlier one in some way, the later law applies. The federal courts have made an exception to this for the Records Act. The Records Act itself must be explicitly and intentionally addressed and amended in the new law for any new law's procedures to override those of the Records Act. This means the Metaksa/LaPierre/Brady Act's requirement that background check records NOT be kept is VOID. The feds conducting the program could be PROSECUTED if they destroy the records. #2 The FBI is taking a very sneaky tack on the Metaksa/LaPierre/Brady permision-to-exercise-your-rights checks. They are saying that the gun check program is one thing, and the records of that might have to disappear (this is questionable), but the access of FBI records is a separate thing. ANY TIME the FBI criminal databases or fingerprint databases are checked, the person who is being checked and the reason WILL BE KEPT. #3 The NRA's fight to have states pass instant check systems was based on their propaganda that the Metaksa/LaPierre/Brady invasions of privacy would NOT be done by the feds if the state where the purchase was going on had its own check. Now it appears the feds are proposing they will conduct the national check, regardless. There will be multiple layers of checks. In Fairfax County, VA, where the National Rifle Association, Gun owners of America, and ironically, GunsSaveLives, are headquartered, a handgun buyer at the end of this year will get the same check, through the federal database, THREE time to buy a handgun. The locals check for handgun buys. The state checks all firearms purchases from dealers. The feds will now be checking ALSO, they are proposing, and the state law has not been and will not be modified this year to stop the repetitive checks of the same data. Buying a handgun in a store there will create THREE 99-year records in the FBI's files of the single purchase. If you go to the state police for a permit to buy more than one handgun in 30 days, the single act of buying two handguns will create FOUR computer checks and computer records, as the state police will run your background AGAIN for this permit. Just one example of how the vaunted NRA instant check will not have any records kept. #4 At each stage of all this, the local and state governments may or may not be under any compunction or compulsion to keep or detroy records. It doesn't matter. Which prosecutor (in most places) will prosecute cops for NOT destroying government property? Almost everywhere there is a background check, somebody keeps a record. It is the nature of government. #5 The ironic thing about this is many of the pro-gun people around the country who have fought and contributed and worked to prevent national computer registration of gun owners in earlier years have EMBRACED this insidious plan. It is the demarcation line. For years, federal computer records of who has guns has been the big enchilada of the gun movement. The boogie man. It's here. Thanks to the NRA for joing with HCI and the ATF, wittingly or unwittingly. - --Rick Vizachero chairman, GunsSaveLives (personal opinions, and not those of any organization) walter lee wrote: > > ----------------------------------------- http://GunsSaveLives.com > Nancy, Jim and others: > > I sent this to Tanya last week. When I say in the letter to her, that > instant checks are not bad in theory, I mean that. If one could get > clearance in one minute with no records of the call kept and no fee, I > don't have are reason to be against it-- if it served a purpose. It the > feds would prosecute any violent felon or fugitive to the max for trying > to buy a gun, then everyone would be safer. However, the feds don't > prosecute, the want fees, there is still a potential six day wait, and > they are setting it up for registration. > > By the way, under the proposed federal rules, the instant checks don't > effect people with state CHLs that include background checks in the > application. My objection is on principle. They already have my name, > but they won't have a list of transactions. > > Walter LeeInstant check (walter lee , Sat 15:38) > To: > tm@nra.org > > Given the rules the rules posted concerning the "instant background > check" it is time for the NRA and ILA to reconsider its endorsement. > > The instant check is not instant. Allow three business days for > results, which translates up to six calendar days. Call on Wednesday > morning. Currently, the day of the call does not count. Maybe it will > under the new ruling. