Posted on 08/02/2004 1:30:07 PM PDT by demlosers
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush, declaring the nation was still not safe from terrorist attack, announced Monday the creation of a national director to oversee federal intelligence gathering and the creation of a National Intelligence Center to monitor and coordinate all government counter-terrorism plans and activities.
"All the institutions of our government must be fully prepared for a struggle against terror that will last into the future," Bush said while speaking in the White House Rose Garden. "Our goal is an integrated, unified, national-intelligence effort."
The announcement comes on the heels of a new al-Qaida threat of attacks against U.S. financial institutions in the lead-up to elections in November, resulting in the terrorism threat level being raised Sunday to orange, or high, in New York around certain institutions. Preparedness was also raised in northern New Jersey and around the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington.
"The work of securing this vast nation is not done," Bush said. "The elevation of the threat level in New York and New Jersey and Washington, D.C., is a serious reminder, a solemn reminder, of the threat we continue to face."
The position of national intelligence director and creation of a national counter-terrorism center were part of a list of recommendations made last month by the National Commission on the Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, commonly known as the Sept. 11 Commission. Created by Congress and signed into being by Bush, the bipartisan panel spent 20 months investigating the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and the intelligence and security lapses contributing to them.
A major finding was a lack of coordination and cooperation between intelligence gatherers in the 12 federal agencies that collect and analyze intelligence and intelligence agencies and domestic law enforcement.
Bush Monday noted his administration had implemented many of the panel's recommendations already, soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Among measures made operational were the USA Patriot Act to bring down the barriers between intelligence and law enforcement, beefed-up security at airports, ports and borders, creation of the Department of Homeland Security, which brought a number of agencies under one umbrella, and a refocusing of the FBI's intelligence gathering. The administration had also taken efforts to find and stop terrorist-financing sources, interdict weapons-proliferation efforts and prepare for a biological or chemical attack.
The United States had also routed the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan, brought Pakistan into the terrorist fight and deposed Saddam Hussein, who posed a threat to the nation's security, he said.
One measure out of the president's hands that he addressed Monday was Congress reforming its own intelligence oversight methods, which involves many committees on both sides of the Capitol.
"I mean, it seems like it's one thing to testify and for there to be oversight; it's another thing to make sure that the people who are engaged in protecting America don't spend all their time testifying," he said.
On Capitol Hill some six separate committees have scheduled 15 meetings on recommendations of the panel and suggested reform.
Bush was given the commission recommendations late last month and immediately appointed a task force to study them and make recommendations. The White House said Bush made his final decisions Sunday.
Creation of the national intelligence director was reportedly opposed by some members of the administration and would require congressional reworking of the 1947 National Security Act to allow for it. That act created the Central Intelligence Agency, which now has the lead role in intelligence gathering and coordination. A national intelligence director, as envisaged with budgetary control over intelligence and control over intelligence gathering and analysis, would place the director of the CIA in a subordinate role.
Some Democratic lawmakers have also criticized Bush's stance that the new post not be in the White House.
"I though it was the right thing to do," Bush said Monday when asked why he chose to create the post.
Bush said additional measures that build upon the Sept. 11 panel's recommendations would be implemented in the days ahead by executive order or through regulatory authority. "I will issue a series of directives to various departments to underscore and further outline essential steps for the U.S. government on the war on terror," he said. "All relevant agencies must complete the task of adopting common databases and procedures so that intelligence and homeland-security information can be shared and searched effectively."
Bush added that he might actually go further than the commission in regard to acting to stop proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. He said he was looking at the idea of creating a similar center to bring together intelligence, planning and operations to track and prevent the spread of WMD.
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While Kerry Talks President Bush Acts.
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, ......, Rudy
Giuliani, no question.
a splendid suggestion.
Once again, the old "Tar Baby." Please don't combine FBI and CIA. Please don't tear down "that wall." Oh, puh-lease Mr. Democrat.
and,......international-intelligence effort!
(China says,.....______?)
:-(
Have you heard Kerry calling for Bush to bring Congress back into session for this? Wait until Kerry figures out the Bush will get to appoint the first czar and the term of office will probably be 6 years! And I'd love to hear Cheney ask out loud that if Congress was called back, would Kerry show up!
RINO, RINO, RINO..........
so we let the Dem's trash a government agency, then we fix it by creating a new government office - just great
Tom Delay preferably, but I'd prefer him in Hastert's spot and wouldn't want to lose him.
The President successfully upstaged John F*ckin's announcement of his new book today. What a masterstroke. The Democratic candidate was left sputtering about the need to call Congress back into session while Bush took care of keeping our country safe. Kerry's a U.S Senator and he doesn't even know the U.S government has been working every day on the subject of 9/11. And I don't mean just for election year sound bites. If he had bothered to be on his own job, he would have realized a lot of his own wish list is well on the way to being realized. He wants us to trust him as President? Not when his own ignorance is on display for the American people to see.
We need an exceptionally tough, honorable, patriotic genius with ties to defense, state, business, cia, fbi, and treasury.
I'd hate to lose either of them, but 2 of the best choices are Cheney or Rumsfeld. Too bad they're already taken.
The next choices: James Baker out of Retirement (choice #1), Myers (CJCS), Brown (CG-USSOC), Wolfowitz,
Wasn't this what the CENTRAL Intelligence Agency was supposed to accomplish 50-odd years ago?
They should play out the annoucement of whom he will select while exhaustively examining their extensive qualifications to fight terror. Shows depth.
Could even be a Dem. The Hon Paul McHale, Colonel USMC(R) -- presently serving as Asst Sec for Homeland Defense & one of 4 Dems who voted to impeach Pres Clinton would excel while showing bipartisanship. Another obvious reach-across the-aisle would be Lieberman.
The home team has plenty of players who would do extremely well. Many have been mentioned. I don't put the VP beyond the pale.
Wouldn't surprise me if he names Cheney. That would definitely make this race more interesting.
That would drive the RATs crazy, but the best qualified person is Porter Goss.
The second we get a DemonCrap in office the specter of FBI 'Filegate' under Klinton is going to look like child's play with the new powers they will inherit.
"Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, ......, Rudy
RINO, RINO, RINO.........."
My bets are on Cheney. Condi, Rudy or Powell for VP.
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