Just Where Are We Going?

       There are two articles in the New York Times today that give pause to wonder. First that U.S. flagged plane in Tehran Iran. It's owned by a 12 branch bank in Utah. Actually they claim to own it in name only. That is to say, they hold it in trust for somebody else. But what's it doing in Iran? We're supposed to have a whole bunch of sanctions against travel to or doing business with, Iran.
       The other is a story about two FBI agents interviewing a contractor working for a legal defense team for one of the people being held at Guantanamo Bay. The FBI then had the contractor sign a pledge not to tell the defense team about the interview. They've also found hidden mikes in rooms used by defense teams and detainees to meet that suggest the CIA is involved. What it all means is the Military Tribunals have been turned into Kangaroo courts. You have to read the whole article, but red lights are literally going off in the hearing rooms connected to FBI or CIA controllers.
       So why do I think these two articles are so closely related? It seems to show a government completely out of control with little or no oversight regarding who uses planes registered to the U.S. We didn't even know why it was there or who flew it there or for what purpose. At the same time, we have spy agencies peeking into what the defense teams are planning or doing and what the tribunals can or cannot do in private. So either America has become completely incompetent or it's gone completely rogue. My guess it's a little of both.
       Ever since 9-11, we've turned to the NSA and said, do whatever you want. Just keep us safe. You know that you wouldn't say that even to your pet dog. You need to put restraints on those folks. It's hard for America to claim the high ground, find fault with countries who flaunt human rights and then do exactly what we fault others for. It doesn't just lower us to their status, it puts us lower.