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (three business days) > , Saturday, Sunday, National Holiday. They call you Tuesday and > comply. There is nothing instant about it. > > There are serious fees imposed; 13 to 16 dollars per transaction is the > estimate. On a two thousand dollar trap gun, its like nothing. On a > used, sixty dollar .22 rifle it comes to a 25% increase. > > They asked for SS#s. Its volunteer, but... > > I have been told that because Federal computers are involved, the data > will be retained "for audit purposes" "by law." I have also been told > that the record will be discarded when the applicant turns 99. > > Some of this comes directly from the BATF website--in terms of time and > money. > > I can agree that an instant background check is not bad in theory but > the devil is in the details and those details are what we have to live > by. Please, Please, Please oppose the rules submitted by the FBI and > ATF before its too late. > > Demand that instant be instant. Congress appropriated money to set up > the system. Don't try to make gun owners pay for it again. > > I have heard three dealers say they are going to quit when their FFLs > expire. We are running out of dealers in my neck of the woods. The > rules of the instant checks are one of the things that are driving them > out. > > Please register an objection to these details. > > Walter Lee > Life Member > > -------------------------- > GunsSaveLives Internet Discussion List > > This list is governed by an acceptable use > policy: http://www.wizard.net/~kc/policy.html > or available upon request. > > To unsubscribe send a message to > majordomo@listbox.com > > with the following line in the body: > > unsubscribe gsl > > GUNSSAVELIVES (GSL) IS A PRIVATE UNMODERATED LIST. > THE OWNER TAKES NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR CONTENT. ALL > RIGHTS RESERVED. - -- Don't agonize. Organize. http://GunsSaveLives.com (Opinions here are personal and not those of any organization.) [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] - -- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Apr 98 13:52:20 PST From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Re: NBC Dr. Suter, folks, I'd like to suggest a concurrent strategy here. It's been a long time since I last checked out the, "biz", news heirarchy, but I recall seeing some newsgroups there and elsewhere devoted to various aspects of advertizing. These represent an opportunity to go on the offensive. If anyone has a current list of these or other appropriate newsgroups, please post them. Here's the Strategy: Someone posts a question appropriate to the newsgroup about this TV Movie and/or other similar Propaganda efforts. The rest of us chime in with our, "Pro-Gun/Open-Concealed-Vermont Carry/Pro-Rights/Yeah, I'd join a Boycott/etc." messages, flooding those news groups with them. While this might interfere with gathering Intel about Prospective Sponsors, it would also get the messaage across to a whole lot of businesses that there's a whole lot of people, "out there", who don'tlike their Rights being messed with. The more this happens, the less likely such Propaganda efforts are to find Sponsors in the future, the less likely businesses are to post, "No Carry", signs on their premises etc., etc. This would also litmous test a lot of various businesses'/individuals attitudes for us. Inserting a few comments about, "Journalistic Biases", and other unfair tactics should also have a salutary effect. It could even cure some of their, "If it bleeds, it leads", Modus Operandi. Cutting off their cash at the source should get the message across _real_fast_. In that it's, "broadcast", rather than targeted at an individual business, it should be effective in cutting out more of the nonsense than the targeted approach. So what do you think, any other/better ideas? On Apr 30, Edgar Suter wrote: >BOYCOTT OF "LIRR INCIDENT" SPONSORS GAINING STEAM > >Judging by copies of letters to NBC received to date, the initial >response is encouraging. But we need to spread the word and get more >people to contact NBC and let them know you and your family will >boycott any sponsors of "The Incident on Long Island" TV movie, set >to air May 3 on NBC. > >You will recall that this Barbra Streisand production is little more >than a promotional piece for anti-gun zealot Rep. Carolyn McCarthy >(D-NY), who is up for re-election this year. The TV movie reportedly >contains numerous mis-statements about guns and the Second Amendment, >as well as vicious attacks on the NRA and