U.S. spying network shows contempt for environment – ‘It is illegal for the U.S. government to use the IRS as a weapon against a U.S. non-profit at the request of a foreign nation’
By Nikolas Kozloff
23 November 2013 (Huffington Post) – Despite mounting evidence that global warming is leading to devastating environmental disasters in the Pacific region, the U.S. and its partners are suspicious of climate change advocates. Rather brazenly, Washington and its Pacific allies spy on those who are intent on reining in global warming. Indeed, according to the Guardian newspaper, which wrote a report based on Edward Snowden’s recent disclosures, the National Security Agency or N.S.A. spied on Ban Ki-moon and obtained the United Nations Secretary General’s “talking points” on climate change. The N.S.A. carried out its espionage prior to a recent meeting between Ban and President Obama at the White House. It’s unclear if Obama read the N.S.A. reports, or tried to outmaneuver Ban based on such intelligence. Nevertheless, the Guardian story reinforces other disclosures which cast the N.S.A. and its Pacific partners in an unflattering environmental light. According to revelations stemming from the so-called “Cable Gate” scandal, the U.S. and Japanese governments discussed taking action to weaken well known anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd. The group’s activists, whose ships routinely confront whalers on the high seas, have long been a thorn in the side of Japanese officials. Seeking to appease Tokyo, the Americans discussed revoking Sea Shepherd’s tax exempt status in the United States. [more]
Amidst Typhoons and Climate Change, US Spying Network Shows Contempt for Environment
22 December 2013 (Captain Paul Watson) – Success brings consequences and I am not surprised. Sea Shepherd has cost the Japanese whaling industry hundreds of millions of dollars. This article in the U.K. mentions the deal (exposed by Wikileaks) between Japan and the USA to remove Sea Shepherd’s tax status. The IRS is now once again targeting Sea Shepherd USA with an audit, the third one in ten years. It is illegal for the U.S. government to use the IRS as a weapon against a U.S. non-profit at the request of a foreign nation. Japan has great economic and political influence. Sea Shepherd, on the other hand, has passion and has no intention of backing down to the IRS. Instead, Sea Shepherd USA is now suing the IRS.
