DoD Homeland Defense Official Convinced Terrorists Would Use WMD

DoD-AFPS ^ | Jan. 26, 2004 | Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

WASHINGTON, January 26, 2004 -- If al Qaeda and other terrorists were given even "half an opening," they would use weapons of mass destructions within the United States, said DoD's official responsible for homeland defense.

"That's a chilling but hard reality," Paul McHale, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense told members of the Reserve Officers Association here today. He said he's personally convinced that "we must be prepared not only to defeat such attacks, but, God forbid, to respond to them."

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      Reality, ping!

[cripplecreek]

now if only liberals could wrap thier minds around that concept.

[Free ThinkerNY]

Exactly why we need to have a President like Bush. Not a pacifistic Democrat. National security is the number one issue.

[Huck]

Good thing Al Quaida's in Iraq then, cause there ain't any WMD there, so we're safe!

[cripplecreek]

the iraq flag roach motel. terrorists check in but they dont check out.

[Old Sarge]

Counterterrorism is normally a civilian law enforcement function of forces such as the local police and FBI. McHale said that as part of NORTHCOM, Guard and Reserve soldiers could help those civilian officials provide a "fused capability" and a second layer of defense against terrorism.

This mission already is in place, as part of Operation Noble Eagle. It comes under what's known as MSCA - Military Support of Civilian Authorities.

Now, MSCA missions are traditionally the Guard missions you all know: disaster relief, civil disturbance, search-and-rescue, etc. Under ONE, the missions can also include the Homeland Security role in an offensive response: the firepower tasks that AD McHale refers to.

That would happen, ONLY WHEN and NOT BEFORE every legal I and T was dotted and crossed. The Guard/Reserves will not be used lightly, in these incidents.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[boris]

.

[discostu]

yeah AND. Once again Boris I will remind you that I never said there was no threat, that's your LIE.

STOP PINGING ME LIAR!

[livius]

they [Navy personnel] would also be in the air engaging in surveillance

When my son went into the Navy at the end of the 80s, he was in aviation anti-submarine warfare, and did surveillance in the Persian Gulf area, as well as in parts of the Pacific. After the fall of the Soviet Union, it was decided (well, by the Dems) that it was no longer necessary to watch out for submarines, because after all, the Soviet Union had been the only big problem in that area. So they basically eliminated much of that type of surveillance in the 90s.

Well, of course, the Russians couldn't afford to put the submarines out to sea themselves, but that certainly didn't mean they were going to destroy them. They sold them - to places like Iran, which supposedly has a fair number of some of the more advanced model Russian subs. So the problem, if anything, got worse, but in the meantime, we had eliminated one of our first lines of defense.

I assume this has been or is being rebuilt now, but it's an example of what a short-sighted, naive defense policy can do.

[Cindy]

LINKS OF INTEREST
http://www.truthusa.com/LinksOfInterest.html

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: ATTACK ON AMERICA
http://www.truthusa.com/911.html

[Donna Lee Nardo]

If only liberals HAD minds. They are mindless.

[Calpernia]

Let's use this one for update continuation ping.

[Darlin']

"We have passed from the Cold War to al Qaeda," he noted. "We have had to face the harsh reality that our enemy now considers [the continental United States] to be a primary battlefront and we have no doubt that if given the opportunity, they will attack us with weapons of mass destruction."

I have no doubt about that. From the wanton destruction and bloodshed of innocents on every continent, it is clear they intend to dominate the world and if that means killing every last one of us infidels that is exactly what they'll do. If they can bring the "Great Satan"" to its knees other countries would be easier to control.

[Darlin']

Yeah, riiiight. Of course, they didn't have much of an air force either unless you wanna count the aircraft they had buried in the desert.

[Calpernia]

Thanks Old Sarge.

Adding links of interest:

http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal/articles/Lawlor.htm

http://www.intelligence.gov

http://www.defendamerica.mil

[Calpernia]

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/training/index.asp

[Timm]

I just finished a book called _Dangerous Waters_. The book attempts to detail the threat to international shipping from piracy. The author focuses in greatest detail on south Asia, particularly the Moloccan Strait and the South China Sea.

The facts are disturbing. The author recounts episodes in which large tankers-- the large oil ships, or container ships-- were taken over at gunpoint by pirates. Crews have been beaten and robbed. Many smaller tankers have been commandeered entirely. The crews were murdered, and the ships cruise constantly in international waters, on and off-loading cargo under a fake name and bogus registration. Phantom ships.

Most eye-opening were the speculations about terrorist attacks. It would not be difficult to commandeer a large oil tanker, and smash it open in one of the world's major waterways. A collision in the narrow parts of the Moloccan Strait, an explosion in the Suez or Panama canals, or an auto-piloted attack on an American port are all very real threats. An attack of this kind could conceivably hamper international shipping for months, not to mention kill large numbers of people.

[Huck]

I'm just going by the evidence and the latest reports.