The man who destroyed the proof of the [indiscernible] dealing was a lawyer. A former cj agent John Kiriakou speaks out just days after he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, becoming the first cia official to face jail for any reason relating to the u. S. Torture program. Even those who carried it out. But first we go to egypt, state of emergency has been declared, the defense minister is warning about the possible collapse of the state. We will speak with democracy nows Sharif Abdel Kouddous in port said. All of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President obama kicked off his second term push for Immigration Reform on tuesday with a speech in nevada, a battleground state whose growing latino vote helped him win the november election. I am here today because the time has come for common sense, comprehensive Immigration Reform [applause] we have to deal with the 11 million individuals who are here illegally. We all agree that these men and women should have to earn their way to citizenship. But for comprehensive Immigration Reform to work, it must be clear from the outset that there is a pathway to citizenship. President obama omitted detailed proposals from his address, instead backing the Bipartisan Senate plan that includes a path to citizenship for a large number of the estimated 11 million undocumented people in the u. S. , but also tougher border enhancement enforcement and a system for tracking those who overstay visas. Obama took aim at antiimmigrant sentiment, saying foreign nationals are being maligned by people who forget their own ancestral past. It is easy sometimes for the discussion to take on a feeling of us versus them. When that happens, a lot of folks forget most of us used to be them. [applause] we forget that. It is really important for us to remember history. Unless youre one of the first americans, and native american, you came from someplace else. Somebody brought you. Despite a rise in the Bipartisan Senate plan, obama about this in his own immigration bill to congress if lawmakers dont take immediate action. The senate has confirmed democratic senator john kerry as president obama is the secretary of state, replacing hillary clinton. The final tally was 94 in favor and three opposed. After the vote, Democratic SenatorsChuck Schumer of new york and dick durbin of Illinois Paid tribute to john kerrys legacy. We still admire the job he has done in his past life in many different phases. We are excited he will be our secretary of state. I think for john kerry, the best is yet to come. Is passionate pursuit of a safe nation and world is patriotism and commitment to americas best challenged values are well documented. While i am sorry to lose some as a colleague in the senate, i can think of no better person to serve as our nations next secretary of state. The bodies of a least 80 people had been found and aleppo, each with their hands bound and gunshot wounds to the head. Amateur video shows the dead corpses laid out after being collected from a bank on the river, most of the victims appeared to be young men, possibly in their teens. Speaking to reporters after a briefing to the and secure the council, the u. N. Arab league envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said both sides of the conflict in syria are taking part in the countrys destruction. Syria is being destroyed. I sometimes say the parties are angry at me when i say that. Objectively, there are they are cooperating in the destroying. Syria is being destroyed bit by bit. In destroying syria, the region is being pushed into a situation that is extremely bad an extremely important for the entire world. That is why i believe the Security Council simply cannot continue to say, we are in disagreement and lets wait for better times. The Obama Administration has formally signed an agreement with niger allowing a permanent u. S. Military site in the african country. Reporters this week the u. S. Will build a base in niger from which to fly drones for surveillance and potentially even missile strikes. Niger borders mali, where the u. S. Is aiding a frenchled military operation in the countrys north. In mexico, please recover the bodies of 12 people from inside a well in the city of monterey. The victims were members of the band kombo kolumbia and their staff who had been abducted last week. Israel has become the first country to boycott a u. N. Human Rights Council review of its record on human rights. The acting president of the humanRights Council convened the session in geneva on tuesday, only to see that no israeli representatives had shown up. We were to convene this afternoon to proceed with the review of israel, however, i see that the delegation of israel is not in the room. Israel severed contacts with the council last year after the body launched an investigation of illegal settlements in the occupied west bank. The News Agency Reuters is reporting john brennan, the nominee for the head of the cia, had detailed knowledge of the agencys torture program while serving under president george w. Bush. Official records apparently show brennan received regular internal cia updates about the progress of torture techniques, including waterboarding. It is not clear if you raise any objections at the time he was made aware. Attorneys for five alleged conspirators in the 9 11 attacks have asked a military judge to allow them to spend 48 hours at the Guantanamo Bay prison where their clients have been held. On the second day of a pretrial hearing, Navy Commander walter reed says the conditions of the men should factor into whether there ultimately sentenced to death. In cases where we have asked to put people to death. When the government sets out to put people to death, our Supreme