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Friday, November 30, 2007

Viva La Agencia Central de Inteligencia!

November 20,2007

MEMORANDUM CONFIDENCIAL

De: Michael Middleton Steere, US Embassy

Para: Michael Hayden, Director Agencia Central de Inteligencia.

Asunto: Avance de la Fase Terminal de la Operación Tenaza

Tomando en consideración los anteriores avances documentales en torno a la Operación Tenaza que coordina Humint en Venezuela según la directiva 3623-g-0217, cumplo en informarle para los fines consiguientes, del status actual de dicha operación, la cual entra en su fase terminal según lo estimado.

En forma resumida, presentamos los diversos escenarios puntualizados en los memoradum anteriores, los cuales en las últimas semanas adquieren nuevos desarrollos:

1) Escenario Electoral.

Tal como lo puntualicé en el informe precedente, las tendencias de intenciones de voto se mantienen. Hasta ahora las distintas mediciones realizadas, incluidas las nuestras, le dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos ( 57 % SI, 44% NO ).Tal estimación porcentual se dan en el marco de una abstención que ronda el 60% de los votantes inscritos.

Nuestros análisis, observan que esta tendencia es irreversible en el corto plazo, es decir, en los próximos quince (15) días no se pueden modificar esos porcentajes de una manera significativa.

Por otro lado, la campaña publicitaria promovida por el Plan y las deserciones de las filas gubernamentales ( Podemos- Baduel, por ejemplo ) han logrado quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos en su posición de arranque inicial, tal como NO había ocurrido en otras campañas, donde ha partido con una ventaja entre 15 y 20 % Sin embargo, se puede esperar un congelamiento del impacto esperado, ya que tales tendencias tocaron piso.

En tal sentido, esta oficina recomienda ejecutar lo previsto en el Plan para la Operación Tenaza en el caso de consolidarse en los próximos días este escenario. Como es de su conocimiento hemos propuesto un abanico de respuestas, entre las que están:

Impedir el referéndum o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.

En términos de orientación táctica estas bisagras pueden dar la impresión de ser contradictorias, pero para el momento político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación. En los días que quedan podemos seguir fortaleciendo las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo.

En el acondicionamiento político del no reconocimiento de los resultados del referéndum, ha resultado importante la creación de la matriz de opinión sobre un triunfo seguro del NO y en tal sentido seguiremos trabajando con las encuestadoras que hemos contratado. Al mismo tiempo que mantenemos una sostenida campaña por el NO, se viene trabajando en la crítica al CNE y su conexión con una serie de trampas, lo cual genera en la opinión pública la sensación de fraude. En ese sentido hemos venido insistiendo en los tópicos referido a las inconsistencia del registro electoral permanente, donde contactamos con un equipo de expertos de las universidades, que por su prestigio académico hace creíble una manipulación de la data por parte del CNE, igual ocurre sobre las dudas sobre la tinta y el comportamiento de las máquinas de votación.

En este contexto, empantanar el acto de votación el día 2 de Diciembre es consustancial con la premisa de VOTA Y QUEDATE para poder producir una implosión que nos permita ejecutar la directiva ya establecida en la Operación Tenaza. En este último aspecto hemos convenido con fuerzas aliadas comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del Domingo 2 de Diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación. La operación montada requiere de una coordinación con medios de comunicación a nivel internacional, según lo pautado.

Como hemos explicado en otro documento, manejarnos en estos dos escenario no deja de ser políticamente peligroso, por la fractura que existe en los grupos opositores. A pesar de nuestro esfuerzo por unir a todos los sectores, hay opiniones encontradas en torno a algunos aspectos de nuestro Plan. Hemos realizado contactos y reuniones con Primero Justicia y Nuevo Tiempo y al parecer no van a suscribir nuestra estrategia. Todo lo contrario del Comando Nacional de la Resistencia y Acción Democrática, con quienes venimos trabajando las dos opciones. Aquí es necesario resaltar el papel que viene desempeñando Peña Esclusa y Guyon Cellis según las coordinaciones previas realizadas por Richard Nazario, en lo relativo a diseminar en todo el territorio nacional pequeños focos de protestas, que generen un clima de ingobernabilidad, permitiendo culminar en el levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población.

