Hillary on Benghazi: Just because a jihadist group claims credit doesn’t make it so; Update: Attackers tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq?

posted at 10:09 pm on October 24, 2012 by Allahpundit

“Posting something on Facebook is not in and of itself evidence,” she says, responding to last night’s e-mail leak about Ansar al-Sharia taking credit for the attack. True enough, but that’s not the only link to AAS. As I reminded you yesterday, intercepts caught members of the group talking to members of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb during and after the attack. Libyan eyewitnesses saw the group’s founder outside the consulate while it was happening; he later admitted to having been there while insisting that he was merely directing traffic. There’s plenty of reason beyond the early claim of responsibility on Facebook to think they were involved, but to watch Hillary here, you’d think the Ansar al-Sharia mention in yesterday’s Reuters bombshell was some sort of false lead based on dubious preliminary intel that had evaporated later as the fog cleared.

Which brings me to a larger point. What’s the White House’s current position on whether the attack was inspired by the Mohammed movie? Are they seriously claiming that a hardened Islamist outfit with AQ links like Ansar al-Sharia wouldn’t have come after the American consulate if not for the provocation from the movie? Or are they claiming that AAS chose to capitalize on the outrage over the movie after news trickled out about the Cairo embassy assault earlier that day? I ask because we’re still seeing stuff like the following being pushed by the Times, weeks after the White House formally embraced the “terrorist attack” narrative:

Beyond the political issues, the [new Bin Laden] film may carry the risk of associating Mr. Obama with any backlash in a Muslim world already inflamed by the YouTube trailer for an insulting film portrayal of its prophet. In September riots erupted in Libya, Egypt and elsewhere as Muslim crowds reacted violently to what they perceived as the unforgivable insults of a scratch production, “The Innocence of Muslims,” some of which was posted on YouTube.

As recently as six days ago, State was still grasping for ways to blame the movie, which may be the one consistent thread in this entire mess. From the beginning, in the same Rose Garden remarks on September 12 in which he mentioned “acts of terror,” Obama alluded to the video’s role by saying, “We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others.” If they’re sticking with the “offended terrorist” theory of the case even now, I’d like to hear more. That must have been some video to push a group like Ansar al-Sharia from grudging tolerance of the Great Satan’s local presence to “let’s kill the ambassador” rage.

Exit quotation from Mike Rogers: “It’s about the fact that decisions were made, big policy decisions, including elevating the video that, if you listen to those email or read those emails, nothing about the video — it elevated the video and actually caused more protests across the Middle East.” Click the image to watch.

Update: Whole lotta offended terrorists in Benghazi that night, for some reason:

U.S. intelligence believes that assailants connected to al Qaeda in Iraq were among the core group that attacked the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, a U.S. government official told CNN.

That would represent the second al Qaeda affiliate associated with the deadly September 11 attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

Previously, intelligence officials said there were signs of connections to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the North African wing of the terror group…

According to the official, others in the core group are suspected of having ties to the Libyan group Ansar al-Sharia, and many of them are believed to be Egyptian jihadis.

That’s three separate jihadist outfits participating. According to CNN, there were upwards of 40 attackers in the first wave. Free question for any members of the White House press corps who are reading: What’s Al Qaeda in Iraq doing in Libya?


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What? RWM already told you that she went to an ivy law school? Surely, you know that Chicago isn’t ivy.

blink on May 21, 2013 at 12:50 PM

yep, forgot that. RWM went to Columbia. Should’ve known, Columbia grads have the biggest chip on their shoulders concerning Harvard grads.

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM

yep, forgot that. RWM went to Columbia. Should’ve known, Columbia grads have the biggest chip on their shoulders concerning Harvard grads.

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM

Is that something Blackstone said?

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 1:03 PM

Wait til Woodward finds out he was being tracked during the writing of his book.

Tater Salad on May 21, 2013 at 1:03 PM

I would not be surprised if some how they can monitor every person who gets on the internet, using keywords as a red flag.

Pomai on May 21, 2013 at 1:04 PM

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:25 PM

.

