War is over when you want it... NOT because CNN says it is!

May 23, 2012 - Since the withdrawal of US military forces from Iraq, there has been an ongoing campaign of demonization and subversion of Prime Minister Maliki. Though this effort likely began with an assassination attempt in December of 2011, it has come to a head in recent months with the warrant, flight, and subsequent trial of Vice President Hashemi. This conflict illustrates not only the deep divides that exist within the ruling power structure in Baghdad, but also the attempts by foreign powers to exert control and influence over the future of Iraq.

Image: Current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has walked a careful balancing act between departing US occupation forces, the foreign-interests that sent them, and establishing national sovereignty including independently determined relationships with neighboring states such as Syria and Iran.

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Prime Minister Maliki came to power by overcoming the opposition of US puppet figures such as Allawi and Chalabi who, despite incredible financial support and propaganda, were unable to establish coalitions or even legitimate bases of support. Instead, Maliki emerged as the Shiite leader who was able to unify officials from a variety of ethnic and religious groups. At the time, this seemed a positive development for US military leadership and the Bush administration, anxious to have anyone who could exert control over Iraq.

However, in the years since then, Maliki has developed into a strong, nationalist leader who, in the interests of the Shiite majority and Iraq more generally, has exponentially expanded relations with Tehran, consolidated political control (particularly in the Kurdish North), and broken with the United States and its proxies in the GCC on issues such as Libya, Syria, and oil contracts. Naturally, this is anathema to US designs for Iraq and has lead to this concerted effort to remove, by any means necessary, Prime Minister Maliki.

Assassination Attempt a Warning To Maliki

In the midst of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi soil last December, a very rare event took place: a bomb exploded inside the heavily fortified Green Zone of Baghdad. Although the event garnered little international attention against the backdrop of the so-called “end of the Iraq War”, it sent a very clear message to the leadership in Baghdad – toe the US line or suffer the consequences. In the aftermath of the bombing, Maliki stated publicly that the plot was clearly an attempt on his life. However, instead of capitulating to such threats, the Prime Minister immediately denounced the episode and proceeded to meet with Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Undoubtedly, this decision conveyed to the United States that idea that Maliki would not succumb to pressure and threats.

The lessons learned from this failed assassination were significant. First and foremost, the United States and its proxies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and elsewhere came to recognize that Maliki and his Shiite base of support in Baghdad had become more than just a thorn in the side of imperial ambitions. Rather, they were forced to admit that he and his ruling coalition had become a legitimate nationalist force. Secondly, those nations with designs to control Iraqi oil wealth, among other natural resources, were forced to admit that the traditional, strong-arm tactics of assassination and physical violence would not be effective against the entrenched and popular Maliki. Instead, they had to change the strategy from overt attacks to covert subversion.

The Hashemi Affair

When the story of Iraqi Vice President Hashemi being implicated in the operation of an assassination death squad first broke, it was immediately apparent that the issue was going to become an attempt to divide the government and destroy Prime Minister Maliki. Not only was Hashemi a representative of the Iraqiya bloc, an integral part of the fragile coalition ruling the country, but he was a Sunni. This meant that Iraq would be divided along political and religious lines. Naturally, the evolution of the crisis only furthered these initial conclusions.

Upon receiving news that an arrest warrant had been issued, Hashemi immediately fled to the Kurdish territory, seeking asylum in the arms of the Barzani government in Arbil. This initial move by Hashemi signaled to the world that this conflict was part of a much larger political struggle that would pit the Shiite majority led by Maliki against much of the Sunni and Kurdish minorities. It is no secret that these divisions have been, and continue to be, the locus of power maintained in Iraq by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and their paymasters in Washington. In order to maintain their domination of Iraq’s wealth and resources, they needed to get rid of Maliki and they were determined to use their agent Hashemi to do so.

Any lingering doubts about the role of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in fostering this conflict were erased when Hashemi left Arbil in the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan for Qatar followed by Saudi Arabia. It was during these trips where Hashemi met with various power brokers, essentially receiving his orders from the reactionary Sunni leaders of those two nations. Hashemi had proven to be a useful pawn on the chessboard of the Middle East, in which the Gulf monarchies, always acting in the interests of their masters in Washington, seemed intent on exerting their dominance over Iraq at all costs.