Sin embargo, considero conveniente que este nexo operacional lo canalice la oficina para evitarle complicaciones a la embajada

2) Las tareas inmediatas de la fase terminal

La combinación de las anteriores pinzas o bisagras (impedir el referéndum, denunciar el fraude y tomar la calle )para un cierre victorioso de nuestra operación, demanda de un sostenido esfuerzo diplomático para aislar aún más a Chávez en el terreno internacional, tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición y buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votan por el NO, incrementar la presión de calle en los días previos al 2 de Diciembre, sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra el régimen, ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas, culminar los aprestos operacionales de nuestras fuerzas acantonadas en la Base aledaña. El apoyo de los equipos externos provenientes del país verde y azul, esta coordinado, la acción marítima de azul esta prevista y, las fronteras con verde en los puntos determinados esta libre.

De inmediato pasamos revista a las actividades realizadas para cumplir con tales metas:

A) En cuanto a las movilizaciones de calle, tal como lo contempla el Plan, hemos logrado persuadir a importantes sectores estudiantiles vinculados a las instituciones educativas privadas para que se incorporen orgánicamente a nuestras iniciativas para salir de Chávez. En la tercera semana de Noviembre se logró un acuerdo marco con los lideres emergentes que han acogido nuestro ideario de democracia y libertad, varias reuniones de trabajo hemos realizados, bajo la coordinación de los rectores Rudolph Benjamín Scharikker Podolski de la Universidad Simón Bolívar y Ugalde de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bellos. Estas autoridades han constituido un equipo donde participan unos grupos de profesores entre los que destacan Ángel Oropeza y su equipo del post-grado de Ciencias Políticas. A las reuniones han asistido dirigentes estudiantiles de varias universidades: Yon Goicochea de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan A. Mejías de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB), Douglas Barrios de la Universidad Metropolitana, Ronel Gaglio de la Universidad Monte Ávila, Gabriel Gallo de la Universidad Santa María. Entre estos líderes hay consenso en términos generales, pero con algunas diferencias en cuanto a las acciones concretas para los próximos días. Ha resulltado halagador la postura asumido por dirigentes estudiantiles de un grupo denominado Bandera Roja, antiguamente enemigo jurado de los intereses nuestros en el país. Su dirigente Ricardo Sánchez, de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, fue uno de los que apoyo nuestra propuesta de acciones de calle directas contra las instituciones: CNE, Tribunal Supremo de Justicia y el Palacio de Miraflores. De todos modos, hay que seguir trabajando la unidad de acción de estos grupos, ya que hay peligro de fractura bajo la premisa de la no violencia y las exigencias operacionales que se contemplan en el Plan, siendo parte de la misma realidad contradictoria que evaluamos en el escenario electoral, ya que en estos grupos estudiantiles influyen tanto el Comando Nacional de la Resistencia como Primero Justicia y en su seno se expresan las diversas posturas partidistas.

B) Como usted sabe, uno de los objetivos de la Operación Tenaza es controlar una franja territorial o institucional, con apoyo masivo de ciudadanos descontentos, en un lapso contemplado entre 72 y 120 horas, tiempo estimado como lapso mínimo para detonar la fase ascendente de las acciones prevista, donde se contempla el pronunciamiento militar. En esto no están comprometidos todos los sectores, por lo que demandamos una mayor actividad del equipo dedicado a construir nuestras alianzas. Particular importancia tiene los contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional. Si bien el enlace que anteriormente la oficina central envió hizo su tarea, la coordinación con esta fuerza clave no ha sido fácil por la dispersión de sus comandos.

En este ámbito, como ya está enterado por el mensaje de emergencia enviado, uno de los equipos coordinado por nuestro enlace operativo fue detectado y decomisado parte del armamento, lo cual ha generado algunas dificultades de seguridad. Ante los peligros de utilización política de los hechos conocidos públicamente, hay que preparar unas coartadas y contrapropaganda que evite el impacto desmoralizante de algunas imputaciones que de seguro hará el gobierno, dado a los rastros encontrados en algunos celulares y en la lapto decomisada.

C) En la esfera de la propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas contempladas en el Plan en curso, es donde hemos cosechado los mayores éxitos, hasta tal punto que en las últimas semanas hemos impuesto nuestra agenda y dominado la escena publicitaria. Los aportes de la SIP y de las agencias internacionales han sido clave. Especial reconocimiento merece Benjamín Gregg ZIF, AAPP de la Embajada , por este trabajo. El y el equipo organizado por Ravell viene rindiendo sus frutos y requiere en esta última fase mayores aportes nuestros.