Court has said [indiscernible] one of our standards is to go in and look at their conditions of confinement, look at how they live. Activists from across the country gathered at the Education Department in washington on tuesday to demand federal action on a wave of school closures. Parents, students, and organizers told education secretary arne duncan and top aides that School Closings are hurting entire communities, disproportionately those made up of lowincome residents and people of color. The Education Department is currently probing complaints that School Closings in six cities including d. C. , newark, philadelphia, detroit, new york, a chicago, violate the 1964 civil rights act. Karen harper royal, a parent and activist from new orleans, said the administrations policies are hurting students and their neighborhoods. Our communities are more than just data. Our children are not datapoint. I think it is time for president obama to reevaluate what is department of education is doing and its affect on our communities. At least one person has been killed in a shooting and kidnapping aboard a school bus carrying children in alabama. The gunman fatally shot the driver before seizing a young child. The gunman is said to be holed up in a bunker with the child hostage. In testimony tuesday before lawmakers of the connecticut legislature, a grieving parent who lost to 6yearold son in newtowns sandy hook massacre, pleaded for a ban on assault weapons. I just hope eve said before,n support change, ban assault weapons and highcapacity clips and magazines. And that is a step in the right direction. A georgia man is in custody and facing murder charges after allegedly shooting a cuban immigrant who mistakenly arrived at his home to the faulty instructions from the gps navigator. The 22yearold was shot and killed after reportedly pulling into the wrong driveway. The alleged shooter, a 69year old white man, reportedly came out of his house and fired into the air with a handgun, then shot diaz as there are attempting to leave. A lawyer for the alleged shooter said he was suspicious after recent robbery and claimed the victim had accelerated the car toward him. A state judge in texas has granted a lastminute reprieve to a woman who had been set for execution. The 51yearold Kimberly Mccarthy won the state on tuesday just hours before she was to be killed. Mccarthy would have been the first woman put to death in the u. S. Since 2010. Attorneys for mccarthy, who is africanamerican, said the mostly white jury that convicted her was improperly selected on the basis of race. A group of activists opposed to the Keystone Xl Oil pipeline has agreed to settle a lawsuit with transcanada, the Company Behind the project, after the firm alleged a monthslong protest blockade cost it millions of dollars. Environmentalist with the tar sands blockade have tried to halt the pipelines route through texas to gulf coast refineries with tree sits and other protests. Opponents say the tar sands pipeline would devastate the environment and pollute communities in its path. After transcanada alleged blockaders had cost them 5 million, the activists said they chose to settle in order to protect local residents who could have lost their homes and life savings. While the group has agreed not to trespass on keystone xl property in texas or oklahoma, they say the fight against the pipeline will continue. Protest is the project have also erupted in nebraska where governor Dave Heineman recently approved the six sections of pipeline route. President obama has delayed a decision on the pipeline until the spring after initially putting it off until after the november election. The boy scouts of america have announced it has begun discussing an end to its longstanding ban on gay members and leaders. A spokesperson for the groups as the 103year old ban is currently under review and could be reversed at a National Board meeting next week. The move comes just months after the boy scouts defiantly reaffirmed its ban after a secretive twoyear review. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. We begin todays show in egypt, where mass protests have continued since they began last friday on the anniversary of egypts revolution. Now each of stiffens minister is warning of the potential collapse of the state. General Abdul Fattah Alsisi posted the comment on a Facebook Page after military forces were deployed in three cities along the suez canal, where a month long state of emergency has been declared. In recent nights, thousands have filled the streets of port said, along the northern tip of the canal, in defiance of the nighttime curfew imposed by president morsi. I am against these decisions. It will destroy peoples incomes. Why did implement these measures here in suez . Why doesnt he take the same measures in cairo and alexandria . Is he angry at us . Of course. This is a disaster. It will devastate suez. We are against his decisions. If he runs again, we will not elect him again and we will ignore him. Meanwhile, clashes have also erupted in cairo, including an attack on an Upscale Hotel that drew response from the Egyptian Special forces. Within 50 people have died in the countrys protests. Some of the violence was sparked by death sentences handed down saturday for 21 soccer fans involved in riots left 74 people dead last friday last february. Protesters have accused president morsi of betraying the twoyearold revolution. Then i of the egyptian currency has plummeted to record lows, causing a spike in prices of basic goods like sugar, rice, and cooking oil. For more we go to port said were people continue to protest in defiance of the state of emergency. Were joined by democracy now s Sharif Abdel Kouddous. Tell us what is happening and