A.M. Links: Panetta Checks Out Afghanistan, Former CIA Bigwig Warns of Indiscriminate Drone Bombings, UN Warns Humanity
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Defense Secretary Leon Panetta traveled to Afghanistan amid a wave of violence to hear an assessment of the military's "ability to confront" threats from terrorist groups in the country. "I think it's important to try to make sure we are aware of the kind of attacks they are going to engage in, particularly as we go through the rest of the summer and enter the latter part of this year," Panetta said.
- The CIA's former Pakistani desk chief and head of its counterterrorism center says the U.S. government's liberal use of drones is causing the kind of political instability that could be creating terrorist safe havens. "It needs to be targeted much more finely. We have been seduced by them and the unintended consequences of our actions are going to outweigh the intended consequences," Robert Grenier said.
- As the pre-trial hearing continues for Bradley Manning, the private accused of leaking documents to Wikileaks and "aiding the enemy," the judge ordered his defense team get more access to government documents being used to prosecute him. Defense attorneys say they've received 28 of 63 requested documents, and that they show the damage caused by the Wikileaks leaks was minimal. Government prosecutors admit they've only made 8,741 of more than 40,000 pages available to Manning's defense attorneys.
- The United Nations released a 500+ page report warning of doom and gloom for humanity and the environment, despite the international community's best efforts. "The world continues to speed down an unsustainable path despite over 500 internationally agreed goals and objectives to support the sustainable management of the environment and improve human wellbeing," a press release said.
- Apple may be dropping Google Maps from the iPad and iPhone, but Google says its planning to roll out off-line Google Maps and 3D images of big cities in a few weeks.
- Millions of passwords from the online services LinkedIn and eHarmony could be compromised after a security breach. LinkedIn has up to 160 million users, eHarmony 20 million.
- NBC Connecticut presents twenty five celebrities who got plastic surgery or look like it.
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