En este último aspecto debo informarle que de los $8 millones que fueron transferidos casi todo han sido gastado en propaganda, publicidad y contribuciones a algunas de las organizaciones de fachada.

En este último caso, hemos tenido dificultades con la Development Alternative INC, ya que la inteligencia enemiga tiene ubicada nuestra conexión con el señor Gerson Patete y tienen monitoreada la cuenta corriente del Banco Mercantil, No 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. Es urgente no seguir haciendo transferencia a esa cuenta y establecer otro canal para el financiamiento contemplados en esta fase de la Operación Tenaza.

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Top 10 Writers To Detain In A National Emergency

There are enemies out there. Many enemies. So many enemies.

But the most dangerous enemy is the enemy within. The Homegrown Enemy.

You know, most things that are made in the home are dangerous. Homegrown vegetables - dangerous. Homemade toys - dangerous. Homespun wisdom - very dangerous.

When the next American National Emergency comes - and it will come - we will have to act fast and act good. The first thing must be an "appeal for calm". And an "appeal for utter silence" is even better. Because if you're about to drive a bus off the road and over a cliff, the last thing you want is a bunch of back-seat drivers yelling for you to stop and ruining your concentration.

So when the Time of National Crisis & Sacrifice comes, I strongly suggest we neutralize the 10 journalists on the list below.

In peacetime we have indulged their extremist and radical views, but as we all learned when we studied the Bill Of Rights in school, extremist and radical views have no place in a society that lost 3880 innocent lives on September The Eleventh or whatever. 

(click a link to learn more about each scallywag)
  1. Juan Cole 
  2. Amy Goodman
  3. Seymour Hersh
  4. Dahr Jamail
  5. Naomi Klein
  6. Paul Krugman
  7. Scott Ritter
  8. Jeremy Scahill
  9. Gore Vidal
  10. Naomi Wolf
These writers are wiley - cunning - and even though recent changes to the law make it easier to deal with their kind, they often will continue to operate below our radar. Luckily, we have means.


Applying terror can be a fine way to get results. By "terror" I do not mean the use of bombs and spectacular, awesome, shocking displays of destruction and stuff like that. I mean simply good old fashioned frightening of people. So how do you frighten a gaggle of smug Cassandras who have no respect for the sanctity of the American System?

What you do is: Arrest Seymour Hersh for making secret classified material available to The Enemy in his various New Yorker pieces. Put him in jail - regretfully, sadly, without bail, but this is a national security matter and all.  Mr. Hersh need not remain detained indefinitely. Only for a few months.  Or for the duration of The Emergency, say - however long that is.

Also apologize repeatedly to the American people about how Judith Miller and Dan Rather got off so lightly, and make a promise that it will never happen again.

After Sy Hersh spends a little time in a Halliburton Hilton, the rest of the gang will shut up and fast.  All except that damnable Gore Vidal. Who does he think he is?

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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Telegram Sam video

Some days, I just wish I was Peter Murphy ...




Official Bauhaus Site

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Monday, November 26, 2007

China Moon

BEIJING (AP) — China displayed the first image of the moon captured by its Chang-e 1 lunar probe at a gala ceremony Monday, marking the formal start of the satellite's mission to document the lunar landscape.Unveiling the image at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Premier Wen Jiabao hailed it as a major step in "the Chinese race's 1,000-year-old dream" of exploring the moon.

China hopes the probe, launched late last month, will have surveyed the entire surface of the moon at least once by early next year.

The probe's launch closely followed the start of a similar mission by Japan, prompting speculation over a new space race in Asia. India plans to launch a lunar probe in April.

Chinese officials have however played down talk of such competition, saying Beijing wanted to use its program to work with other countries and hoped to join in building the international space station. In 2003, China became only the third country in the world after the United States and Russia to send a human into orbit, following that up with a two-man mission in 2005.

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From President To Enemy Combatant

So there I was thinking about the future, when I began to worry - very much worry - about the safety of U.S. President George W. Bush - and V.P. Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld and Karl Rove and Condie and, oh, everyone.

As we all know, the office of President has acquired the power to declare any American citizen an Enemy Combatant and so order their immediate arrest and indefinite detainment. So I'm very worried that the next President - the one to be elected in 2008 - could turn out to be the conniving, ruthless, chick-with-something-to-prove, Hilary Clinton. And that she will ... well ... I can hardly say it ... she will immediately declare, as her first act in office, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove, Condi, et al. - because of their so-called "crimes" - Enemy Combatants.