Behold the classic case study of a pitiable ,attention whore, internet troll.
It’s really remarkable to encounter the varied human neuroses that are amplified and reenforced on internet forums.

Dr. Carlo Lombardi on May 21, 2013 at 1:06 PM

I’ve thought all of this looked like the work of Rahm from the beginning; the Chicago way.

Tater Salad on May 21, 2013 at 1:08 PM

Maybe nonpartisan is really Mike Ross.
steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 11:23 AM

heh, I’m actually the exact opposite of Mike Ross

he didn’t go to Harvard Law but ended up practicing
I graduated from Harvard Law but ended up not practicing

he seems to have a genuine interest and passion for law, which I didn’t have

what we have in common is our raw mental horsepower and ability to do well on the LSAT :)

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

Holy Fluking cow! I just read the link. Your reference went by me because I don’t watch that show, but apparently nonintelligent does not have a working mouse wheel. His response is hilarious!

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 11:46 AM

The ultimate pwn… when you don’t even realize you’ve been pwned.

de rigueur on May 21, 2013 at 1:09 PM

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:25 PM

Behold the classic case study of a pitiable ,attention whore, internet troll.
It’s really remarkable to encounter the varied human neuroses that are amplified and reenforced on internet forums.

Dr. Carlo Lombardi on May 21, 2013 at 1:06 PM

I’m thinking Necrotizing Fasciitis. I need to consult with Dr. Howard and Fine though.

arnold ziffel on May 21, 2013 at 1:11 PM

Waiting to find out that also part of the DOJ investigations were:

Catherine Herridge
Jennifer Griffin
Sharyl Attkisson

War on Women indeed!

can_con on May 20, 2013 at 11:53 PM

That didn’t take too long.

can_con on May 21, 2013 at 1:13 PM

This is why I have nothing to prove when it comes to the law…

it doesn’t state who fired first though, if the homeowner fired first, the burglar could technically claim self-defense for return fire.

nonpartisan on May 18, 2013 at 8:52 AM

Stupid. The burglar could make no such ‘technical’ argument.

If a woman is being raped and grabs a brick and hits her rapist over the head, is he innocent of murder if he strangles her in response?

You’ve never sat a single minute in a law class in your life.

Resist We Much on May 18, 2013 at 2:25 PM

are you not aware of the heat of the moment issues

if a rapist rapes a woman and then leaves, and the woman grabs a gun and goes after him and then shoots him, she can be convicted of murder and self-defense would no longer apply

nonpartisan on May 18, 2013 at 4:23 PM

Are you incapable of understanding the hypothetical that I posed or do you think changing the subject will absolve you of your ignorance?

Read my hypothetical again, idjit.

Resist We Much on May 18, 2013 at 8:34 PM

There is no ‘heat of the moment’ defence for a rapist, if during the course of his illegal act, his victim hits him in the head with a brick and he strangles her in response.

Ted Cruz is a legal genius, per Larry Tribe no less, and HLS grad.

Nobrain? Not so much.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:14 PM

Now you should know nonpartisan better than that. Far too studious and dilligent to have left campus much during the time in law school. Just like our dear leader who nobody has much recollection of ever seeing or going to class with.

Happy Nomad on May 21, 2013 at 12:07 PM

I wonder if I either of them knows where the Smokers’ Oases were/are positioned outside the Law School Library.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 1:14 PM

what we have in common is our raw mental horsepower and ability to do well on the LSAT :)

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

Your lame mental horses do not count.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:15 PM

Your lame mental horses do not count.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:15 PM

But they might make some decent IKEA meatballs.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 1:17 PM

yep, forgot that. RWM went to Columbia. Should’ve known, Columbia grads have the biggest chip on their shoulders concerning Harvard grads.

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM

Is that something Blackstone said?

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 1:03 PM

‘Why would I care what some dead, gay guy, who used to name the worst dressed women of the world, had to say?’

- NoBrain

[Yes, I know that it was Blackwell.]

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:18 PM

*points emphatically and urgently at the “DON’T FEED THE TROLLS” sign*

Midas on May 21, 2013 at 1:19 PM

[Yes, I know that it was Blackwell.]