politicians who voted to >repeal the 1994 Clinton "assault weapon" ban. The movie exploits the >tragic Long Island Railroad massacre, the ensuing trial of >mass-murderer Colin Ferguson, and McCarthy's campaign for Congress to >boost McCarthy and slam the NRA and gun rights. > >A campaign is under way to fight this. Many people have already >contacted NBC and informed them that they will boycott all >sponsors who advertise on the program, explaining that we will >not stand for intentional distortions of fact and slander of the NRA, >RKBA, and our political allies. > >A list of sponsors will be circulated immediately after the May >3 broadcast. Efforts to ascertain sponors in advance are still >being made. > >Send your comments now to movies@nbc.com. > >and leave comments at their websites and landmail > >http://www.nbc.com/ > >(you can go to your local affiliate stations homepage by searching >w/ zipcode from this page) > >NATIONAL BROADCASTING CO INC. >Viewer Relations >30 Rockefeller Plaza >New York, NY >10112-0002 > >Phone Number: >(212) 664-4444 (ask for Viewer Relations, leave a recorded (likely) or > live message) > > >http://www.nbc4la.com/ (LA's KNBC channel 4; click on feedback) >KNBC TV - Comments >3000 W Alameda Ave, Burbank, CA 91523 >(818) 840-4444 (comments must be written) > > >Please continue to spread the word, and do your part! - -- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 16:35:48 CST From: 1911a1@gte.net Subject: NRA Misfeasance in PA PLEASE READ, FORWARD, CROSS-POST, PRINT OUT, AND SHOW TO YOUR FRIENDS! POST AT GUN STORES, CLUBS AND RANGES! PLACE IN YOUR MAILINGS. SPREAD THE WORD! THE MEMBERS' MEETING IS IN PHILADELPHIA ON SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1998, BEGINNING AT 10 AM. ALL CONCERNED MEMBERS SHOULD PLAN TO BE THERE! CALL MEMBER SERVICES AT 1-800-672-3888 FOR INFORMATION. - ----- Begin Forwarded Message ----- Russ Laing's Letter to Bob Brown by Chris BeHanna NRA Life #CPC7725J The last three messages have introduced you to Act 17, NRA-ILA's boondoggle legislation that passed in Pennsylvania in 1995 (co-sponsored by HCI, no less!), and to Russ Laing, an NRA member who was bitten badly by Act 17 and who, HAVING COMMITTED NO CRIME, has had his right to keep and bear arms revoked FOR LIFE without due process of the law. What follows is Mr. Laing's letter to Bob Brown, a supporter of the "Winning Team" who worked on last year's "Vote Against" campaign and who has authored some patently ridiculous vituperation in this year's Board of Directors election. - ----- Begin Russ Laing's Letter to Bob Brown Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 11:28:22 To: editor@sofmag.com From: Russ Laing Subject: Tactics of Neal Knox Faction Cc: acsl@nauticom.net Bcc: activist@sgi.net Robert K. Brown March 11, 1998 Dear Mr. Brown: I would like to comment on your editorial piece in the April 1998 edition of Soldier of Fortune Magazine ("Shameless Tactics of the Neal Knox Faction"). It was this same "Neal Knox Faction" that came to my defense, when abandoned and ignored by the NRA, I sought to defend the loss of my gun collection and my 2nd amendment rights based upon the invasion of my unlocked home by gun-waving members of a local police department. When, much to their surprise, found that the only "crime" I was committing was that of being asleep in my bedroom, they resorted to "committing" me to a local hospital for the reason of being "Unable to care for myself". I have no criminal record, I was not accused of committing any crime, and I have been involved in a very successful business career. This "commitment", done without a warrant of any kind and not involving any other hearing or adjudication process at any time was then invoked by these police officers to justify their confiscation of my gun collection - still locked in the combination safe that they dragged from my home! How did they get away with it? Because of Pennsylvania legislation passed in 1995 --SPONSORED AND HAILED BY THE NRA WINNING TEAM-- that now creates a permanent firearm disability for anyone who - like me - is taken by any local police officer for an emergency detention/evaluation --- even where such detention is initiated without a warrant of any kind, including not having a warrant to invade my home when their stated reason was that my employer was concerned that I had not called off sick from work! I contacted the NRA in May 1997, wrote a personal appeal to Charlton Heston, wrote to their Office of Legal Counsel (Bob Dowlut) numerous times and