Gitmo Detainees Shown CIA Officers' Photos

(Analyst's Note: The Washington Post broke the story that CIA people were "outed" to some of the Gitmo detainees! Now our "openness" is putting our heroic people and their families in peril. Do you think CIA recruiting might be affected? What will be the benefit to American security if we put our operatives in public jeopardy of life and limb? What is going on? This is just wrong. Why hurt those sworn to protect America in the worst of places and situations?)

from FoxNews:

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is investigating whether Guantanamo Bay detainees charged with roles in the Sept. 11 attacks were improperly given photos of CIA officers or contractors, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

The investigation, headed by the Justice Department's counterespionage chief, John Dion, is trying to determine if military lawyers defending the detainees divulged classified information or compromised covert CIA officers, according to the person, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

It is a violation of federal law to identify CIA covert personnel, and it is a violation of military commission rules to disclose classified information, even if only to the defendants.

The person who spoke to The Associated Press said the photos at issue were provided by the John Adams Project, a combined effort of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to assist in the defense of the detainees.

The investigation was first reported by The Washington Post on its Web site Thursday night. The ACLU told the Post the organization was confident no laws or regulations had been broken.

The lawyers defending terrorist suspects held at the Navy-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have sought to expose their clients' treatment at the hands of government interrogators, particularly those held in CIA "black sites" overseas, where harsh interrogation tactics were used. Critics of those tactics say they are torture.

Such treatment is likely to play a central role in expected trials for the detainees, either in federal criminal courts or at military commissions, and defense lawyers are expected to try to call CIA personnel and CIA contractors to testify.

Another lawsuit challenges D.C. gun limits

Analyst's Note: An interesting article by Bob Unruh of WorldNetDaily indicates that the Second Amendment Foundation people are filing another lawsuit against the District of Columbia government over gun laws. They are attempting to restore an old D.C. law allowing for permits to carry concealed weapons. Their issuance has effectively been stopped by the council rescinding the authority of the police chief to issue them. To read the article click here. Fundamental second amendment rights are being restored slowly in the capital but they do seem to be returning.

Obama to raise 10-year deficit to $9 trillion, increase is $2 trillion

(Analyst's Note: This Reuters article announces an increase in the estimated national budget deficit of another $2 Trillion. You will recall that Obama complained he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit from former President George W. Bush. This announcement of the increased threat to the American economic security comes on a Friday evening when the President joins the Congress in the August recess.

America has a major debt crisis. This problem should be the number one concern of government. National well-being demands we protect the economy and jobs; they are primary over government expansion and growth in entitlements. Priorities, gentlemen, priorities. )

The following is an article excerpt. Read the whole article here.

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration will raise its 10-year budget deficit projection to approximately $9 trillion from $7.108 trillion in a report next week, a senior administration official told Reuters on Friday.

The higher deficit figure, based on updated economic data, brings the White House budget office into line with outside estimates and gives further fuel to President Barack Obama's opponents, who say his spending plans are too expensive in light of budget shortfalls.

The White House took heat for sticking with its $7.108 trillion forecast earlier this year after the Congressional Budget Office forecast that deficits between 2010 and 2019 would total $9.1 trillion.

"The new forecasts are based on new data that reflect how severe the economic downturn was in the late fall of last year and the winter of this year," said the administration official, who is familiar with the budget mid-session review that is slated to be released next week.

"Our budget projections are now in line with the spring and summer projections that the Congressional Budget Office put out."

The White House budget office will also lower its deficit forecast for this fiscal year, which ends September 30, to $1.58 trillion from $1.84 trillion next week after removing $250 billion set aside for bank bailouts.

Record-breaking deficits have raised concerns about America's ability to finance its debt and whether the United States can maintain its top-tier AAA credit rating.

Politically, the deficit has been an albatross for Obama, a Democrat who is pushing forward with plans to overhaul the U.S. healthcare industry -- an initiative that could cost up to $1 trillion over 10 years -- and other promises, including reforming education and how the country handles energy.