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:18 PM

Lol.

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 1:20 PM

Hello? screwy company network again. Posting to see more posts.

TerryW on May 21, 2013 at 1:21 PM

yep, forgot that. RWM went to Columbia. Should’ve known, Columbia grads have the biggest chip on their shoulders concerning Harvard grads.

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM

Why do you do this? Why should we believe anything you say? You are a vague name on a board and can be anyone. You certainly don’t behave like someone who has been educated. You don’t think like someone who has been educated. You aren’t even a particularly clever troll. People respond because they can abuse you.

Why should we believe a thing you say?

kim roy on May 21, 2013 at 1:21 PM

is that why you’re so desperate to try to prove your superiority over me?

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:12 PM

nobody here has to prove anything, no sense proving a known constant.
in case you are confused (and running scared for your life) I’ll summarize it.
you’re the pile of crap that we scrape off of our shoes.

dmacleo on May 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

what we have in common is our raw mental horsepower

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

I think you forgot to change the oil.

ReaganWasRight on May 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

Which government sources were aiding and abetting this “unreasonable” reporter? There was one obvious way to find out. Any comment, DOJ?

I have no idea, I can’t confirm any details, I was unaware, I’m a f*cking idiot, but I can shoot hoops.
@AG

ted c on May 21, 2013 at 1:30 PM

So will CBS put the story out, or will Ms. Attkisson have to reveal it on her own? CBS has been Zero’s ass kissers for five years now. But then so was the AP.

Like I said, last week I started seeing a shift in all the reporting about Zero and his malicious clown posse.

dogsoldier on May 21, 2013 at 1:30 PM

RWM, I laughed at this response, too. nonpartisan suddenly had the rapist leaving.

blink on May 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

Yeppers…and it tells us that nobrain never scored a 175 on ANY exam requiring reading comprehension nor sat in a single law class.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:30 PM

Ted Cruz is a legal genius, per Larry Tribe no less, and HLS grad.

Nobrain? Not so much.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:14 PM

And per Derschowitz, his law professor at Harvard.

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 1:31 PM

Why are you guys even exchanging posts with the lying sack?

dogsoldier on May 21, 2013 at 1:31 PM

nobrain didn’t go to any school. It displays ‘logic’ of a 10 years old.

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 1:32 PM

blink on May 21, 2013 at 1:15 PM

I came to the conclusion that tool wasn’t what it said it was either, and called it out. It disappeared shortly thereafter.

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 1:14 PM

It really doesn’t have a clue, and its posts on the law typically reflect its abysmal ignorance and the half-witted “logic” of a Wiki “expert”. How do you pass Criminal Procedure if you think defending yourself from an attacker gives rise to a self-defense claim for the attacker?

It’s just a despicable liar and poseur.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 1:34 PM

Famed Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz ranks Sen. Ted Cruz among the school’s smartest students, adding that the Canada-born Texan can run for president in 2016.

Cruz was a “terrific student,” Dershowitz told The Daily Caller. “He was always very active in class, presenting a libertarian point of view. He didn’t strike me as a social conservative, more of a libertarian.”

“He had brilliant insights and he was clearly among the top students, as revealed by his class responses,” Dershowitz added.

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 1:34 PM

It really doesn’t have a clue, and its posts on the law anything typically reflect its abysmal ignorance and the half-witted “logic” of a Wiki “expert”. How do you pass Criminal Procedure if you think defending yourself from an attacker gives rise to a self-defense claim for the attacker?

It’s just a despicable liar and poseur.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 1:34 PM

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 1:35 PM

what we have in common is our raw mental horsepower and ability to do well on the LSAT :)

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

That ain’t horsepower, idiot. The tipoff should be the stench of manure.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 1:36 PM

what we have in common is our raw mental horsepower and ability to do well on the LSAT :)

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

Meh, that is easy. Passed with flying colors…then decided against it. It was more like a whim, for a couple of weekends.