The final stop on Hashemi’s destabilization tour was Turkey, where he resides today. Ankara, which has its own strategic interests in Iraq, for which Maliki presents an obstacle, has provided Hashemi with safe haven, even after Interpol issued a warrant calling for Hashemi’s arrest. Turkey, with its large Kurdish minority and ambitions of becoming a dominant regional power, has maintained that they will not extradite Hashemi back to Baghdad where his trial continues. By providing safe haven to an international fugitive, Turkey is playing a dangerous political game, one that threatens not only their own stability, but that of the entire region.

The Propaganda of “Dictatorship”

In the last two months, as the various forces have aligned to subvert the Maliki government, the talking point has been that Maliki is consolidating power into a dictatorship. Naturally, the propaganda function of such absurdities is to conflate Maliki with Saddam Hussein, thereby delegitimizing him in the eyes of an uninformed public. In fact, as Maliki has been attacked seemingly from all sides, he has moved to consolidate control so as to maintain the fragile coalition that rules Iraq despite (not thanks to) the weak, decentralized government established by the US-imposed Iraqi Constitution. In so doing, Maliki has won many enemies while, simultaneously working to restore Iraq’s reputation internationally.

The cries of “dictator” must be directly attributed to the forces of Western imperialism that control much of the international media and who seem to have no issue whatsoever with the dictatorships of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and other proxy states. Of course, this demonization of Maliki is a last-ditch effort at destabilizing his government in the wake of the string of failures already mentioned.

Having fought an aggressive and illegal war, committed billions of dollars to a reconstruction process that favored corporate and financial interests, and sought to exploit natural resources, the United States and its regional proxies have seemingly exhausted all avenues to rid themselves of the disease of Prime Minister Maliki. However, diseases often mutate, changing their form to become resistant to cures and antidotes – surviving even under extreme circumstances. To accept this analogy, we must see Maliki and his relations with Iran as having infected the imperial body and, as anti-imperialists interested in peace, prosperity and freedom for all, not just some, we must support Maliki and the Iraqi people in their ongoing struggle for true independence.

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Eric Draister is an independent geopolitical analyst that maintains StopImperialism.com which hosts his weekly podcast. He has been a guest on Dr. Webster Tarpley’s World Crisis Radio and has provided analysis on Russia Today.

By Jurriaan Maessen – ExplosiveReports
theintelhub.com
May 22, 2012

Here is a list of Bilderberg Participants 2012 floating around on the web. I was unable to trace back the source to this list, so I have no idea if it is accurate.

What stands out from this particular list is a plethora of Obama administration officials and American business kingpins. Also a formidable delegation from Spain, Italy and- significantly: Turkey (as a non-EU member Turkey is doing stunningly well. Is Bilderberg trying to sweet talk the Turks into joining?).

Another curious lapse seems to be the absence of David Rockefeller’s name on the list- a lapse you wouldn’t expect in a fake list.

List:

Honorary President:

BEL Davignon, Etienne Vice President, Suez-Tractebel

NLD Halberstadt, Victor Professor of Economics, Leiden University; Ex- Honorary Secretary
NLD Hommen, Jan H.M. President, ING Group
NLD Beatrix, queen of the Netherlands
NLD Rinnooy Kan, Alexander H.G. President Social Economic Council (SER)