heard....nothing. It took the vigorous and repeated efforts of the "Neal Knox Faction" just to get NRA to acknowledge my situation, even though as a standing member of NRA I received numerous calls soliciting membership dues for future years during this same time period. In January of 1998, NRA finally reviewed the detail case file I sent and I received a phone call from an assistant to Mr. Dowlut (David Kaplan) who very smartly advised me that since I could sue for damages I must not need NRA's help! This was followed by a more civil letter from Mr. Dowlut turning down my request for assistance. [Note from Chris: David Caplan isn't Mr. Dowlut's assistant. Caplan is an NRA Director. See http://www.users.fast.net/~behanna/caplan.html.] Mr. Brown, I can understand and respect the NRA directing its legal assistance to priorities it deems more urgent than my own situation. But let's remember that my situation would never have happened at all had the leadership of NRA not made a conscious decision to support legislation amending the PA Uniform Firearms Act (Act 17 of 1995) to now specifically allow for the lifelong loss of gunrights based on any local police officer's suspicion (or good old-fashioned bias/personal agenda) which need not be documented in something as basic as the need to obtain a warrant. In other words, NRA-sponsored Act 17 makes Pennsylvania the first state in the nation where an indidivual can have their guns siezed, lose all the 2nd amendment rights, and even be personally locked up for several days -- all without even the slightest due process: no warrant, no hearing before a judge, or other formal authority -- just a policeman's say-so will get the job done. Suspected felons, or even someone fighting a traffic ticket are given far more rights and protections than I -- as a gunowner -- was under NRA-sponsored Act 17. And what I CANNOT understand is that, as a member in good standing my appeals to NRA were ignored for some seven months and only then acted on when the "Neal Knox Faction" finally hounded them into at least giving me a serious reply (apart from Mr. Kaplan calling me up and mocking me over the phone). But we can make this all very straightforward: Why don't you simply ask the Winning Team to answer this question: Did you, the NRA leadership, sponsor PA Act 17 that provides for life-long loss of guns and gun rights, without any required due process protections, as guaranteed under both the Pennsylvania and Federal constitution(s)? Go ahead, ask them. And if you're man enough, then you can print their answer in Soldier of Fortune and we can all see exactly whose tactics are "shameless". I won't be able to read your reply, however, since I am cancelling my SOF subscription so that I can direct my money to the Neal Knox Faction and any other truly patriotic group that still believes in all of the constitution, even when the photo-op flashbulbs are going off. If this message gets around, I wonder how many others feel as I do? Sincerely, Russell G. Laing - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you interested in preventing this from happening to even more people? Vote for people who actually believe the Second Amendment means what it says, and says what it means: 1. Please VOTE FOR THE FAITHFUL Second Amendment Action candidates: Jerry L. Allen David M. Gross* Robley T. Moore Michael J. Beko* John Guest Larry R. Rankin James A. Church Fred Gustafson Albert C. Ross* William Dominguez Don L. Henry* Frank H. Sawberger Howard J. Fezell* William B. Hunt Thomas L. Seefeldt Daniel B. Fiora* Phillip B. Journey* Kim Stolfer Arnold J. Gaunt Michael S. Kindberg* John H. Trentes Fred Griisser Jeff Knox Glen I. Voorhees Jr.* Wesley H. Grogan Jr.* John C. Krull Those with an asterisk have been deliberately targeted to be PURGED as "extremists." What's "extreme" about demanding your rights? Help NRA help you and support these candidates! 