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 1:38 PM

Much like other work is farmed out to contract agents, dubious, quasi-legal, or blatantly illegal hacking is routinely farmed out to China. They call this outsourcing. Hell, I’d laugh if it was determined that The One sent hacking jobs overseas.

catalan on May 21, 2013 at 1:41 PM

blink on May 21, 2013 at 1:45 PM

Yep. Its first response was demonstrably idiotic. so it had to run back to wiki for some further research, then had to change the scenario if it wanted to pretend the first idiocy wasn’t idiotic.

Layers of stupid. Layers and layers.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 1:53 PM

Hmmm, is this thread about Sharyl Attkisson?

can_con on May 21, 2013 at 2:08 PM

Hmmm, is this thread about Sharyl Attkisson?

can_con on May 21, 2013 at 2:08 PM

It is.
But non-partisan decided to give her a lecture on Journalism 101 and all hell broke loose.
I’ll admit that I joined in. Sometimes NPisms are just too good to pass-up.

Jabberwock on May 21, 2013 at 2:15 PM

Hey it happens. I felt like I was suddenly transported to the Legal insurrection website. ;)

Nonpartisan….Bqhatevwr

can_con on May 21, 2013 at 2:22 PM

nonpartisan, like all Harvard alums you have access to the online alumni directory. For the record I have no idea whether you went to HLS or not, I just find it a bit odd that you talk about it so much.

So, while I can understand your reluctance to post your identity here, would you at least go to the alumni directory and look up the number of people with the current last name of Anderson who graduated in 1972?

And for the 4th one listed would you share the date he registered with the alumni system?

While that doesn’t prove that you’re an HLS grad, it at least establishes that you *know* someone who went to Harvard well enough for them to look up some info for you. And more importantly if you don’t reply within a timely manner I’d expect most people would conclude that you made up the credential.

The answers to both questions are posted below in encrypted form. I’ll post the decryption key once you provide your answers. Thanks!

ZZZZZ DKVPL JRQGD SXAWL GBEJA KDHVB JHFLH RINWT JCQWD TTAID QATUB
TBSDF FJOIG RRTFB CHNAQ ENIIH NSTXT JTWNS LMENL XAWHO QBVKV FVXWU
MWAUC VBIRI WBBXS DMNMN MPILO TCELU BTVSB HONKW IIPTH QKJQF PIBLN
UCBKP CGGRP BHGXM GCSVD KKWFT FHWSP LMQWB JQFHI WUDBS UUPFS QSJWX
VMGIP FDARR UEBGB AHEMS IQTDD PIATS MVFCW FHMSW NHQIC LRFFJ JKWNC
BSQLP HVEBK FHEFQ JJVRE NCKXH AKKLV WHFRL VEGPS IFOBA RDLSI YYYYY

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 2:23 PM

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 2:23 PM

Brilliant!!!

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 2:34 PM

The fail here is that the moderators of Hot Air let a poster whose clear and only intention is to disrupt and trash a discussion thread continue to dominate thread after thread.
.
This is precisely the type of the boilerplate ‘troll’ poster that should be banned.
Evidently the moderators use an arbitrary criteria of just name calling or “hate” type posters being banned.
.
It’s hard to believe that those in charge of Hot Air are too naive or incompetent to realize that the pedal-to-the-metal troll that’s in evidence here is ultimately far more destructive to the site than the stereotype “hater” that usually gets tossed.

Dr. Carlo Lombardi on May 21, 2013 at 2:37 PM

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 2:23 PM

Nice. Are you a Harvard Law alum yourself?

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 2:45 PM

So, while I can understand your reluctance to post your identity here, would you at least go to the alumni directory and look up the number of people with the current last name of Anderson who graduated in 1972?

And for the 4th one listed would you share the date he registered with the alumni system?

For clarity’s sake, are you searching for all Andersons who graduated in ’72 from HLS, or from any Harvard school?

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 2:48 PM

Dr. Carlo Lombardi on May 21, 2013 at 2:37 PM

I agree with your assessment of the troll, but I don’t think it should be banned. Let it have its say. It does serve to exemplify the moral poverty and intellectual bankruptcy of the Liberal/Progressive Left.

