Japan Surrenders 1945

alanbirdHQ on Sep 2, 2010 [Subtitles] Sep 2, 1945, the surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay Sunday morning..

On the deck of the United States Navy battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japanese Empire representatives and several Allied Powers signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, formally ending World War II.

Courtersy：The Library of Congress, U.S.A.
Produced：United News / United Newsreel Corporation
B/G Music：♫ With Honour Crowned (Albert W. Ketèlbey)

(source)


From the BBC:

1945: Japan signs unconditional surrender

Japanese officials have signed the act of unconditional surrender, finally bringing to an end six years of world war.

In the presence of 50 Allied generals and other officials, the Japanese envoys boarded the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay to sign the surrender document.

Within half-an-hour of the signing, a convoy of 42 US ships entered Tokyo Bay and landed 13,000 American troops.

The Supreme Commander of the Allied powers, US General Douglas MacArthur, briefly addressed the dignitaries on the deck of the battleship urging them to comply with the terms of the surrender "fully, promptly and faithfully".

He continued: "It is my earnest hope and, indeed, the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past; a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfilment of his most cherished wish, for freedom, tolerance and justice."

Much more on the Beeb here.


There is so much more to be learned of this day in history, it would take me at least a book - or two - to share here. Fortunately, many historians have already written books.

There's a saying which goes something like: Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Lest WE forget.

Video: First they came for Brandon Raub

A couple of weeks ago a former US Marine, Brandon Raub, was hauled off in handcuffs(but not arrested) for his FaceBook postings. Lucky for him, his brother was on hand and videotaped the whole encounter. Again, lucky for him, via the internet and FaceBook, news of this abuse of power by the FBI spread like wildfire, and a public spotlight was shone as Raub was detained for days.

From War On Terror News:

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Disturbing Detention: Former Marine held for Facebook Rants

UPDATE (23 AUG 2012):

From the Richmond Times Dispatch;

"After an hourlong hearing, Circuit Judge W. Allan Sharrett said an involuntary commitment petition issued against Brandon J. Raub was invalid because it contained no allegation or basis to holding him.

“The petition is so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy,” said the release order signed by the judge and sought by lawyers Anthony F. Troy and Brian D. Fowler.

Sharrett said that he was shocked by the failure of a magistrate to not include in the order any grounds for holding Raub, a Chesterfield resident who was transferred from John Randolph Hospital in Hopewell to the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center."

This Ain't Hell reports.

I have long stated that the 1st Amendment protects the right of the individual to not only be stupid, but demonstrate how stupid they are, to the rest of the World. The 5th Amendment comes into play into this case as well. It provides that "No person shall be... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."

Last week, Brandon Raub, a US Citizen, and Veteran of the US Marine Corps, was detained, based on "tips" about his Facebook postings. According to some reports, the US Secret Service, the FBI, and County Sheriff's office were involved and he ended up in involuntary detention for 32 days (so far) for "mental health" observation. So far, the FB postings I've become aware of, demonstrate a propensity for him to believe in various Conspiracy Theories, surrounding 9/11 and other events of historical relevance, but I've seen no indication that he has attempted to commit or conspire to commit any crimes. It does appear that he believes that the Nation is headed towards Civil War or Revolution in the near future, but I have seen nothing that indicates that he is calling for Armed Conflict, only that he believes it is coming, and that those opposed to the government will ask him to join their side, as a leader.

Some have speculated that there must be more behind the scenes, than what has been published about him, and his condition. "They" have stated their faith in the authorities that made the decision. And in most cases, I too extend the benefit of the doubt to my Brothers in Blue, but they are not infallible, and they are not all equal.

Now, I am not defending his rants, but I am defending his right to believe those things, and his right to tell the world about them. I think his 9/11 Conspiracy Theories are downright idiotic, though it is usually people smarter than me that are able to connect dots with lines that don't exist. The 1st Amendment doesn't protect only politically correct, uncontroversial, or unoffensive Speech. It protects offensive, politically incorrect, & incorrect opinion. It protects political speech against the government and ruling politicians...

Much more from WOTN here.


According to my reading on this incident, and background, it appears that Raub is not the first to be hauled off and 'disappeared' for exercising his rights to freedom of speech.


From Special Operations Speaks:

Vets Being Rounded Up Nationwide? Must watch interview

SOS Note: The Rutherford Institute is a very respected constitutional law firm. https://www.rutherford.org/

Constitutional Attorney John Whitehead, who represented wrongly-incarcerated marine Brandon J. Raub for free, appeared on Glenn Beck’s program to talk about how Brandon is unfortunately not alone in many ways.

