Tuesday sept 24

AP leak investigation Yemen Al Qaeda bomb plot double agent 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/us/fbi-ex-agent-pleads-guilty-in-leak-to-ap.html?_r=0

A former F.B.I. agent has agreed to plead guilty to leaking classified information to The Associated Press about a foiled bomb plot in Yemen last year, the Justice Department announced Monday. In a twist, the former agent had already been under investigation in a separate child pornography case, and he has also agreed to a guilty plea in it.

Federal investigators said they were able to identify the man, Donald Sachtleben, a former bomb technician, as a suspect in the leak case only after secretly obtaining A.P. reporters’ phone logs, a move that set off an uproar among journalists and members of Congress of both parties when it was disclosed in May.

“This prosecution demonstrates our deep resolve to hold accountable anyone who would violate their solemn duty to protect our nation’s secrets, and to prevent future, potentially devastating leaks by those who would wantonly ignore their obligations to safeguard classified information,” said Ronald C. Machen Jr., the United States attorney for the District of Columbia.

The 43-month sentence for leak-related offenses is the longest ever imposed by a federal civilian court in such a case, although a military judge last month sentenced Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Pfc. Bradley Manning, to 35 years in prison for leaking archives of documents to WikiLeaks.

Article from May 
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/govt-obtains-wide-ap-phone-records-probe




UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UN General Assembly web videos http://webtv.un.org/
CSPAN coverage link here


Iran, Syria will dominate UN General Assembly link here

Weapons inspectors will return to Syria link here
Russia's government says UN chemical weapons inspectors are expected to return to Syria on Wednesday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said they would investigate alleged chemical weapons attacks at Khan al-Assal, Sheikh Maqsoud and Saraqeb.
The inspectors had been preparing to do so when chemical weapons were fired at suburbs of Damascus on 21 August, killing hundreds of people.
Last week, they confirmed the nerve agent sarin was used in that attack.



A  History of ""Red Lines"" on Chemical Weapons
http://www.wnyc.org/story/history-weapons-red-lines/
Agent Orange in Vietnam was considered a defoliant, clearing trees, NOT technically a chemical attack directly on humans


German Elections link here
Chancellor Angela Merkel's triumphant conservative party is considering who to team up with to form a new German coalition after their election victory.
Her conservative bloc got 41.5% - their best result since 1994, but just short of a clear majority.
The election was a shock for their liberal partners, the Free Democrats (FDP), who failed to get any seats.
A coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) is seen as most likely - but only after hard bargaining.


old radio show on Constitution (2006) On Point With Tom Ashbrook
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2006/12/04/correcting-the-constitution