2. Visit their web sites for further information: http://www.2ndamendment.net (contains candidate statements) http://www.mcs.net/~lpyleprn/home.html http://www.nealknox.com/ (contains Heston interviews) U.S. mail point-of-contact: Second Amendment Action, 100 Heathwood Drive, Liberty, S.C. 29657 - ----- End Forwarded Message ------------------------------------------------------ | If guns cause crime, | If you want my | | crime, all of mine are | guns, then you | | defective. | want a war. | |----------------------------------------------------- | Support the Chinese | If Charles Schumer didn't | | Underground! Buy an | exist, it would not be | | SKS and bury it! | necessary to invent him. | ------------------------------------------------------ -*-*-* Visit me at http://home1.gte.net/1911a1 *-*-*- - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 20:38:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Brad Subject: (fwd) Re: Oliver North - Winning Team Candidate (fwd) - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > Oliver North has been recommended for re-election to the 1998-1999 > > Board of Directors by the NRA Nominating Committee. > > > VOTE FOR OLIVER NORTH! > > ---------------------------------------------- > > VOTE FOR THE WINNING TEAM! > - -------------------------------------------------- Extracts from CIABASE about this fine member of the WINNING TEAM! Costa Rica, 89 Lt. Col. North, Secord, Poindexter, Tambs and former CIA station chief Fernandez declared persona non grata because their activities led to the establishing of narcotics nets. The Nation 12/18/89 742 Central America, 84-88 from early 84 to fall of 86, North directed a clandestine resupply operation "project democracy" which used a military airbase in El Salvador to fly weapons and supplies to the contras. for a year the DEA agent castillo investigated it. North's personal notebooks subpoenaed by congress contained one entry, for 7/12/85, "$14 million to finance came from drugs." Castillo, C. (1994). Powderburns 17,141 80-98 CIA acknowledged that cocaine traffickers played a significant early role in the Nicaraguan contra movement and it intervened to block an image-threatening 1984 federal inquiry into a cocaine ring with suspected links to the contras. CIA also admitted that it received intel from a law-enforcement agency as early as 1982 that a U.S. religious group was collaborating with the contras in a guns-for-drugs op. the admissions are buried in a 1/29/98 report. in the report's volume one, entitled "the california story," CIA inspector general hitz reasserts CIA contentions that key figures from the crack ring did not have direct ties to the CIA and that their donations to the contra cause were relatively small. toward the end of the report, the CIA includes broad admissions that many of webb's contentions were not only true, but understated the contra-cocaine connection. the consortium 2/16/98 Central America, 80-98 per the inspector general's report, CIA maintained contact with drug traffickers supporting contra Nicaraguan rebels in the 1980s. "dozens of people and a number of companies..." were involved in drug trafficking. that trafficking involved bringing drugs into the U.S. the information, will be detailed in a 600-page classified report scheduled to be sent to congress later this month. the ig also said that under an agreement in 1982 between then-attorney general william french smith and the CIA, Agency officers were not required to report allegations of drug trafficking involving non-employees -- defined as meaning paid and non-paid "assets [meaning agents], pilots who ferried supplies to the contras, as well as contra officials and others." this policy was modified in 1986 when CIA was prohibited from paying "U.S. dollars" (emphasis added) to any individual or company found to be involved in drug DEAling. rep. dicks, ranking democrat on the intel panel, called for more hearings, including possible testimony from Oliver l. North. Washington Post 3/17/98 a12 Central America, 81-85 DEA behind a film called doublecrossed, claiming CIA wanted cameras mounted on the c-119 and was ultimately responsible for the murder of barry seal in louisiana by a Colombian drug cartel. Central America, 84-96 following are excerpts from "powder burns," cocaine, contras & the drug connection, a book by retired DEA agent, cellerino castillo published in 1992. castillo has documented much of what he saw and DEA has refused to honor foia requirements. from early 1984 to the fall of 1986, (Lt. Col. Oliver) North directed a clandestine resupply op dubbed "project democracy," which used a military airbase in El Salvador to fly weapons and supplies to the contras. for the better part of a year, i investigated it. in El Salvador, military officers took weapons seized from the guerrillas and sold them to traffickers; in guatemala, i discovered members of our host government running a smuggling ring for the cartels. contra planes flew north to the U.S., loaded with cocaine, then returned laden with cash. all under the protective umbrella of the U.S. ny times "new media" forum on 10/8/96 Central America, 85-87 