I wouldn't have worried so much about this a few years ago, but now the law now clearly and unambiguously allows a President draw up his (or her) own list of Enemy Combatants, and to subject them to indefinite solitary confinement. No charge is required, just Mrs. Clinton's conviction that it is so is legally sufficient.

Hey, while she's at it, how about ...

... Kenneth Star. Gennifer Flowers too. Why not Monica Lewinsky, that tramp? And has Bill outlived his usefulness? Her first E.C. declaration might be painful, but it should get easier over time.

Of course, all those Combatants would get a right to a military tribunal. Sweet deal when you're the Commander In Chief.

Hilary Clinton is a merciless opportunist who makes Lady Macbeth look like Desdemona. All intelligent people accept this as true. So how will President G.W. Bush get himself out of this pickle?

I know what I'd do, if I was him.

I'd stay President for as long as I possibly could.

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Friday, November 23, 2007

Victoria Pan


Victoria Pan, the luxury city-fortress in "Carnival Earth", was originally imagined to be somewhere in the middle of the North American continent - near the Great Lakes region perhaps.

But why not here - at Zero Longitude?

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thanksgivings 2007

Today is the American holiday of Thanksgiving.

Despite claims to the contrary, the autumn feast of Thanksgiving is not an American invention. Here in Britain, there are Harvest Festivals, to which people bring song and drink and pot luck food items and rain gear. These are generally associated with a local church, as they were no doubt associated with celtic religious sites before the Christianization of Britain 1500+ years ago. But the American Thanksgiving holiday is special in that it invites celebrants to enter a state of gratitude and contemplation while avoiding any sectarian affiliation - a doubly remarkable feat when you consider that its historical root is the anniversary of a feast by a conservative Protestant sect (derogatorily called the "Puritans").

Also, in addition to feasting, Americans also get to watch spectacular marching processions and gladiatorial competitions on Thanksgiving recalling America's cultural debt to Ancient Rome. And who doesn't love a parade? Not to mention armored combatants charging at each other?

Me, I live in England now, where a Protestant hasn't been burned at the stake for over 50 years. My family and I came to England from America last year - not to seek religious freedom or escape persecution. No, that would be absurd. We came to the shores of England because ... because ... You know, I have no idea. I think we were "searching" for "something". In any event, we're here now. Here in England. That's the point I could be trying to make.

Who knows, though? Next year we could be in France. And then Switzerland the year after. Then Austria. Then ... As a matter of fact, we could just keep travelling east, a new country every year, until we hit the Pacific Ocean in our search for the freedom to be you and me. By the time we get to China it could be a happenin' place. They might even have disco dancing. 

But why stop at China? How about Maui?! I love Maui.

The point I'm trying to make is that the world is round. And also that I give thanks for the fact that I hold multiple passports. If things get really bad, we have all of Europe ahead of us.

And if things get really, really, really bad ...

... it's eastward to L.A. !!!

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

r + c Blog Readers "Totally Smarter" - Say Experts


you real smart one you

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40 and More

I'm 40.

40 years old last week, me.

Two score years.

I feel like 40 finally gives me permission to enjoy my life. I'm no longer preparing for what I will be when I grow up. I already am what I will be when I grow up. And so, there is little left to do, but enjoy myself. I have, in most respects, more now than I have ever had in my life - not in terms of cash value, of course. That's been on the wane lately. But I do have an abundance of things that really do satisfy me, and that is good. I would like heaps and heaps of cash, but I don't harbor the delusion anymore that heaps and heaps of cash will improve my life. Certainly heaps of cash could change things dramatically, but change and improvement are two very, very different things.

I have a superb writing job right now - one that is filling me with no end of dread. But the dread is my doing. The job itself couldn't be better. And I have a rambunctious little girl who's on the verge of crawling - a prospect which is also filling me with anxiety, what with all the sharp corners and plentiful electrical outlets in here. I have three adorable cats - savage and dangerous and smelly beasts all. And I have this wonderful, wonderful wife - who may well be smarter than I am. All of these precious things will vanish eventually. I feel very happy with the lot - happy even when I'm sick to death of the whole thing.