I generally do not engage trolls, but do on occasion. We could deal with them all by simply ignoring them. End of thread hijacking.

It’s often the case that “hijacked” threads have been about exhausted on the original subject before they devolve into troll dissection.

A nuisance, at worst.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 2:51 PM

To be fair, it is difficult to pass the bar exam when you write “I don’t have to prove anything to you!!!” as an answer to each question.

Left Coast Right Mind on May 21, 2013 at 2:56 PM

For clarity’s sake, are you searching for all Andersons who graduated in ’72 from HLS, or from any Harvard school?

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 2:48 PM

All schools school. And current Andersons, not Andersons at graduation.

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 2:59 PM

All schools school. And current Andersons, not Andersons at graduation.

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 2:59 PM

Pretty straightforward, then, given the search fields on the directory search page. I’m sure nonpartisan will have no trouble coming up with an answer.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 3:13 PM

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 2:51 PM

It should be noted that none of the other trolls have ever come to its defense on this issue.

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 3:14 PM

To be fair, it is difficult to pass the bar exam when you write “I don’t have to prove anything to you!!!” as an answer to each question.

Left Coast Right Mind on May 21, 2013 at 2:56 PM

How about, “What difference, at this point, does it make anyway?”

kirkill on May 21, 2013 at 3:15 PM

I think you forgot to change the oil.

ReaganWasRight on May 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

I think her oxygen sensor is bad.

GWB on May 21, 2013 at 3:17 PM

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 3:14 PM

Note taken.

novaculus on May 21, 2013 at 3:23 PM

We need a Special Prosecutor!

Another Drew on May 21, 2013 at 3:40 PM

Hey Ms. Atkinson, here’s a journalism 101 tip for ya:

a reporter’s job is to report the story, not become the story

partisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:10 AM

Wow, they teach Journalism 101 at Moe Howard University Law School? Do tell!

It’s only “bad” for a reporter to become the story when they are reporting on the corruption of a Democrat President. Which is why you’re childishly lecturing Ms. Atkisson.

But when it’s a Republican President they are reporting on, it’s perfectly OK for them to become the story themselves. See “Woodward, Bob” and “Bernstein, Carl.”

P-

Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2013 at 3:50 PM

I used to think the cries of “They got to Justice Roberts!” were foolish and feverish delusions.

I feel a bit more uneasy about that now.

SarahW on May 21, 2013 at 3:59 PM

OBAMA ADMIISTRATION STAINED BY SCANDAL

Fast & Furious
+ Obama administration arms Mexican Drug Cartels, 300+ body count
…cover up

Benghazi
+ 1st Ambass in 30+ years dead, Americans denied security, abandoned
…cover up

IRS Targeting Conservatives / Jews
+ Attempts to silence/minimize/intimidate/destroy Obama ‘Enemies’
…cover up

Wire-tapping / Media Scandal
+ Attempt to intimidate / threaten / control media via AP reporters/Editors…Fox news reporters…CBSNews reporter phones tapped, e-mails seized… reporter (Attkisson)screamed/cursed at for doing her job – reporting about Fast & Furious & Benghazi
…cover up

Arming Mexican Drug Cartels, that have slaughtered entire villages – men, women, & children, while attempting to strip the Constitutional Right to bear arms from Law-Abiding American citizens is bad enough. At the very least any ethical, moral, law-abiding government would have FIRED someone over this. NO ONE WAS PUNISHED.

The level of incompetence and ignorance, if the White House’s excuse for what happened in Benghazi is to be believed, demonstrated by the handling of every detail of the events leading up to 9/11/12 – depending on Al Qaeda to protect our Ambassador/Americans, ignoring 2 previous terrorist attacks, and refusing to provide additional security even after a warning that if a 3rd attack occurred without more security they would die & the actions/decisions made during the attack – rise to the level of CRIMINAL INCOMPETENCE that should result in no less than full disclosure & the firing of numerous personnel, to include Hillary Clinton. The cover-up afterwards though, raise the level higher, to the potential for Impeachment.