chief CIA's c.a. task force testified links between contras in Costa Rica and narcotics trafficking broader then earlier estimated.... it is not a couple of people it is a lot of people....we knew that everyone around pastora was involved in cocaine.... his staff and friends (redacted) they were drug smugglers or involved in drug smuggling. drugs, law enforcement and foreign policy, report by senate committee on foreign relations, 12/88, p37-8 Central America, 85-87 contra ops in (Costa Rica) were funded by drug operations. pilots unloaded weapons, refueled and headed north toward the U.S. with drugs. drugs, law enforcement and foreign policy, report by senate committee on foreign relations, 12/88 p41-2 Central America, 85-89 senator kerry said stopping drug traffic in U.S. sacrificed for political and institutional goals such as changing gvt in Nicaragua, supporting gvt in panama, using drug-running orgs as intel assets, etc. covert action information bulletin (now covert action quarterly) summer 90 6 Central America, 85 in personal diaries North kept in 85, he wrote down aide's tip that drugs being brought into U.S. on a contra supply plane. he recorded type of aircraft and a stop enroute - new orleans. in testimony he said he gave info to DEA but DEA says it has no such evidence. North declined an interview on subject. numerous officials said North never mentioned shipments. plane and crew continued be used as official carriers. North relied on robert owen, who traveled to Central America. nhao hired owen who secretly worked for North. North wrote in diary on 8/9/85: "honduran dc-6 which is being used for runs out of new orleans is probably being used for drug runs into U.S." next day he wrote "meeting with a.c. - name of DEA person in new orleans re bust on mario dc-6." a.c. could be adolofo calero, brother of mario, who in charge of shipping and warehouse op in new orleans. mario regularly used a dc-6 based in Honduras. jack lawn former head of DEA denied North gave any info re those flights. special DEA agent new orleans at time said they never received such info. mcfarlane did not know. nhao director duemling and 5 other nhao officials said North never told them. "on contrary" duemling said, "North wanted me to work with mario." details of regular nhao flights. only dc-4 listed in nhao records was miami-based vortex air international inc. one of whose key officers has long series of drug allegations. owen's memo of 2/26/86 reads: "no doubt you know the dc-4 foley got was used at one time to run drugs, and part of crew had criminal records." "nice group of guys the boys choose. the company is also one that mario has been involved with using in the past, only that had a quick name change. incompetence reigns." in owen's testimony, he identified foley as pat foley of summit aviation, which still operates in delaware and identified the boys as CIA. North's notebooks show he aware they were still working for Agency. vortex name appears twice, and one of its officers, who had numerous drug chargers - michael bernard palmer - appears twice. list of various charges against palmer. in 87 palmer was working for a gvt Agency. customs records at miami say that "normal customs service procedures for incoming flights are expedited" at request of unnamed Agency. in addition to vortex, senator's kerry's report listed diacsa as doing nhao work two foreign firms listed; setco air, a Costa Rican firm owned by alfredo caballero, and floyd carlton, who ran drug and money laundering op out of diacsa's miami offices. carlton pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy. Washington Post 10/22/94 a1,11 Central America, 98 Attorney General Renoa ordered justice IG to continue to withhold 400-page report on the CIA-crack cocaine controversy. citing "law enforcement concerns" that are not related to the report's conclusions, reno said the report should continue to be withheld until those concerns have ended. under the law cited by reno, among the info the ag can order withheld includes undercover ops and the identity of confidential sources such as protected witnesses. ig michael bromwich disagreed and said "i hope that we will be able to release the report in its entirety in the not-too-distant future." bromwich also said the CIA played no role in the delay and that nothing in the report is classified. report is the outgrowth of a year-long investigation by bromwich's staff into articles published in august 1996 by the san jose mercury news. last month, CIA ig hitz released a