February 13, 2013

Italy’s former spymaster gets prison over rendition

Source: Stars & Stripes/ Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Italy’s former spymaster gets prison over rendition
By Alvise Armellini
Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Published: February 12, 2013

ROME — The former head of Italy's military intelligence agency, Nicolo Pollari, was given a 10-year jail term by an appeals court on Tuesday for his involvement in the U.S.-sanctioned kidnapping of a terrorist suspect.

Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, an Egyptian Muslim cleric also known as Abu Omar, was illegally abducted by the CIA in a Milan street in 2003, and flown to Egypt via the U.S. air base at Ramstein, Germany. He was held until 2007 without charges and alleges he was tortured. For their involvement in the affair, Milan judges also sentenced Pollari's former deputy Marco Mancini to nine years’ imprisonment and handed six-year jail terms to three other Italian secret agents.

Italian judges have already tried in absentia and issued final guilty verdicts against 23 U.S. citizens, producing the first-ever official convictions against "extraordinary renditions," the practice employed by the CIA in the war on terrorism.

The policy, adopted under the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush and now dropped by his successor Barack Obama, involved kidnapping a suspect in one country and flying the individual to a third nation for interrogation.

Read more: http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/italy-s-former-spymaster-gets-prison-over-rendition-1.207678

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First convictions with jail time. Now if we just can get G.W. and Dick Cheney to go on vacation to Europe...

February 11, 2013

Panetta Signs Memo Extending Benefits to Same-sex Partners

Source: American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 – Calling it “a matter of fundamental equity,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today signed a memorandum to the service secretaries and the Pentagon’s top personnel official extending benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

Here is the secretary’s announcement of the policy change:

"Seventeen months ago, the United States military ended the policy of ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell.’ We have implemented the repeal of that policy and made clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation has no place in the Department of Defense.

"At the time of repeal, I committed to reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy. It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country. The department already provides a group of benefits that are member-designated. Today, I am pleased to announce that after a thorough and deliberate review, the department will extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

"Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation. Extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation.






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Complete Memo at:
http://www.defense.gov/news/Same-SexBenefitsMemo.pdf

Read more: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=119258

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It's a start.