Using the Internal Revenue Service as your own personal weapon to identify, silence, punish, & destroy your enemies is a heinous abuse of power that rises to the level where numerous people need to go to jail – WITHOUT ARGUMENT, and potentially rises to the level of – again – IMPEACHMENT.

The wire-tapping scandal is mushrooming like a nuke, out of control. Verbally intimidating the media, inappropriately acquired ‘authority’ to wire-tap reporters/editors, seizing e-mails…1st from the AP, then Fox News…now CBSNews… more expected. This administration has proven for the last time it could care less about the Constitution, Rights, U.S. Law. The massive, record-setting abuse of power, though falling short of the IRS Scandal, is a close 2nd and yet another example of a Communist-tutored (Frank Marshall Davis), racist hate-spewing Anti-American-mentored (Wright) Socialist preying upon the very citizens he promised to protect & whose Rights he promised to defend! This is most certainly reaching the level of potential Impeachable offense!

Add them all together & there is a pattern of subversive, criminal behavior perpetrated against this nation, the Constitution, & our laws that surpasses the most minimal qualifications for Impeachment and arguably is deserved at this point!

easyt65 on May 21, 2013 at 4:01 PM

And more importantly if you don’t reply within a timely manner I’d expect most people would conclude that you made up the credential.

SoRight

Most people have rightly come to that conclusion already, lol. I’d be surprised if he/she has even graduated from community college.

xblade on May 21, 2013 at 4:05 PM

I’m sure nonpartisan will have no trouble coming up with an answer.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Must be a tough search. Where is the genius?

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 4:05 PM

Must be dinner time – again

PJ Emeritus on May 21, 2013 at 4:10 PM

From the Headlines:

Commissioner knew more than year ago about IRS targeting conservatives…
Ex-chief: Can’t say how it happened…
Conservative Group Waiting 3 Years For Approval Files Suit…
IRS worker used government credit card for years-long AMAZON shopping spree…
Top Dems blame scandal on tax code…

TOP IRS OFFICIAL TO TAKE THE FIFTH

I am sure there is no ‘THERE’ there, either!

Abolish the IRS – fair/flat tax time!

easyt65 on May 21, 2013 at 4:11 PM

I’m sure nonpartisan will have no trouble coming up with an answer.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Must be a tough search. Where is the genius?

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 4:05 PM

lol. Give him a break. He’s still trying to figure out the Anderson paradigm assignment up thread.

arnold ziffel on May 21, 2013 at 4:20 PM

Look, look

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 4:21 PM

He’s still trying to figure out the Anderson paradigm assignment up thread.

arnold ziffel on May 21, 2013 at 4:20 PM

It’ll be a loooooong dinner :)

Schadenfreude on May 21, 2013 at 4:27 PM

Heh, this thing over HighlyPartisan’s credentials are a win-win situation for us, and a lose-lose for it.

If by some miracle the vile troll can ‘prove’ that it isn’t a liar, it will prove that a Harvard Law Degree isn’t worth the paper it is printed on, acquirable by mental midgets, and thereby making its hero 0bama’s main claim to ‘brilliance’ even more suspect.

LegendHasIt on May 21, 2013 at 4:31 PM

We need a Special Prosecutor!

Another Drew on May 21, 2013 at 3:40 PM

Now, c’mon, do we really need to sic a SP on nobrain? I think the consensus of opinion is that nobrain has never stepped foot in ANY law school. No need to get the tool an anal exam.

lol

[Yes, I know that you were on topic]

Resist We Much on May 21, 2013 at 4:36 PM

From what I know of what reporters know about computers, I would keep this allegation two arm’s lengths away until some solid information is turned up and verified.

Socratease on May 21, 2013 at 4:38 PM

I think we’re gonna find a whole lot of co-operative communications companies in the Techie Cabal involved as Toadies for Il Duce and his Ministry of Truth and Justice.

workingclass artist on May 21, 2013 at 11:08 AM

Profound and true grasshopper. It helps to pistol whip them in front of congress. Gives them cover later if they are helping the Masters.