BEL Huyghebaert, Jan President Board of Directors, KBC Group

USA Altman, Roger C. President, Evercore Partners Inc.
USA Arrison, Sonia Author & policy analyst
USA Collins, Timothy C. Senior Managing Director & CEO, Ripplewood Holdings, LLC
USA Ferguson, Niall Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History, Harvard University
USA Feldstein, Martin S. George F. Baker Professor of Economics, Harvard University
USA Gates, William H. (Bill Gates) Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & President, Microsoft Corporation
USA Gordon, Philip H. Assistant Secretary of State for European & Eurasian Affairs
USA Graham, Donald E. President & CEO, The Washington Post Company
USA Holbrooke, Richard C. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
USA Hormats, Robert D. Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs
USA Johnson, James A. Vice President, Perseus, LLC
USA Keane, John M. Senior Partner, SCP Partners
USA Kissinger, Henry A. President, Kissinger Associates, Inc
USA Kleinfeld, Klaus President & CEO, Alcoa
USA Kravis, Henry R. Founding Partner, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
USA Kravis, Marie-Josée Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, Inc
USA Leer, Eric S. President & Director, Broad Institute of Harvard & MIT
USA Mathews, Jessica T. President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
USA Mundie, Craig J. Chief Research & Strategy Officer, Microsoft Corporation
USA Naím, Moisés, Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy
USA Orszag, Peter R. Director, Office of Management & Budget
USA Parker, Sean Managing Partner, Founders Fund
USA Pearl, Frank H. President & CEO, Perseus, LLC
USA Perle, Richard N. Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
USA Rose, Charlie Producer, Rose Communications
USA Rubin, Robert E., Co-President, Council on Foreign Relations; Ex- Secretary of Treasury
USA Schmidt, Eric CEO & President Google
USA Steinberg, James B. Deputy Secretary of State
USA Summers, Lawrence H., Director, National Economic Council
USA Thiel, Peter A. President, Clarium Capital Management, LLC
USA Varney, Christine A. Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust
USA Volcker, Paul A. President, Economic Recovery Advisory Board

GBR Agius, Marcus President, Barclays Bank PLC
GBR Kerr, John Member, House of Lords; Deputy President, Royal Dutch Shell plc.
GBR Micklethwait, John, Editor-in-Chief, The Economist
GBR Oldham, John National Clinical Lead for Quality & Productivity
GBR Taylor, J. Martin President, Syngenta International AG

ESP Alierta, César President & CEO, Telefónica
ESP Botín, Ana P. Executive President, Banesto
ESP Carvajal Urquijo, Jaime Managing Director, Advent International
ESP Cebrián, Juan Luis CEO, PRISA
ESP Cisneros, Gustavo A. President/CEO, Cisneros Group of Companies
ESP Entrecanales, José M. President, Acciona
ESP León Gross, Bernardino Secretary General, Office do Primeiro Ministro
ESP Nin Génova, Juan María President and CEO, La Caixa
ESP Polanco, President, Grupo PRISA
ESP Rodriguez Inciarte, Matías Executive Vice Presidente Grupo Santeer
ESP Queen of Spain

DEU Ackermann, Josef President Management Board and Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank AG
DEU Enders, Thomas CEO, Airbus SAS
DEU Löscher, Peter President Board of Management, Siemens AG
DEU Scholz, Olaf Vice President, SPD

INT Almunia, Joaquín Commissioner, European Commission
INT Gucht, Karel de Commissioner, European Commission
INT Kroes, Neelie Commissioner, European Commission
INT Moyo, Dambisa F. Economist e Author
INT Sheeran, Josette Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme
INT Solana Madariaga, Javier Ex- Secretary General, Council of European Union
INT Stigson, Björn Presidente, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
INT Tumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude Member Executive Board, European Central Bank

SWE Bäckström, Urban Director General, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
SWE Bildt, Carl Minister of Foreign Affairs
SWE Renström, Lars President & CEO, Alfa Laval

PRT Balsemão, Francisco Pinto President & CEO, IMPRESA, S.G.P.S.; former prime minster
PRT Rangel, Paulo Member, European Parliament
PRT Teixeira dos Santos, Former Minister of State & Finance

ITA Bernabè, Franco CEO, Telecom Italia S.p.A.
ITA Conti, Fulvio CEO & General Manager, Enel SpA
ITA Elkann, John President, Fiat S.p.A.
ITA Monti, Mario President, Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi
ITA Padoa-Schioppa, Tommaso Ex- Minister of Finance; President of Notre Europe
ITA Rocca, Gianfelice President, Techint
ITA Scaroni, Paolo CEO, Eni S.p.A.

