We all read the news stories popping up about the IRS acquiring 60 new police shotguns recently and to be honest, I’m surprised at the hype. I’m no fan of the IRS, as I’m sure most Americans aren’t. But, having been a police officer I understand that every branch of government – local, state and even Federal – require weapons. As we all know, the ‘tax man’ is always armed. That’s the only way he can squeeze your hard earned money from you! This has been true for centuries upon centuries and the IRS is no exception.

So why is the Dept. of Education ordering combat shotguns?

North Korea’s army said Monday it is ready to “blow up” South Korea and the U.S., hours after the allies kicked off annual military drills that Pyongyang has slammed as a rehearsal for attack.

The contractors, according to a fellow Marine in Afghanistan who communicated with an investigative reporter in Chicago, were Afghanis who were found with “copious amounts of opium” and had been paid by the United States as guards.

Former head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency Hamid Gol says the United States is seeking to create and train terrorist groups in the region.

In admitting he conspired to obstruct justice, Lohman acknowledged helping concoct a cover story for police shootings that left two New Orleanians dead and four injured in the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina. Among other things, the government says Lohman participated in a scheme to plant a gun at the scene, and helped rewrite police reports and witness statements to make a fabricated version of events seem more plausible.

Bernard B. Kerik, a former New York police commissioner who rose to national prominence, was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to eight felony charges, including tax fraud and lying to White House officials.

Afghan and US forces gearing up for a major offensive in Helmand province, near Marjah dropped leaflets warning people not to give shelter to the Taliban. Marjah is surrounded by fertile land where poppies grow easily, and the Afghan government’s limited presence allows the drug trade to flourish. The production of opium helps finance the Taliban. ** Hayden’s Note: The problem is, we aren’t eradicating the poppy fields. We are seizing them and have become the largest drug cartel in the world!

Police forces all over the UK will soon be able to draw on unmanned aircraft from a national fleet, according to Home Office plans. Last month it was revealed that modified military aircraft drones will carry out surveillance on everyone from protesters and antisocial motorists to fly-tippers, and will be in place in time for the 2012 Olympics.

The director of national intelligence affirmed rather bluntly today that the U.S. intelligence community has authority to target American citizens for assassination if they present a direct terrorist threat to the United States.

The Defense Department just released its king-sized, $708 billion budget for the next fiscal year and about $56 billion goes simply to “classified programs,” or to projects known only by their code names, like “Chalk Eagle” and “Link Plumeria.” That’s the Pentagon’s black budget.