summary of his findings from his inquiry, which concluded there was no evidence to support the allegation of CIA involvement in the california crack cocaine trade. the complete CIA ig report, whose release was delayed in december by the justice department, is now expected to be made public late next week. Washington Post 1/24/9 a13 Central America, Nicaragua, 80-88 kerry's subcommittee issued a 1,166 page report on drug corruption in Central America and the caribbean that concluded "there was substantial evidence of drug smuggling through the war zones on the part of individual contras, contra suppliers, contra pilots, mercenaries who worked with the contras, and contra supporters throughout the region." "senior U.S. policy makers were not immune to the idea that drug money was the perfect solution to the contra's funding problems." the committee discovered that state department contracts worth $806,000 went to no fewer than four aid conduits owned and operated by narcotics traffickers. one of these was setco air, a honduran cargo firm hired by state to transport goods to the contras in 85 and 86. firm a front for ramon matta ballesteros a class i DEA violator. Reagan adm protection of matta, represented a bigger blow to the war on drugs than smuggling ops of any particular resistance group. matta practically owned Honduras, where he corrupted the same ruling military officers whom the CIA relied on. the CIA blocked a proposal by DEA agents and the DEA shut down its office in tegucigalpa. Honduras then became a booming center for multi-ton loads of Colombian cocaine. marshall, j. (1991). Drug Wars 44-5 Central America, Nicaragua, 81-96 jack blum, helped run kerry investigation. a former senior CIA officer said that from 1981 to 1984 Agency case officers working in field with contra "weren't making themselves fully aware of drug activity. we were focused on building up" the contras. clarridge, in 1981 was chosen to head ops against sandinistas. he said his interest in drugs was documenting cocaine trafficking by sandinistas. morales case, seems to remain best-documented example of a contra group cooperating with a drug trafficker and receiving substantial aid in return. per pastora and chamorro, morales -- who was convicted in 1986 of drug trafficking and died in prison in 1991 -- contributed at least two airplanes and $90,000 to the pastora group, known by its spanish initials arde. in sworn testimony to the kerry committee and a separate court case before he died, morales said he gave airplanes and cash to contras because he was promised by chamorro that contras would use their influence with the U.S. to help with his legal problems. although imprisoned, he told kerry committee that he had in fact received some legal help. Washington Post 10/31/96 a1 CIA involved in drug traffic at three levels: 1. coincidental complicity by allying with groups engaged in traffic; 2. support of traffic by covering up known traffickers and condoning their involvement; 3. active engagement in transport of opium and heroin. mccoy, a.w. (1991). the politics of heroin: CIA complicity in the global drug traffic 23 Costa Rica, 89 Lt. Col. North, secord, poindexter, tambs and former CIA station chief fernandez declared persona non grata because their activities led to the establishing of narcotics nets. The Nation 12/18/89 742 Costa Rica, Nicaragua, 80-91 in april 91 Costa Rica asked U.S. to extradite CIA operative john hull to stand trial on homicide charges. hull was allegedly at center of North's illegal contra supply net. Costa Rican authorities accuse hull of allowing his ranch to be used as an arms-for-drugs swap meet. hull indicted in connection with bombing attempt against eden pastora in la penca, Nicaragua. 5 died in bombing. washington post 5/26 91 d7 Central America, 86 smuggler michael tolliver paid to fly arms to contras then allowed to return to U.S. with drugs. he would find his own return load or be supplied with a network run by Oliver North. once landed plane with 25,000 lbs marijuana at homestead air base in fla. drug route protected by CIA. the progressive 4/88 11 Colombia, Nicaragua, 84 drug Dealer ochoa, kingpin of medellin cartel was capture. DEA proposed a deal if ochoa would implicate sandinistas. he refused. CIA, DEA and bush's newly formed antidrug task force used barry seal to try to implicate sandinistas in drug traffic. seal testified he photoed sandinista soldiers and an official. seal a part of supply net supervised by CIA and North. c-123 used by seal to implicate