FIN Blåfield, Antti Senior Editorial Writer, Helsingin Sanomat
FIN Katainen, Jyrki Minister of Finance
FIN Ollila, Jorma President, Royal Dutch Shell plc
FIN Wahlroos, Björn President, Sampo plc

NOR Bretzæg, Svein Richard CEO, Norsk Hydro ASA
NOR Magnus, Birger President, Storebre ASA
NOR Myklebust, Egil Ex- President Board of Directors SAS, Norsk Hydro ASA

AUT Bronner, Oscar Publisher e Editor, Der Steard
AUT Fischer, Heinz Federal President
AUT Scholten, Rudolf Member Board of Executive Directors, Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG

FRA Castries, Henri, President Management Board & CEO, AXA
FRA Lauvergeon, Anne President Executive Board, AREVA
FRA Montbrial, Thierry de President, French Institute for International Relations
FRA Ramanantsoa, Bernard Dean, HEC Paris Group

CAN Clark, W. Edmund President/CEO, TD Bank Financial Group
CAN Campbell, Gordon Premier of British Columbia
CAN Mansbridge, Peter Chief Correspondent, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CAN McKenna, Frank Deputy Chair, TD Bank Financial Group
CAN Prichard, J. Robert S. President/CEO, Metrolinx
CAN Reisman, Heather M. Chair e CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.

GRC David, George A. President Coca-Cola H.B.C. S.A.
GRC Papaconstantinou, George Minister of Finance
GRC Tsoukalis, Loukas President, ELIAMEP

DNK Eldrup, CEO, DONG Energy
DNK Federspiel, Ulrik Vice Presidente Global Affairs, Haldor Topsøe A/S
DNK Nyrup Rasmussen, Ex- Prime Minister

IRL Gallagher, Paul Attorney General
IRL Sutherland Peter D. President, Goldman Sachs International

TUR Gürel, Z. Damla Special Adviser to the President on EU Affairs
TUR Koç, Mustafa V. President, Koç Holding A.?.
TUR Çakir, Ruben, Journalist
TUR Özilhan, Tuncay President, Anadolu Group
TUR Sabanci Dinçer, Suzan President, Akbank

CHE Vasella, Daniel L. President, Novartis AG
CHE Voser, Peter CEO, Royal Dutch Shell plc
CHE Waldvogel, Francis A. President, Novartis Venture Fund

Rapporteurs:

GBR: Bredow, Vendeline von, Business Correspondent, The Economist
GBR: Wooldridge, Adrian D., Business Correspondent, The Economist

This article first appeared on Jurriaan Maessen’s website explosivereports.com

What favors were promised to play out this fantasy for Cousin O?

President Barack Obama might have won the Nobel Peace Prize a tad prematurely, but he may be making a bid for the Oscars. The Daily Caller reports that documents obtained by Judicial Watch reveal that the White House “worked closely with producers of a movie about the successful killing of Osama bin Laden and pushed them to incorporate the administration’s talking points.”

Breitbart

In a Hollywood-Washington collaboration for the ages, Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal eagerly adopted the Obama adminstration’s talking points, much to the delight of senior White House officials:

The filmmakers “are basically using the WH-approved talking points we used the night of the operation,” according to a June 2011 e-mail Under-Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers sent to the Pentagon’s PR chief, Douglas Wilson.

Those talking points described the raid as a “gutsy decision” and played up the president’s role.

The director and screenwriter also took advantage of unique access to the U.S. Navy’s Seal Team Six–thanks to the assistance of Democratic Party lobbyists, who were supposed to have been kept far away from the Obama White House, but have continued playing a major role in the administration:

The records also show that Bigelow and Boal were allowed to meet with one of the raid’s planners from Seal Team Six and were escorted through a high-security facility at CIA headquarters dubbed “The Vault.”

The CIA and Pentagon visits were arranged by The Glover Park Group, a Democratic lobbying group with close ties to many White House officials.

As Breitbart News‘ John Nolte pointed out in January, the film was originally–and cynically–planned for release shortly before the November 2012 elections, and concerns were raised about the possibility that filmmakers might have had access to classified information, even as the administration refused to release details such as images of Osama bin Laden’s death.

Mayor Booker - payoffs and corruption worked for his friend Barry... Why not take the bribe?

Think Progess

Yesterday, Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker (D) attacked the Obama campaign for making an issue of Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital during an appearance on Meet the Press. While the progressive leader later backed off the criticisms, Republicans have been quick to highlight his comments as an attackagainst the idea that scrutiny of Mitt Romney’s record as a businessman is fair game.

A ThinkProgress examination of New Jersey campaign finance records for Booker’s first run for Mayor — back in 2002 — suggests a possible reason for his unease with attacks on Bain Capital and venture capital. They were among his earliest and most generous backers.

