Black Hills closer to BIA management; Bush henchmen seek asylum in red states

The Black Hills are broken. The white race stole the ground, plundered the resources, continue to pollute waterways and deplete watersheds, and have encouraged ponderosa pine to infest lands once dominated by aspen and sage. Nine tribes have sued to force the courts to act on Forest Service and BLM mismanagement.

From PBS:

Plagued by an unemployment rate above 80 percent, arid land, few prospects for industry, abysmal health statistics and life-expectancy rates rivaling those of Haiti, it’s no wonder outsiders ask: Why do the nine tribes constituting the Great Sioux Nation, including those on Pine Ridge, staunchly refuse to accept $1.3 billion from the federal government? Edward Charging Elk, a member of the Rosebud Tribe, has put together one such proposal for a bill that he says is “realistic and doable” that focuses on three elements: the return of 1.3 million acres of the Black Hills, relabeling the trust money as back rent and then agreeing on the terms of future rent for the resources from the land to the tune of roughly $7 million a year.

The Helena Independent Record and Montana Standard are reporting that an alleged war criminal and former Bush henchman has sought political asylum in Montana:

Donald Rumsfeld, secretary of defense for presidents George W. Bush and Gerald Ford, is retired and spends a portion of his summers on a gentleman’s ranch along the Big Hole River in southwest Montana.

A co-conspirator touts torture chops in the Casper Trib:

Former Vice President Dick Cheney says he has “no regrets” about the harsh interrogation policies the Bush administration pursued in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

A train derailment just west of Sturgis has gone unreported. This blogger witnessed at least eight railcars on their sides.