I can't figure out how to embed the video interview, but it IS a must watch, so head over here to get a real earful of what dangerous times we live in; dangerous times because our freedom of speech is under attack.

Beck is right in his wrap when he says "the world is a dangerous place...but ...if we can't meet on the battlefield of ideas...talk to each other, we will lose the essence of who we are, and we will never be a great nation again. "

Raub has been released - with no charges laid - and has given an interview, which is a must watch.

From EU Times:

Brandon Raub makes first public comments following ordeal.

In his first public comments since being kidnapped by authorities over political posts on Facebook, former Marine Brandon Raub tells John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute that he is scared for his country.

Raub’s case went viral on the Internet earlier this month when on August 16, the former Iraq and Afghanistan veteran was kidnapped from his home by police, FBI and Secret Service agents and forcibly incarcerated in a psychiatric ward by authorities in Virginia in response to Facebook posts which the FBI deemed “terrorist” in nature.

Raub was released after a week when a judge concluded that the original petition ordering him to be detained contained no information whatsoever on the reasons behind Raub’s incarceration.

Raub explained that one of his main concerns in being publicly vocal about his concerns with the activity of the U.S. government was executive orders that allow the state to seize dictatorial power in a time of crisis, including the seizure of private property, communications and the institution of forced labor camps...

There is much more here, and then there is this video:

Aug 28, 2012 by TRIFreedomUnderFire

Brandon Raub, a decorated marine who was arrested by federal agents and incarcerated in a psych ward for simply posting thoughts and song lyrics to his Facebook page, discusses his ordeal and his thoughts about the state of our freedoms with John Whitehead, Constitutional Attorney and President of The Rutherford Institute.

Truth of the matter is that none of us can agree 100% with what everybody else says, but it is a chill wind that blows when any one of us needs to watch our everyday conversations/writings for fear of being rounded up. I often joke about the fact that various alphabet agencies read this site (yes, not just from America, but a few other countries too.) I have no way of knowing why they check here, but I am also very vocal that no government agency will stifle the Brat 'pen.'

I am reminded of a passage from 1984:

...nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record.. (going to have to go back and re-read 1984 I reckon.)

As we are in the grips of a particularly ugly election campaign in the US, the depth of smears shows that Newspeak is alive and well as *certain* politicians try to rewrite historical facts to fit their own political agenda/narrative.

First they came for Brandon Raub. Next, they may come for you or me. By then, will there be ANYbody left to speak?

Wake UP, America....

Religion of Peace: Two 2 Afghan kids beheaded

From War On Terror News:

Friday, August 31, 2012

Two Afghan kids beheaded; 3rd blown up

Officials say two children have been beheaded in separate incidents in Afghanistan.

In the south, authorities say the Taliban beheaded a 12-year-old boy Thursday in Kandahar province because the child's brother is a police officer. A Taliban spokesman has denied the allegation.

A spokesman for Kandahar's governor, Jawid Faisal, said Friday police found the boy's body in the Panjwai district.

In the other incident, police say a seven-year-old girl was beheaded and her legs cut off in her home in the eastern province of Kapisa. Authorities are not sure if the attack is the result of a domestic dispute or involvement by insurgents.

The killings come just days after 17 Afghan civilians were beheaded during a party in the southern province of Helmand. Afghan officials blamed the Taliban, saying Sunday's killings followed a long-standing feud between two insurgent commanders over two women. The Taliban denied involvement.

Also Friday, the U.S. military said a roadside bomb killed two Afghan civilians, including a child, in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand. Another roadside bomb severely wounded a civilian in Sangin district. VoA.

Video by OPSECTeam: Jolted

Aug 31, 2012 by OPSECTeam

STOP the politicians, President Obama and others from politically capitalizing on US national security operations and secrets!

Use of military ranks, titles & photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement of the Dept of the Army or the Department of Defense. All individuals are no longer in active service with any federal agency or military service.

Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi: Charges sworn

From the DoD:

August 29, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today that the Office of the Chief Prosecutor for Military Commissions has sworn charges against Guantanamo detainee Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi, a Saudi Arabian national.

The charges sworn today allege that the accused committed offenses triable under the Military Commissions Act of 2009, 10 U.S.C. §§ 948a, et seq, including: (1) Conspiracy to Commit Multiple Offenses Triable by Military Commission; (2) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Attacking Civilian Objects; (3) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Hazarding a Vessel; (4) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Terrorism; (5) Multiple Specifications of Attempt; and (6) Aiding the Enemy. The charges are merely accusations, and the accused is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum sentence for these charges is confinement for life.