Contributions to his 2002 campaign from venture capitalists, investors, and big Wall Street bankers brought him more than $115,000 for his 2002 campaign. Among those contributing to his campaign were John Connaughton ($2,000), Steve Pagliuca ($2,200), Jonathan Lavine ($1,000) — all of Bain Capital. While the forms are not totally clear, it appears the campaign raised less than $800,000 total, making this a significant percentage.

He and his slate also jointly raised funds for the “Booker Team for Newark” joint committee. They received more than $450,000 for the 2002 campaign from the sector — including a pair of $15,400 contributions from Bain Capital Managing Directors Joshua Bekenstein and Mark Nunnelly. It appears that for the initial campaign and runoff, the slate raised less than $4 million — again making this a sizable chunk.

In all — just in his first Mayoral run — Booker’s committees received more than $565,000 from the people he was defending. At least $36,000 of that came from folks at Romney’s old firm.

RELATED:

Newark Mayor Cory Booker Defends Bain Capital, Attacks Obama Campaign

Al CIA Duh... Right on Cue

FOX

A newly revealed Al Qaeda video calls on followers to launch cyberattacks on Western targets, a message called “alarming” by U.S. lawmakers in light of the increase in such attacks last year.

Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, who top the Senate Homeland Security Committee, say they first learned of the Al Qaeda video a week ago in a meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

“This tape is really alarming,” Collins, R-Maine, told Fox News. “It’s essentially instructing anybody who’s sympathetic with Al Qaeda’s ideology to engage in cyberattacks, and the tape is telling them how easy it is to do so.”

The six-minute video instructs Al Qaeda followers that the U.S. is vulnerable to cyberattacks in the same way airline security was vulnerable in 2001 before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. The video calls on Muslims “with expertise in this domain to target the websites and information systems of big companies and government agencies.”

Lieberman, I-Conn., said it’s hardly surprising that Al Qaeda would turn to such attacks.

“Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are focused on cyber warfare because it can be carried out, if you have somebody smart enough, at very little expense,” Lieberman said.

The senators said the Homeland Security Department responded to 100,000 cyber incidents in 2011, and there was a five-fold increase in the number of attacks aimed at industrial control systems. They are the central nervous system of critical infrastructure, including power plants and dams.

“There has been a huge increase in the number of cyberattacks against our country in the last two years,” Collins said. “It would be naive for us to think that Al Qaeda is not responsible for at least some of those attacks.”

Without getting into classified information, Lieberman confirmed that there has been a spike in cyber intrusions — believed to originate with Iran.

“There is real evidence that the Al Qaeda groups want to pursue and are beginning to pursue the capacity to launch a cyberattack against America,” he emphasized. “I mean, that is the real and present danger and that Iran will share that cyberattack capacity with terrorist groups.”

Fox News has learned this so-called electronic jihad was part of a two-hour Al Qaeda online video that was the basis for the FBI and Homeland Security intelligence bulletin last summer about possible lone wolf attacks. Asked why it took so long to flag the specific threat to the Senate committee, neither federal agency gave an immediate response.

The Senate is scheduled to take up its version of legislation tackling cyber security next month.

One of their lawyers says the jail conditions amount to ‘sensory deprivation’ intended to hamper the defense.

(AP/Chicago Police Department)

From left: Brent Betterly, Jared Chase and Brian Church.

Even his friends in National Intel can't save him now... OWS Facebook's rage about 1% Greed

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Facebook Inc. FB +1.42% Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has sold 30.2 million shares and director Peter Thiel has sold 16.8 million shares of the social-networking company, according to securities filings published late Tuesday. The sales confirm plans detailed in a prospectus before Friday’s $16 billion IPO. Zuckerberg sold 30.2 million shares at a price of $37.58 for gross proceeds of $1.13 billion; Thiel sold 16.8 million shares for gross proceeds of $633 million. Facebook insiders had told prospective shareholders of their plans in an S-1 filing last week. Facebook FB +1.42% shares were down 0.8% after hours at $30.74.

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Why America loves the Facebook fiasco

 America can survive the wreckage and laugh and laugh

Financial stocks take lead; J.P. Morgan up 5%

NASDAQ WOULD HAVE PULLED STOCK....
THE $40 BILLION VANISH...
MORGAN STANLEY Under Review...
Massachusetts subpoenas...
Selloff Nearly Turned Into Bigger Run...
Stock Loses 18% of value...
Investor Sues...
'The insiders got greedy'...
'They knew the jig was up'...