I have to agree with poison ivy league’s sarcasm. “My computer is acting fishy” is hardly an indication of hacking. My Vista PC is a horror, but it’s not because anyone cares what’s on it.
Paul-Cincy on May 21, 2013 at 11:23 AM

but, if she has friends who know what they are doing, sometimes they can identify intrusion

Wiretapping has many meanings today. Easiest is to get the internet provider to hand over intercepts.

If a reporter is too nosy, it is a cheap fix to pay someone to keep hitting her system, planting crude viruses, or simply reporting keystrokes. The US political system is the biggest power money block in the world. 100K is chump change, but it will buy a hacker who will frustrate the crap out of a troublemaker

Friend had one attacker who accidentally popped up the webcam window. When friend saw their own face, too late. Speakers had been shut off, so mic would pick up better. oh yeah. Sometimes that schtick is intimidation. To let know they can beat your security

Another was blocked only from Drudge. They could open a window to his site, but screen display was blocked. Block was dropped after news item fizzed

Bad when you realize you are running an HTML version of a familiar program, that is a different size, and find out you are running code with a bunch of new instructions. Even proxy servers. Who controls the proxy?

When you are digging around, you can get too close to something no one wants you to see. Money buys a lot. I believe her. She is rocking a big boat

If they want to discredit her, pepper bomb her with kiddie viruses or slow her keystrokes. Then pull back when she calls in an expert

entagor on May 21, 2013 at 4:57 PM

Anyone who is dubious that the Obama Admin might be spying on Attkisson and breaking into her e-mail is probably surprised when the sun comes up every morning.

DRayRaven on May 21, 2013 at 11:41 AM

Whaaaaaat????????? What sun? I thought Sen. Winehouse said we killed it!!!11!!111!1!!!

Nutstuyu on May 21, 2013 at 5:09 PM

I graduated from Harvard Law but ended up not practicing

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 11:26 AM

I graduated from Johns Hopkins but ended up not practicing medicine.

I graduated from Boston Conservatory but ended up not playing.

I graduated from Westpoint but ended up not being commissioned.

I got a Nobel Peace Prize but ended up not doing anything…

/This is fun.

Nutstuyu on May 21, 2013 at 5:17 PM

weird, it only took me like 30 seconds to do the search . . .

Quick, someone check for Craigslist postings wherein an illiterate imbecile is trying to buy a Harvard Alumni Association login . . .

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 5:23 PM

My LSAT score was 175
I lived in Gropius

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:29 PM

The free practice tests don’t count.

Nutstuyu on May 21, 2013 at 5:25 PM

weird, it only took me like 30 seconds to do the search . . .

Quick, someone check for Craigslist postings wherein an illiterate imbecile is trying to buy a Harvard Alumni Association login . . .

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 5:23 PM

They sell for $5 down at Billy’s Bathhouse in Chicago.

Nutstuyu on May 21, 2013 at 5:26 PM

The fantasy:

I lived in Gropius
nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 12:29 PM

The reality:

I live in an old Prius.

LegendHasIt on May 21, 2013 at 5:53 PM

nonpartisan, I will sell you my post.harvard.edu login for $50. I hate seeing you embarrassed like this. No, really, I do.

steebo77 on May 21, 2013 at 6:05 PM

weird, it only took me like 30 seconds to do the search . . .

Quick, someone check for Craigslist postings wherein an illiterate imbecile is trying to buy a Harvard Alumni Association login . . .

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 5:23 PM

haven’t used my harvard account in quite some time and don’t remember the login for alumni connect. I suppose I can email administration and get my login info, it will take a few days though…

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 6:27 PM

The dog ate my homework. :-(

tom daschle concerned on May 21, 2013 at 6:34 PM

Friend had one attacker who accidentally popped up the webcam window. When friend saw their own face, too late. Speakers had been shut off, so mic would pick up better. oh yeah. Sometimes that schtick is intimidation. To let know they can beat your security

The fundamental problem here is that almost all conventional computers can be rather easily “infected”: if malware ever gets the chance to run, it can place code into the system which will start that malware on every subsequent session. Currently, antivirus scanners have been outclassed and are unlikely to find most serious malware.

