29 replies to this topic

[Persia]

Two years ago, the Central Intelligence Agency announced it was creating a center to analyze the geopolitical ramifications of “phenomena such as desertification, rising sea levels, population shifts and heightened competition for natural resources.”

http://www.wired.com...Top Stories 2))

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

You mean a group set up to study and presumably offer policy suggestions is doing so in a covert manner?
I'm terribly shocked.  

[Mike 215]

So the Obama administration told the CIA to classify its research on global warming? It makes sense since his entire administrations on the reality of global warming caused by man. If that is a lie, then his administration is in trouble. The only secrets the CIA would have in this area would be that Global Warming is a lie.

[Doug1o29]

Persia, on 23 September 2011 - 10:29 PM, said:

Two years ago, the Central Intelligence Agency announced it was creating a center to analyze the geopolitical ramifications of “phenomena such as desertification, rising sea levels, population shifts and heightened competition for natural resources.”

http://www.wired.com...Top Stories 2))

Secret!  That means Putin hasn't read about it in his morning newsaper yet.

There are dozens of climate publications available for the price of a subscription.  You can read about all kinds of policy ideas in them, but because the means of forecasting climate change are not that well developed yet, the results don't mean much.  And those are the CIA's sources.

Sounds to me more like another CIA boondoggle - a way to spend money on not very much.
Doug

[Doug1o29]

Mike 215, on 23 September 2011 - 11:28 PM, said:

So the Obama administration told the CIA to classify its research on global warming? It makes sense since his entire administrations on the reality of global warming caused by man. If that is a lie, then his administration is in trouble. The only secrets the CIA would have in this area would be that Global Warming is a lie.

The CIA does things that not even the President knows about.  Sometimes because it's "classified" (illegal) and sometimes because it's too trivial to bother with.

Do you remember the Los Alamos fire?  The Park Service was doing some "controlled" buring and it got out of hand and burned up a good part of the City of Los Alamos.  Reagan said that he didn't have any idea the Park Service was doing controlled burns.  Really?  He's the President!  It's his job to know.  Same with Obama and the CIA's office on Climate Change.  I'd bet Obama doesn't even know about it.
Doug

[Mike 215]

I would agree that there might be things that the CIA does which the president is not being told about such as JFK getting killed, but when it comes to global warming there is little doubt that the president is on top of this one. He has billions invested in global warming projects (such as the company which went bankrupt) and cannot afford to have the CIA annunce that it is all a lie. So he gave orders to keep quiet about their findings.

[Doug1o29]

Mike 215, on 25 September 2011 - 12:21 AM, said:

I would agree that there might be things that the CIA does which the president is not being told about such as JFK getting killed, but when it comes to global warming there is little doubt that the president is on top of this one. He has billions invested in global warming projects (such as the company which went bankrupt) and cannot afford to have the CIA annunce that it is all a lie. So he gave orders to keep quiet about their findings.

The CIA pulls data from all over the place, reviews it and formulates policy recommendations.  Some of that data is good, high-quality stuff and some isn't.  I wouldn't be asking them about the truth of global warming because THEY DON'T KNOW.  At least, they don't have any research available to them that isn't available to anybody who wants to dig it out of the research journals.

I'm guessing the "secret" label has something to do with avoiding embarassment for people in high places.  What are the Sahel nations going to do about desertification?  The politicians have to say they're working on it, but the truth is they aren't going to do anything, except abandon the land and its people.  If statements like that get out to the public, there will be a lot of screaming, some embarassment and maybe a revolution or two.  And that's what Obama is hiding:  the U.S. can't sound that callous and insensitive or it risks serious diplomatic trouble and some of our "allies" won't be around to be our allies any more.

The CIA office handles a lot of things indirectly related to global warming.  If sea levels rise, what will happen to the Pacific Island nations?  Can neighboring countries absorb the refugees?  Might civil unrest result?

If the monsoons don't come, will pollution of the Ganges and Brahmaputra produce epidemics that shift Indian and Bangla Desh population dynamics?  This could have serious economic implications and the U.S. may not want or really be able to help.  It would be bad politics if people knew we considered helping them, but didn't.

Most of these issues involve little science and a lot of guessing.  It's the CIA's job to go where science can't reach.  If you want to know about global warming, forget the CIA and dig your information out of "The Journqal of Climate Research" or the like.
Doug

[Rolci]

So, what is any of you going to do about this? It's like tax. You work hard for 3 whole months every year for nothing. They take your hard-earned money from you, they don't ask you if you're happy to give it away or not. They just take it. They won't say how much tax was collected last year from the entire  population of the country, they won't say this is how much we spent on this, this is how much we spent on that, this is how it all benefits you. If it was all fair and upfront there would be no secret about it, the info would be available to the public. But it's not. You know it's wrong. So it needs to be changed. So what are you, who is reading this, going to do about it? You know you won't do anything. Do you think anyone else will? So how is it going to change? Or we're happy with things the way they are? Well, we must be...

[Swamptick]

It's because they actually did unbiased science on it and found the earth is actually cooling off. Most 'scientists' out there are so blind they are creating data to suggest the earth is warming. It's not. Lemmings.

[Anotheryahoo]

The problem with ALL Govt and politicians is that they cant be trusted. Here is a fact without spin. The Oceans are rising the polar caps are melting. You can blame man, or you can say everything we are doing to the atmosphere has no effect. This I doubt, Either way the planet is warming up and those caps are melting. Thats the fact. My guess is this has to do with lands that were once inaccessible will become accessible.

[Doug1o29]

Rolci, on 25 September 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

So, what is any of you going to do about this?

You might start with CREDO and Moveon.org.  At least they're TRYING to move things in the right direction.  Whether they'll get there remains to be seen.
Doug
P.S.:  My spelling is getting completely awful.  Bad spellers of the world - UNTIE!
Doug

Edited by Doug1o29, 25 September 2011 - 07:10 PM.

[Doug1o29]

Swamptick, on 25 September 2011 - 01:20 PM, said:

It's because they actually did unbiased science on it and found the earth is actually cooling off. Most 'scientists' out there are so blind they are creating data to suggest the earth is warming. It's not. Lemmings.

And over 2000 volunteer weather observers over 120 years created tens of thousands of pages of bad data in such a way as to indicate the world was getting warmer and nobody heard about it.  Give me a break!
Doug

[Mr. Smith]

Swamptick, on 25 September 2011 - 01:20 PM, said:

It's because they actually did unbiased science on it and found the earth is actually cooling off. Most 'scientists' out there are so blind they are creating data to suggest the earth is warming. It's not. Lemmings.

I know. Stoopid scientists fonys. Always trying to fool us because we laughed at their glasses and pocket protectors. Evil squirrels they are.

[Pretty Obscure]

Global Warming is real. But not in the way Al Gore would like you to think. There's always been "pollution", and there always will be. Even in natural forms. All things considered, our emissions have been severely cut back since even the 70's.  It doesn't mean we're destroying the world. And don't forget that  the world is still coming out of the last ice age. Getting warmer is normal.

Edited by Pretty Obscure, 26 September 2011 - 03:28 AM.

[Rhino666]

The climate isn't much of a secret.