FRIENDS: OBAMA TOUTED FACEBOOK IN 'CAMPAIGN' TOWN HALL...

WTSP

DENVER, Colorado (KUSA) – Police are investigating a vicious beating at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Denver.

Shannon, who asked us not to use her last name, was the victim of an attack on May 9 just before noon.

She called our sister station KUSA 9News, and asked for help finding her attackers.

“I don’t feel safe anymore,” Shannon said.

The attack happened in the middle of the busy lunch hour at the McDonald’s on 3300 Colorado Boulevard near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Radio reference recorded dispatchers describing the attack, as multiple 911 calls came in.

“Two black females are inside. They’re fighting inside the car still in the drive-thru,” one dispatcher can be heard saying.

Shannon has been coming to the same drive-thru almost every day for five years without a problem… until this incident.

“I witnessed this young lady throwing trash out of her car and all I said was that it wasn’t cool,” Shannon said.

A few choice words later, Shannon thought the argument was over.

“All of a sudden I was being attacked,” Shannon said.

Two women jumped out of the car in front of her.

“She was right in my window just punching me in my face, pulling my hair,” Shannon said. “She started biting on my hands so severely. I thought she was gonna bite ‘em off, actually.”

Then a man jumped out of the car and threw a soda through her window.

“He said, ‘This is for you, you white b—-. This is a grape soda.’ And then they took off,” Shannon said.

The attack happened in plain view of a rooftop security camera, but Denver Police told Shannon the actual beating wasn’t caught on tape.

Investigators won’t release the security video, calling this an “open investigation.”

McDonald’s management has no comment, but say it is cooperating with police.

“If they can do that, they can snap and do something else. Something worse,” Shannon said.

Shannon hopes police find whoever beat her up before they do it again.

“I don’t want anybody else to get hurt like I got hurt,” Shannon said.

The description of the suspects – two black women and one black man – is vague. The best clue police have to go on right now is they were driving a light-blue Cadillac with temporary tags.

Call Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867) or text DMCS plus your message to 274637 if you have any information. You can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.

A prostitute stands on a street corner in Cartagena, Colombia, April 19, 2012. (Manuel Pedraza/AFP/Getty Images)

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A month after the Secret Service was rocked by allegations that agents brought prostitutes to a Colombia hotel where they were preparing for a visit by President Obama, the Drug Enforcement Administration today announced that at least three of its agents are also under investigation for allegedly hiring prostitutes in Cartagena.

Two of the agents allegedly had encounters with masseuses in the apartment of one of the agents, according to Sen. Susan Collins, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

“It’s disturbing that we may be uncovering a troubling culture that spans more than one law enforcement agency,” the Maine Republican said this evening. “In addition to the Secret Service scandal, we now learn that at least two DEA agents apparently entertained female foreign national masseuses in the Cartagena apartment of one of the agents. The evidence uncovered thus far indicates that this likely was not just a one-time incident.”

The revelations that Secret Service personnel had been drinking heavily and cavorting with prostitutes ahead of Obama’s trip to Colombia last month overshadowed the president’s trip to the Summit of the Americas. Twelve members of the military were also investgated for allegedly hiring prostitutes.

Eight of the 12 Secret Service employees implicated in the scandal lost their jobs, another is in the process of losing his security clearances, and three agents were cleared of serious misconduct but still could be disciplined. The military has completed its investigation but no disciplinary action has been carried out.

“The Drug Enforcement Administration was provided information from the Secret Service unrelated to the Cartagena hotel Secret Service incident, which DEA immediately followed up on, making DEA employees available to be interviewed by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General,” a DEA spokesperson said in a statement.

“DEA takes allegations of misconduct very seriously and will take appropriate personnel action, if warranted, upon the conclusion of the OIG investigation.” the statement said.

A spokesman for the OIG said the DEA is cooperating in the investigation, which is being coordinated with the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.

The DEA has agents posted in Colombia to work on counter-narcotic and drug interdiction missions with Colombian authorities. According to officials the agents were among those assigned in Colombia, they were not specifically working on the President’s trip.

The revelations about the DEA agents comes ahead of a hearing scheduled on Wednesday with Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.

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