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Here’s What The FBI Was Doing Instead Of Catching The Orlando Shooter

After the most recent mass shooting in Orlando, Florida — the worst in U.S. history — one might ask how the FBI was able to investigate the perpetrator, twice, without deciding to take any further action. This question is further confounded by the fact the perpetrator was, according to his wife, an abusive, unstable man suffering from bipolar disorder.

A more appropriate question would be: what is the role of the FBI in counter-terror operations? How were they not able to prevent this incident, despite “preventing” hundreds of high profile incidents prior to this?

Out of the 508 terrorism-related cases since September 11, 2001, more often than not, the FBI has had a hand in creating the very terrorist threat they have claimed to be protecting us from. Two-hundred and forty-three of these cases involved an FBI informant. In many instances, the targets of these operations, who are later accused of plotting attacks, are not only almost always Muslim, but they are also often suffering from a mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Moreover, the targets are also vulnerable and easily susceptible to bribery as they are desperate for money – so desperate, it seems, they will help put their own friends behind bars.

This can be seen most clearly in the Newburgh Four case, which saw a combination of mental illness and an urgent need for money. One of the “Four,” James Cromitie, was a former drug addict who repeatedly tried to back out, saying “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” In the words of a U.S. Court Judge, “only the government could have made a “terrorist” out of Mr. Cromitie.”

Another defendant in the Newburgh case, Laguerre Payan, suffered from schizophrenia to the extent he kept bottles of urine in his apartment. David Williams, another of the four, had a brother who needed a liver transplant, and he was prepared to do almost anything for the money to pay for it.

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5 Stories the Media Missed While Obsessing over the #StarbucksRedCup

Guest Post by Claire Bernish

(ANTIMEDIA) U.S. Inc. — When billionaire presidential hopeful Donald Trump inexplicably decided this week that boycotting Starbucks over the ‘de-Christmas-ization’ of their ubiquitous red holiday coffee cup was somehow a matter of national importance, the internet exploded — and American mainstream media fanned the flames.

People from every conceivable walk of life suddenly found themselves with a reason to rise up against the establishment coffee chain and scream in indignation about this newly-neutral — and cheerlessly Grinch-ified — affront to humanity. As if this inane insanity over an innocuous paper cup weren’t an embarrassing enough commentary on the U.S.’ populace’ lack of priorities — by Wednesday morning, the corporatocracy ever-so nobly answered the outrage: Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled its decidedly cheerful, appropriately Christmas-ized version of its holiday cup.

Yes, indeed. Starbucks’ apparent war on Christmas has now fully morphed into a de facto corporate Battle of the Paper Cups. People immediately responded by declaring their undying allegiance to either Team Grinch or Team Santa, conveniently ignoring the fact that these mega-corporations just figured out their most lucrative holiday marketing strategies — weeks before Thanksgiving even crossed people’s minds.

But the passion these warring coffee cup factions have managed to muster is indisputably misplaced, especially considering the bevy of pertinent issues that directly affect us all and are inherently more deserving of outrage. Though the month isn’t yet halfway behind us, there are already myriad concerns in need of your immediate attention — and none have anything whatsoever to do with a commercialized holiday that’s still well over a month away.

Here are five things exponentially more deserving of your indignation than a paper cup — no matter its design (or lack thereof):

1. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

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