sandinistas later shot down with hasenfus. The Nation 9/5/87 p189-192 documents reveal that in 86 North, gen. paul gorman, CIA man dewey clairridge, and elliot abrams lobbied justice dept to treat leniently Honduras' gen. jose abdenego bueso rosa who was involved in plot to kill honduran president roberto suazo cordova. iran contra report does not mention name of conspirator nor central am leader. also, report does not mention that gen. rosa, former head of honduran armed forces joint command, was contra supporter and was to fund op thru cocaine smuggling into U.S. american officials feared rosa might talk about contra drug ops if justice dept did not go easy on him. The Nation 12/5/87 p668 latin america, 71-75 CIA immunized no fewer than 27 federal drug cases. DEA said starting with dcis colby and george bush, CIA poached from both DEA's pool of informants and investigative targets. when DEA arrested them they used CIA as protection and because of CIA involvement they were released. this amounted to a license to traffic for life because even if they were arrested in the future, they could demand classified documents about their prior CIA involvement and would have to be let go. CIA knew their assets were drug smugglers. marshall, j. (1991). Drug Wars 41 middle east, england, 85-91 chuck lewis, then associated press's washington bureau chief met "six or seven" times with Oliver North over hostage situation. reporters who wrote contra stories, robert parry and brian barger, said lewis delayed publication of several of their stories for weeks or months. reporters not told of meetings. "if he was Dealing with Oliver North on terry anderson, at a minimum he shouldn't have insisted on editing our stories on North,..." barger said the delayed articles involved allegations of drug trafficking, corruption and CIA involvement with the contras. "on some of these stories we had 2 or 3 dozen sources." Washington Post 12/14/91 c1,8 Nicaragua. federico vaughan: official of Nicaraguan sandinistas whose picture allegedly taken with pablo escobar by barry seal as part of a U.S. government-financed sting operation. scott, p. & marshall, j. (1991). Cocaine Politics 263 Nicaragua, 79-96 british media expose CIA-cocaine links by norman solomon. "the CIA actively encouraged drug- trafficking in order to fund right-wing contra rebels in Nicaragua during the 1980s, and a CIA agent in Nicaragua was employed to ensure the money went to the contras and not into the pockets of drug barons." the independent, summarized conclusions of investigative journalists working for britain's itv television network. their findings aired dec.12 on a highly regarded program called "the big story." british news reports included statements by carlos cabezas, who was a pilot for the Nicaraguan air force before the sandinistas came to power in 1979. during the early 1980s, cabezas transported cocaine from central america to california. he ended up spending six years in prison after the 1983 seizure of 430 pounds of cocaine in the san francisco bay. cabezas said that he delivered cocaine proceeds to contra leaders in miami and Costa Rica. cabezas said in Costa Rica he met CIA agent ivan gomez, who responsible for overseeing transfer of drug profits to the contras. article from "media beat" syndicated column. norman solomon mediabeat igc.apc.org 1/1/97 Nicaragua, 84-85 drug trafficker jorge morales claimed CIA approached him in 1984 offering him legal protection if he agreed to fly weapons to contras while returning with drugs. weapons were loaded at opa-locka airport near miami or executive airport in fort lauderdale and flown to Honduras, Costa Rica or El Salvador. $4.5 million in drug profits went to contras. op went on for 18 months with full U.S. gov knowledge. eddy, p. (1988). the cocaine wars 327-332 panama, 71-91 motion in noriega's trial describes CIA efforts to arm Nicaraguan contras - a guns-for-drugs policy. many heavy deletions re his two meetings with bush, dci casey, and Oliver North. "noriega called upon defuse situations which threatened U.S. interests in Central America and elsewhere." prosecutors acknowledged noriega paid 161,000 by CIA dating from 1971 and another 162,168 from army. Washington Post 9/4/91 a1,4 panama, 86 North with approval sec state shultz and abrams met noriega aide in england to talk about aid to contras. at time there extensive reporting re noriega's drug trafficking. Washington Post 4/9/89 a18 - - ------------------------------ End of roc-digest V2 #123 *************************