U.N. crime chief says drug money kept banks afloat in financial crisis

[JohnyCanuck]

VIENNA: The United Nations' crime and drug watchdog has indications that money made in illicit drug trade has been used to keep banks afloat in the global financial crisis, its head was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Vienna-based UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said in an interview released by Austrian weekly Profil that drug money often became the only available capital when the crisis spiralled out of control last year.

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/01/25/europe/OUKWD-UK-FINANCIAL-UN-DRUGS.php

Just coincidence of course that the Afghan drug trade started thriving again after the US and then their NATO allies invaded and kicked out the Taliban (who it was widely conceded had done a good job shutting down the Afghan poppy growing).

[Mr Rabble]

1. US media will NEVER touch this story.

This has been going on for 30 years, and has almost never been reported in the US.

When Gary Webb exposed the CIA role in the crack explosion in the 1980's he was basically blacklisted from journalism for his hard work.

Fact is, a substantial percentage of the US "economy" is dependent on the drug trade for cash flow.

[malaise]

2. Banks have been washing drug money

for decades. I agree - old news.

[JohnyCanuck]

3. 'it is possible to fool all the people all the time -- when government and press cooperate.'

"Into the Buzzsaw. Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press" The Revised and Expanded Edition
Edited by Kristina Borjesson; Foreword by Gore Vidal

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS

SNIP

Basically, nearly the entire American mainstream media has gone into the buzzsaw. And in this book, the likes of Dan Rather, Ashleigh Banfield, Greg Palast and media reform advocate Robert McChesney are among the many who have spoken out about the demise of journalism as a medium seeking the truth behind the official governmental version of the news.

Kristina Borjesson, editor of this courageous, book was an award winning producer at CNN, CBS, and PBS, before she ran into the buzzsaw with her investigative reporting on the mysterious "disintegration" of TWA Flight 800 while flying off of Long Island. She got canned for providing potential proof of a "conspiracy theory," the term used to dismiss theories at odds with official government policies or "findings." Are some conspiracy theories whacko? Sure. But many government findings are conspiracy theories or deceptions, just wrapped in official documents. Isn't it the role of the press to look at alternative evidence to government pronouncements? Apparently not.

Among the many fine essays, the harrowing experience of Gary Webb in reporting on the reaction to his three-part series for the San Jose Mercury News, suggesting that the CIA, Nicaraguan (Contra) agents, and LA gangs were intertwined in bringing crack cocaine to South Central Los Angeles during the Reagan administration. Despite the fact that the Mercury News had initially shown the courage to run the stories in 1996 (which is eons ago since the transformation of journalism into a tacit arm of the Republican Party), a few months later they "apologized" for the series. Two years later the CIA and Justice Department, according to Webb, printed an official report that, in essence, stipulated to Webb's factual charges, but just interpreted them differently.

Webb's journalistic career fell apart after he left the Mercury News to protest their "apology."

In December of this year (2004), Gary Webb committed suicide.

Webb closes his chapter in "Into the Buzzsaw" with the following quotation: "Back in 1938, when fascism was sweeping Europe, legendary investigative reporter George Seldes observed in his book, 'The Lords of the Press,' that 'it is possible to fool all the people all the time -- when government and press cooperate.' Unfortunately, we have reached that point.'" (emphasis added /JC)

http://buzzflash.com/reviews/05/rev05032.html

[loudsue]

5. Webb didn't commit suicide.

That's more gov't bs

[Juche]

6. He probably did

His wife said it was likely suicide and he was severely depressed about losing his standing and most of his income. At the job he took just to make ends meet he was barely showing up before he died.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. He obviously wanted to die so badly that he shot himself in the head -- TWICE!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Webb

"On December 10, 2004, he was found dead from two gunshot wounds to the head."

If that's not suicide ... ... ... well it isn't.

[Mr Rabble]

8. Of course. Happens all the time.

Sure. Sure it does.

[elias7]

4. New World Order