These sworn charges allege that al Darbi joined a terrorist conspiracy with al Qaeda by the year 1997. In furtherance of this conspiracy, al Darbi is alleged to have attended the Khalden training camp in Afghanistan, to have received personal permission from Usama bin Laden to train at al Qaeda’s Jihad Wahl training camp, and to have worked as a weapons instructor at al Qaeda’s al Farouq training camp, both in Afghanistan. From approximately 2000 through 2002, al Darbi is also alleged to have committed multiple overt acts in support of a plot to bomb civilian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Yemen. These alleged acts included: receiving large amounts of money from al Qaeda; purchasing GPS devices and other equipment; purchasing a boat intended to be the attack vessel; registering this boat under the name of an unwitting participant; applying for travel documents that allowed potential attack operatives to travel from Yemen to the UAE; training these potential attack operatives; and sailing the boat he purchased towards Yemen in order to meet with these attack operatives.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, al Darbi is alleged to have aided and abetted the completed terrorist attack against the French oil tanker, the MV Limburg, which severely injured multiple civilians and caused a large oil spill in the Gulf of Aden in 2002.

The Regulation for Trial by Military Commission requires that the chief prosecutor notify the legal advisor to the Convening Authority and the chief defense counsel for Military Commissions within 24 hours of swearing charges. The accused must also be notified of the charges sworn against him as soon as practicable. The chief prosecutor will not immediately forward the charges to the Convening Authority for action in this case. Once the chief prosecutor does so, the Convening Authority makes an independent determination as to whether to refer some, all, or none of the charges for trial by military commission. If the Convening Authority decides to refer the case to trial, he will designate commission panel members (jurors). The chief trial judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary then assigns a military judge to the case.

The Chief Prosecutor, Brigadier General Mark Martins, said upon the swearing of charges, “Mr. al Darbi’s alleged crimes are serious violations of the law of war that were committed to terrorize and wreak havoc on the world economy. We will be prepared to proceed toward his trial by reformed military commission if the Convening Authority refers charges.”

-30-

From Global Jihad:

Ahmed Muhammed Haza Al-Darbi was born, on 01/09/1975, in Taif, Saudi Arabia. He is the brother in law of Khalid al-Mihdhar.

Ahmed Al-Darbi was captured in Azerbaijan in early 2002, in an Extraordinary Rendition procedure, and handed over to Afghanistan, where he was detained under harsh interrogation in Bagram airbase secret jail (see - Bagram Escape). Ahmed Al-Darbi was transferred to Guantanamo in 03/2003.

In 09/2004 Ahmed Al-Darbi status in Guantanamo and the evidences were reviewed by the Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRT);

Ahmed Al-Darbi admitted to be a member of Al Qaeda.

In 1996, Ahmed Al-Darbi received weapons training at the Al Farooq training camp in Afghanistan and he became, eventually, an instructor and logistician at the Camp. He also met privately with Osama Bin Laden.

Ahmed Al-Darbi was involved in an Al Qaeda plot to use small boats loaded with explosives to attack oil tankers in the Straits of Hormuz, between Iran and the UAE, similar to the attack on the USS Cole.

He was charged in 12/21/2007 in a special military tribunal in Guantanamo but refused to collaborate and to recognize the legitimacy of the tribunal.

On Friday 11/13/2009 USA Attorney General Eric Holder announced his decision to judge Ahmed Al-Darbi in a military court in a military facility in USA (see - Holder's NY Decision).

It's Night Time in America

Jul 17, 2012 by Hantral337

From Mark Levin Show 7/16/2012

Thalidomide Makers say "sorry": too little, too late

From BBC:

1 September 2012

Thalidomide apology insulting, campaigners say

The company which invented thalidomide has "insulted" those affected by the drug by issuing an "insincere" apology, campaigners have said.

The drug, sold in the 1950s as a cure for morning sickness, was linked to birth defects and withdrawn in 1961.

German-based Gruenenthal has issued its first apology in 50 years, but said the drug's possible side-effects "could not be detected" before it was marketed.

But the UK's Thalidomide Trust said any apology should also admit wrongdoing.

Nick Dobrik, a member of the trust's national advisory council, said it "should be an unreserved apology, not a conditional apology".

"We feel that a sincere and genuine apology is one which actually admits wrongdoing. The company has not done that and has really insulted the thalidomiders."...

In its day, thalidomide was initially seen as a miracle drug solution to the problem of nausea in pregnancy, even though the terrible consequences became evident very quickly, as the babies were born with disabling deformities.

Much more - and links - here.