After an abrupt change of course President Obama’s plan to bomb Syria has won key congressional support, as lawmakers prepare to authorize America’s new war, we’ll blow past the patriotic platitudes and superficial reasons for the conflict and call out the real interest behind this aggression, and the dangerous blowback even a limited strike could bring.

Plus: Revelation of the NSA’s rampant spying continue to leak, this week we learned the NSA captured the emails of Brazil and Mexico presidents, and they’re not very happy about it.

Then the good news for Cannabis legalization, your feedback, and much much more.

On this week’s Unfilter.

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— Show Notes —

NSA is CRAZY

• Brazil and Mexico Ask the U.S. to Explain Reports of NSA Spying on Their Leaders – Abby Ohlheiser – The Atlantic Wire

Brazil and Mexico have called on the U.S. to explain recent reports — sourced to documents obtained by Edward Snowden — alleging that the NSA spied on Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Rousseff, who called in U.S. ambassador Thomas Shannon over the allegations, might cancel an October trip to the White House.

• NSA Spied on Al Jazeera Communications: Snowden Document – SPIEGEL ONLINE

The United States intelligence agency was so interested, in fact, that it hacked into Al Jazeera’s internal communications system, according to documents from former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden that have been seen by SPIEGEL.

One such document, dated March 23, 2006, reveals that the NSA’s Network Analysis Center managed to access and read communication by “interesting targets” that was specially protected by the news organization. The information also shows that the NSA officials were not satisfied with Al Jazeera’s language analysis.

• David Miranda was carrying password for secret files on piece of paper

"Much of the material is encrypted. However, among the unencrypted documents
… was a piece of paper that included the password for decrypting one of
the encypted files on the external hard drive recovered from the claimant.

“The fact that … the claimant was carrying on his person a handwritten piece
of paper containing the password for one of the encrypted files … is a
sign of very poor information security practice.”

• Al-Qaeda tries to hack US drones

According to the latest Snowden leaks in The Washington Post, an intelligence community report entitled “Threats to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” details Al-Qaeda’s attempts to counter US drone strikes dating back to 2006. Al-Qaeda attempted to down US drones in various ways, including jamming GPS signals and hobby airplanes. The terrorist organization is trying to recruit more engineers and technicians to focus on counter-drone operations.

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Syria

• David Cameron rules out any future military action in Syria – Telegraph

The Prime Minister said that the UK “can’t be part and won’t be part” of any
military strikes against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

• Kerry, Hagel address Senate on using force in Syria – Middle East News | Latest News Headlines | The Irish Times – Tue, Sep 03, 2013

“President Obama is not asking America to go to war,” Mr Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He is asking for authorization to degrade and deter (Syrian president) Bashar al-Assad’s capacity to use chemical weapons.”

• Senate panel votes to authorize Syria strike

The vote came after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., raised objections to an earlier draft. The objections forced lawmakers to renegotiate the measure; McCain ultimately won tougher language clarifying that U.S. policy would be aimed at changing the momentum on the ground. He was among the 10 who voted for the final resolution, after getting two amendments added.

“These amendments are vital to ensuring that any U.S. military operations in Syria are part of a broader strategy to change the momentum on the battlefield in Syria,” McCain said in a statement afterward. “That strategy must degrade the military capabilities of the Assad regime while upgrading the military capabilities of moderate Syrian opposition forces. These amendments would put the Congress on the record that this is the policy of the United States, as President Obama has assured me it is.”

• Hagel estimates cost of Syria strike at ‘tens of millions’ of dollars

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told lawmakers on Wednesday that a limited military strike against Syria was expected to cost “tens of millions” of dollars.

Weed

• Obama administration will not block state marijuana laws if distribution is regulated – The Washington Post

The Obama administration said Thursday that it would not challenge laws legalizing marijuana in Colorado and Washington state as long as those states maintain strict rules involving the sale and distribution of the drug.

In a memo to U.S. attorneys in all 50 states, Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole said the Justice Department is “committed to using its limited investigative and prosecutorial resources to address the most significant threats in the most effective, consistent and rational way.” He stressed that marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

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