Because of the structure of Internet communication, any computer can try to attach to any other computer. The first thing which prevents that is a firewall, which will stop unsolicited incoming packets. But when malware runs, the requests will be from the inside, and no firewall can help. Nor can any normal form of PC anti-malware.

Indeed, much modern malware installs a “bot” or robot program which runs in the background of normal operation. A bot literally gives the attacker a presence inside the user PC. That makes all the cryptographic techniques useless, because the bot sees the unencrypted plaintext data before encryption or after decryption. The cryptography works, but is beside the point. There can be no security with a resident bot. It is necessary to get rid of all bots which may be present, even though some of them cannot be detected by normal users (on a non-instrumented PC).

You will not like this: The way to prevent infection is to get rid of “all” non-volatile store. That means having no hard drive, no floppy drive, no USB flash drive, nothing. Load your OS into RAM from DVD, then remove the DVD and run from memory. Booting from a USB flash drive will be faster, but not secure. The only OS I know of which supports this is Puppy Linux, but be warned that even at its best it is not nearly as smooth as Windows. Puppy Linux is a volunteer or hobbyist OS and it shows, but it does support Firefox and is reasonable for browsing.

Even on a machine with no hard drive, and not running Windows, occasionally malware will get in and run. The difference is that malware need not run on each and every session, a vast improvement. When you turn off the system the malware stops running. When you boot the system from DVD, whatever remains in memory is irrelevant, and the system should be clean, *unless* malware has re-programmed hardware “BIOS” flash.

Just as a secure machine probably cannot afford to have a hard drive, it also cannot afford to have a separate video card, because an infected video BIOS may re-infect the motherboard immediately after the motherboard is flashed clean.

Since we need the motherboard BIOS to bring up the machine, we cannot simply get rid of it like a hard drive. So we need to learn to clean the BIOS, by getting a valid BIOS file from the motherboard manufacturer, placing it on a flash drive, and periodically re-flashing the motherboard. That is not without some risk of “bricking” the computer. The relative import of possible bricking versus having a machine which inherently supports malware infection is your own decision.

PseudoRandom on May 21, 2013 at 6:39 PM

haven’t used my harvard account in quite some time and don’t remember the login for alumni connect. I suppose I can email administration and get my login info, it will take a few days though…

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 6:27 PM

Actually there’s a password reset form here:

https://post.harvard.edu/olc/pub/HAA/forgot/forgot.cgi

I just tried it and it was a totally automated process. It took me less than 15 seconds. If you email me your name, class year and birthday I can reset it for you. :-)

Or, you know, you could just go upstairs. Your mom probably has dinner ready by now and it’s so lonely there in the basement . . .

Also, want to hear something funny? I’d never heard anyone refer to the HAA (Harvard Alumni Association) system as Alumni Connect so I did a search on Google (http://bit.ly/14v31tN) for the phrase “alumni connect” within the harvard.edu domain. Turns out they’ve never used it either.

But it turns out apparently TONS of schools do brand their Alumni information system as “Alumni Connect”. (http://bit.ly/14v3hJl) Seriously, hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. So it’s weird that you would have used another school’s moniker for it. Being a Harvard Law School alum and all (who ended up not practicing).

Anyhow, let me know if you’d like me to reset that password for you. I can save you a few days.

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 7:20 PM

What’s your excuse for not having a basic understanding of the law?

blink on May 21, 2013 at 7:17 PM

He’s bluffing. Play the bluff and hope the other guy folds. Maybe he’ll plead the 5th when SoRight calls his bluff.

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 7:21 PM

Anyhow, let me know if you’d like me to reset that password for you. I can save you a few days.

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 7:20 PM

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd bluff called.

“but, but, but, obama said ‘don’t call my bluff’” – nonintelligent

NotCoach on May 21, 2013 at 7:23 PM

SoRight on May 21, 2013 at 7:20 PM

for the law school alumni, it’s HLS connect.

http://law.harvard.edu/alumni/hlsconnect/index.html

nonpartisan on May 21, 2013 at 7:31 PM

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