place poors said in egypt for us. It is good to be with you. Port said it is a city that is of the suez canal and at the mouth of the suez canal that attaches to the mediterranean. The city has had a long history of resistance. When they nationalized the suez canal and the 1950s and egypt came under attack by france, britain, and is wrote from port said was a central target. There is a National Pride in the collective memory of residence here. It is that culture of resistance that has exploded on the streets. What happened on saturday was a massacre of over 30 people who were outraged by a death sentence of 21 of their local Football Team fans, soccer game fans. The case has been going on for more than a year. Many of the families of those, of the defendants. Once the shocking verdict came out, 21 death sentences handed down, you could hear the screams of people in the streets. They approached the prison. The police opened fire. Just that first day, 30 people were killed, including two police officers. The death toll the next day, they went out the funerals and the following day on sunday, seven more people were killed when the funeral came under attack from police on rooftops. Nearly all of these people were killed with live ammunition. The death toll now is some more at 14. This is just a part of what is happening in egypt overall. As you mentioned, there is a revolt. Egypt is undergoing a revolt right now that began on the second anniversary of its revolution that has seen protests and clashes in the capital, cairo, that still going on, and alexandra in cities across the delta. Something like 10 provinces are in revolt right now the president , mohamed morsi, in a bid to quell what was going on, finally made a speech. But in the speech, there was a very angry tone and it was a finger wagging speech. He opposed a state of emergency for 30 days in these three cities along the suez canal, which are the most rested cities right now. As opposed to cairo, which leading the revolt actually, in suez [indiscernible] he imposed a nighttime curfew and fines for the curfew. It is supposed to be from 9 00 p. M. To 6 00 a. M. People began marches at 8 45 p. M. And told morsi it will not abide by the curfew, will not abide by his governments. And so he is facing a very serious crisis right now. The police have lost control of the cities. The army has been deployed, but largely guarding state institutions that have to do the suez canal. It is a very significant and pivotal moment. Can you explain what the implications are of the declaration of the state of the emergency . And as you point out, thousands have defied the order. What kinds of consequences are they likely to face . What does a state of emergency entail . The state of the emergency was one of the most despised tools of the mubarak regime to suppress [indiscernible] from october 6, 1981 until march 12, 2012, when it expired. The lifting of the state of emergency was a principal demand of the revolution. What it says is it is centrally lists from you are allowed to imprison people without judicial review. It gives the police widespread powers. And also the military is allowed to arrest citizens, gives them policing powers. It means those citizens would be put before military trial. [indiscernible] morsi pledged before never to have the state of emergency. It is now being installed again. I think it designates the resonates harshly with people. The fact on the ground is, there has been little reform whatsoever going ford, no reform of the police force since the revolution over these two years. This is a force [indiscernible] by some accounts, has engaged in more killing than before the revolution. Now when citizens are facing abuses, they head to the streets in protest. This internal list of repression, this police force, has not been resolved in any way whatsoever. There has been no accountability whatsoever. Over 1000 people have been killed since the revolution. This is the inevitable revolt on the streets. Morsi is trying to do what mubarak did for some years, trying to use the police on the streets to solve his political problems. Right now egypt is not governable by morsi or perhaps by anyone else. There is a serious crisis of the legitimacy of the government. Do you agree with each of top military officer, general Abdul Fattah Alsisi, who is saying that egypt could potentially collapse . He is warning of collapse of the state. I mean, it is hard to tell. What weve seen throughout these two years, the uprisings that come and go, clashes happening on the streets. There is really no real solution or political solution. The Political Class has failed to come together to forge a path with consensus to have some real change and reform in egypt. [indiscernible] there is the serious threat, like poor said, of along recognizing the government. People feel completely disenfranchised. Im not only talking about morsi and the muslim brotherhood, but also the three main figures that make up the national salvation, a Loose Alliance of the non islamist groups. [indiscernible] especially since this last crisis broke out. The natural response is for people to vent their rage on the streets, this ongoing feud with the police. Were going to leave it there because your voice is breaking up, though we are thrilled we are able to speak to you outside of cairo, speaking to in the northern coastal city of port said or agree to of the protest is taking place. Democracy now Sharif Abdel Kouddous speaking to us from port said. We will link your article at the nation. The only person to go to jail on the torture program. He was the whistleblower on torture. Stay with us. [music break] this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. A retired cia agent who blew the