Feeling free to just kick it and enjoy the remainder of my days, paradoxically brings with it a desire to attempt greater service, greater generosity. Nothing extravagant. Just a smile and "How's your day?" at the grocery store check out is plenty ambitious.

I feel free at 40 to speak my mind and heart, feel niceli set between the certainty that what I say, think, and do really matters to the world, and the certainty that it is of no consequence whatsover. 2008 promises to be a very difficult year - for Americans especially. I am going to endeavor to be a part of the solution. and not the problem. Banishing my fear and heeding my whispering heart will, I trust, illuminate a safe and sane road.

40.

One of the greatest pleasures in life is to drive cross-country - across the USA - on Route 40, "America's Golden Highway".


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Friday, November 16, 2007

South Bank Juggler


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Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Great Film Monologues 1 - "How To Get Ahead In Advertising"


At the disheartening conclusion of Bruce Robinson's SECOND comic masterpiece, "How To Get Ahead In Advertising" (1989), the ... the ... well, the antagonist, let's just say, for those who have yet to see the film ... has won out. Greed has triumphed again. 

And Richard E. Grant, in the second greatest performance of his career, roams out onto his wide and green estate on horseback, and like a deranged corporate-world Henry V, delivers a mighty, triumphant soliloquy:


"We’re living in a shop. The world is one magnificent fucking shop. And if it hasn’t got a price tag, it isn’t worth having. There is no greater freedom than freedom of choice. I was brought up to believe in that, and so should you, but you don’t. You don’t even want roads. God, I never want to go on another train as long as I live! Roads represent a fundamental right of man to have access to the good things in life. Without roads, established family favourites would become elitist delicacies. There’d be no more tea bags, no instant potatoes, no long-life cream. There’d be no aerosols. Detergents would vanish, so would tinned spaghetti, and baked beans with six frankfurters. The right to smoke one’s chosen brand would be denied. Chewing gum would probably disappear, so would pork pies. Foot deodorisers would climax without hope of replacement. When the hydrolized protein and monosodium glutamate reserves ran out, food would rot in its packets. Jesus Christ, there wouldn’t be any more packets! Packaging would vanish from the face of the earth! But worst of all, there’d be no cars. And more than anything people love their cars. They have a right to them. If they have to sweat all day in some stinking factory making disposable cigarette lighters or everlasting Christmas trees, by Christ they’re entitled to them. They’re entitled to any innovation technology brings, whether it’s 10 percent more of it or 15 percent off of it. They’re entitled to it! They’re entitled to one of four important new ingredients! Why should anyone have to clean their teeth without important new ingredients? Why shouldn’t they have their CZT? How dare some smutty, Marxist carbuncle presume to deny it to them! They love their CZT! They want it! They need it! They positively adore it! And by Christ, while I’ve got air in my body, they’re going to get it! They’re going to get it bigger! And brighter! And better! I’ll put CZT in their margarine if necessary. Shove vitamins in their toilet rolls. If happiness means the whole world standing on a double layer of foot deodorisers, I will see that they get them. I’ll give them anything and everything they ever want! By God, I will! I shall not cease ‘till Jerusalem is builded here on England’s green and pleasant land!"


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Friday, November 02, 2007

New Job & New Strike

Just as the Writers Guild Of America prepares to strike, I have signed a contract to write a new movie.

I'm not a WGA member at present, and the production company isn't a guild signatory, and I live in London, and the company is in South Africa, etc. 

But still, I have called the WGA just to make sure I'm okay to work on the project, because the next time I'm in the Los Angeles I want to be able to use the Writers Guild's superb library without getting spat upon. I'm 99% sure I'm in the clear, but I want to nail down that last 1%.

The WGA advice department promised to get back to me as soon as possible on the matter - which, given the ruckus this week, might be some time. But there's plenty of research material to keep me busy before I will be putting pen to paper. And yes, I do sometimes use pen and paper. Quite often actually.

Even Sky News reported on the strike this evening, the anchorman and entertainment correspondent (live from, for some reason, New York) both grinning like MC's at a swimsuit competition, joking about how the usually meek, awkward, introverted writers seemed to be standing up for the themselves, for a change. I suppose you can't fault a big media company like Sky for belittling workers striking against the power of big media companies. It got my goat though is all I'm saying. 

Would they say the same kind of thing about steel workers: "Isn't it marvelous how these dumb, uneducated laborers can join together for a common cause, just like us normal  people?"

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