Posted on 05/19/2002 8:06:44 PM PDT by Mo1
All I know is if they hit this country again like on 9/11 or worse ... I would not want to be an arab or a Muslim in this country
I can hardly bear to be around any of them now. I can't help wondering about them.
Like I said .. I don't disagree with you but in this country we have freedom and liberities and giving that up will set people so off there might be another revolutionary war .. and if you try going after a lot of the Arabs and Muslims .. every liberal and ACLU nit wit will be screaming civil liberity abuse .. also remember there is a large number of Muslims in the black community .. I can just see Jesse & Al screaming up a storm
It is not that easy but I am sure some how we will figure it all out
<---snip-->
ENGEL: And I think that the FBI and the CIA need to coordinate much better than they have. They cannot each go about their merry way trying to have turf battles here. We`re obviously in a very difficult fight against terrorism, and everything needs to be coordinated, and it`s clear to me that there was a severe lack of coordination.
KEYES: But does that mean -- this is the question, though, that I was trying to put on the table a minute ago, because different Congresses have addressed this issue. The legislation that deals with our national security establishment, the National Security Council, was put on the books in `47. It`s been amended a couple of times. And that is what was supposed to deal precisely with the question and problem you have just raised.
And is it always a question of mechanisms, or is it sometimes a question of the kind of personnel that you have put in these positions and whether or not in point of fact they are doing the job? Because sometimes, you know, you have a race car and it`s the car that`s the problem. Sometimes it`s the driver. And it seems to me that you all are going to have to look at both these possibilities, aren`t you?
ENGEL: I was going to say, I think we have to look at both the possibilities, and I think what makes this different now, Alan, than ever before is the events of September 11. I think they`re so horrific, we never in the history of our country have lost so many Americans in one day. And we in Congress, Democrats and Republicans, demand answers, and I think the American public agrees with us. I think there`s very little difference between my opinion and Pete`s opinion on these matters, and I think most of the Congress feels the same.
KEYES: Pete, a last word.
KING: Yes, I think it`s fair to say also that over the last 50 years nobody has ever looked toward the NSC to actually carry out that function, even though the law does ask you to. For instance, Henry Kissinger and we can go back to Brzezinski, even back to George Bundy, I don`t think any NSC adviser looked upon as his or her role to be coordinating the FBI and CIA.
But I think that`s been a failing, and I think it`s important that someone has to do it, and not just the FBI and the CIA, but also INS. We go right down the whole line, the defense establishment. They can`t be having these turf battles. It`s absolutely disgraceful in this day and age to be having these petty intramural fighting, while innocent Americans are getting killed and murdered.
ENGEL: And I think the Bush administration needs to tell what they knew and when they knew it. I think that this attitude that somehow you have to cover things up and if you want answers to questions you`re being unpatriotic has really got to go.
<--snip-->
Notice how Peter King acknowledges the failing, going back 50 years.....and yet nothing has been done to change this. And Engel's initial comments are to get the FBI or CIA. Its obvious King is aware that the NSA is the coordinator of all the data--yet he passes it off.....by attacking the agencies, they can ignore the legislative and executive branches, or minimize their actions....and yes, the legislative branch is very much involved--they have a duty called oversight--and it appears they have failed miserably....but it's the old CYA game with them--the "don't blame you, don't blame me, blame the agency behind the tree" routine.
And even now that it appears everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and remedy the situation, they are not looking at reviewing the law they enacted, but rather they are ready to jump on this agency or that agency passing laws right and left that they have no idea will cure anything! Just toss a lot of $$$$$ at it, hope some of it sticks long enough to fill a hole....and hope the next disaster isn't more than 30,000 Americans, or 300,000 Americans!!!
There is additional information in that transcript later with 3 men, one of which was Frank Gaffney. In that segment he indicates that he worked in the area of national security during the Reagan administration and they handled things, apparently, the way the law was intended to work--National Security was the collection point of data from various agencies; they collated, and the NSA presented to the President.
That's the definition of government agencies. It's not going to change. Law enforcement does not need to be more centralized. The military is centralized - fine.
Law enforcement needs to be local. Elected Sheriffs have jurisdiction in their counties over federal agents for a good reason - but they are continuously stepping aside (or being shoved aside, as was the case in McLennan County -Waco- in 1993) while federal agents ride roughshod over citizenry. It's a recipe for disaster.
The only successful fight against the terrorist's plans on Sept 11 happened because AMERICANS (unfortunately disarmed Americans) fought for their country when they were called suddenly to duty and lost their lives in a Pennsylvania field rather than a crowded landmark building.
The war against terrorism is not in the CIA's hands or the FBI's hands - they are proven bumblers. It is in OUR hands.
FIRST REPORT: "HOMICIDE BOMBER EXPLODES IN Israel; AFULA AREA
Val, I realize that and once a suicide bomber blows himself up at a mall like they do in Israel .. many other americans will get it also
But what do you suppose .. we start shooting people before we know if they are the bad guys or not???
That is a good way of spending the rest of your life in jail
If I hear that and "I don't recall" one more time I am gonna friggin SCREAM
And you are right Rowdee .. Congress needs to start doing their job and stop reacting and passing stupid laws thinking everyone will forget
Think about it -- the national media is proclaiming to the world (our enemies included) that Americans are helplessly unarmed in schools, public buildings, airplanes, trains, everywhere. We are sitting ducks. QUACK!
Isn't that stupid?
It's like 7-11 or McDonalds posting a policy that clerks are unarmed. They should be displaying sharpshooter trophies won by employees -- there's crime deterrant, and a terrorist deterrant.
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