U.S. shouldn't have to do tap dance over bugging

http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn08.html ^ | Jan 8, 2006 | Mark Steyn

[mal]

Here's a Reuters headline from New Year's Day: "CIA May Need Decade To Rebuild Clandestine Service."

A decade, huh? Circa 2016, you mean? The last time I checked the job-completion estimates was back in spring 2004, when the agency's then-director, George Tenet, told the 9/11 Commission that it would take another half-decade to rebuild the clandestine service. In other words, three years after 9/11, he was saying he needed another five years. As I wrote at the time, "Imagine if, after Pearl Harbor, Franklin Roosevelt had turned to Tenet to start up the OSS, the CIA's Second World War predecessor. In 1942, he'd have told the president not to worry, he'd have it up and running by 1950."

[goldstategop]

The Democrats' answer to Al Qaeda is to leave America defenseless. So this is what they mean by threatening the President with impeachment for listening in on potential terrorists' conversations. It beggars the mind how liberals elevate their moral superiority over our country's survival.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Democrats: Dances With Bin Laden, Zawihiri and al Zarqawi.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Better fit: American Left Dances With Islamic Wolves.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[wildcatf4f3]

well if the dems want to commit suicide, i say we help 'em,,,and fast,,,,get'em out of the way so we can fight....we don't need them anyway...where is that cliff the lemmings use?

[TalBlack]

"Do you want Iyman Faris in jail? Or do you think he should have the run of the planet until he's actually destroyed the bridge and killed hundreds of people?"

No. I want him DEAD. Like those IRA terrorists mentioned in the story.

If you won't kill the lyman Faris' of the world then 'prepare to lose the war'.

[Steel Wolf]

The CIA bureaucrats are more deeply entrenched than the North Korean nuclear program. They're dug in, and will resist reform and change until that bright, epiphinal day when someone in Washington grows a set of testicles and fires them.

We've got plenty of talent out there that could be used to replace the career paperpushers (who's careers are a delicate balance of incompetence, political correctness, and egotism). It's just that we timidly refuse to clean house, and they are adamantly opposed to changing how they do business.

Everyone saw this coming, too. We need the current CIA leadership about as much as an ambulance driver needs an angry cobra in the passenger seat. The upper tiers of the agency are going to fight the President's agenda to their dying breath. It's long past time to shut down the CIA and recreate the OSS or a similar agency. One that is both competent to do their jobs, and inclined to.

[Salgak]

Agreed about the bureaucrats, But it DOES take time to train, emplace, and properly cover clandestine service officers. . .

[kellynla]

"Sen. Barbara Boxer and her colleagues are apparently considering impeaching the president for eavesdropping on al Qaida calls made to U.S. phone numbers. Surely, even Karl Rove can't get that lucky."

Yes he can. Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots in the 'Rat party. LOL

Unfortunately, the incompetence and CYA mentalitiy of the Federal government, FBI, CIA et al dates back to at least 1983 when the Reagan administration's response after the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut was....nothing, nada, zip, zero and the CYA metalitity and incompetence continues to this day! That we haven't had another 9/11 type terroist attack in America since 9/11 is nothing short of a miracle but then it was eight years between the first WTC bombing and 9/11.

[metesky]

...Abu Musad al-Zarqawi testifying that he only called Howard Dean to issue a formal complaint about congressional Democrats stealing his rationalizations.

Steyn bump and a ping to Pokey78.

[Pokey78]

Steyn ping!

[Pokey78]

Than ks for the ping!

[DCPatriot]

Steyn ping!

[cgk]

The Democrats' answer to Al Qaeda is to leave America defenseless

You've got that exactly right - be sure to read the last panel:

[cgk]

Thanks for the ping!

[knighthawk]

Ping

[kellynla]

BTTT

[FairOpinion]

"It's very hard to fight a terrorist war without intelligence. By definition, you can only win battles against terrorists pre-emptively -- that's to say, you find out what they're planning to do next Thursday and you stop it cold on Wednesday. Capturing them on Friday while you're still pulling your dead from the rubble is poor consolation."

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Why is this so hard to understand?! Or do the Dems WANT innocent Americans to die?

This is an absolutely must read article. Steyn nails it, as usual, but this is such an important topic, our lives literally depend on preventing terror attacks.

[FairOpinion]

Thanks for the ping.

The article is full of gems, as usual.

"Do you want Iyman Faris in jail? Or do you think he should have the run of the planet until he's actually destroyed the bridge and killed hundreds of people? Say, the Golden Gate Bridge just as you're driving across after voting for Barbara Boxer and congratulating yourself on your moral superiority."

[FairOpinion]

"if the Democrats have their way, all terrorist cells in Europe or Pakistan would have to do to put themselves beyond the reach of U.S. intelligence is get a New Jersey-based associate to place a bulk order for Verizon cell phones."


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That's about it.